Confusion over written messages can happen at any time, and Miscommunication Mummies are especially ready to strike in remote work. Are you wrapped up in uncertainty over what that last Slack message from your teammate suggested? And what did your boss really mean in that last email? Teammates can feel at odds through written communication in remote work, misunderstanding tone and intent. With async short videos for teams, Voodle leans into our natural preference to communicate face to face.
What’s So Scary?
TONE.
Previously, a member of leadership at Voodle ran an exercise where she had three different people read the same message aloud, without hearing each other. More often than not, the intonation is completely different. Studies show that the vocal component “constitutes 38% of our communication.” With so many of us working remotely, our exposure to the human voice element of communication has dropped dramatically. That’s a huge loss for team alignment.
Unseen Non-Verbal Cues
In addition to the audio of communication, the visual component proves critical. Let’s let psychologist David F. Swink break it down for us:
“In face-to-face communication, we rely heavily on non-verbal information like facial expression, body posture, gestures, and voice tone to interpret and predict other people’s behavior. Without these important non-verbal cues, our imaginations fill in the blanks of what the person sending the message sender intended, and how they felt about the communication. We rarely fill in the blanks with positive intentions. This can lead to misunderstandings, damaged relationships, and poor business decisions.”
In conclusion, not good. If something is ambiguous, it is almost always interpreted as negative.
What To Do?!
Make Room for Patience with Miscommunication Mummies
We’re not going to get this right all the time. Miscommunication Mummies can sneak up on us year-round, not just near Halloween. Teams must make room for mistakes, especially when life can feel a bit chaotic at and beyond work during these present uncertain times. Prioritize company culture, as we talked about in our Culture Vampire post, to foster empathy among teammates. A little patience and choosing to assume positive intent can go a long way.
Incorporate Visual Communication as Often as Possible
Many teams are moving from a centralized workplace as COVID-19 persists. Even if people intend to return to the office at some point, utilizing video communication allows for more face-to-face connection. That said, nobody wants to be a Zoom Zombie. As a result, modern workplaces must integrate asynchronous communication, and Voodle provices the perfect short video format to do that. Async conversations meet your team where, and when, they are without derailing their workflow.
How Voodle Can Help Unravel Miscommunication Mummies
Miscommunication Mummies may run rampant in remote work, but we’re here to help you get detangled. Human connection is back in business with Voodle. Whether you’re specifically seeking a tool for your sales team, leadership, HR, or something else, Voodle provides solutions for your communication needs. Keep Miscommunication Mummies at bay and sign up for Voodle FREE today!
Originally published at https://voodle.com on October 30, 2020.
