Never underestimate the power of open communication. #QuoteADay #Day101 #edchat #edu #Chat
Sometimes we can forget the true power of communication. Our world is so fast-paced that most of our communication can be asynchronous. While the advantages of this are tremendous (who doesn't want to stay in touch with friends who are worlds away), there are some definite challenges (at times, we look at our devices more than we do the people we're engaging with face-to-face).
True face-to-face communication accomplishes quite a bit. It lets people see, hear, and "feel" each other speak, and body language is a form of communication all in its own right; we can learn much from "reading" the actions of others.
Leaders and learners need to remember the merits of true open communication. For communication to truly be open, all parties need to be "present," and often that means being in the same room with each other.
Yes, you can have open communication online, but there is always a small shred of secrecy that comes from not being in the same place as somebody else; something is always hidden.
But, in a common space, this is much harder. People find it tougher to hide their feelings and to hide who they really are. This is important as transparency requires everyone to bare their souls.
What we gain from transparency is an ability to see where everyone is, and to start making a move to bring all on the same page. Once we've done that, we can begin the process of building capacity for change, certainly not an easy feat, but one made easier simply because we can "hear" each other while also seeing "eye-to-eye."
We need to embrace every form of communication, but we must make sure that we make time for honest, open, and face-to-face, discourse.
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