The Risk Of Rapid Communication
The Risk Of Rapid Communication
I just messed up. It wasn’t life-threatening or even dangerous, but it was a goof that didn’t need to happen. And it would have been better if I had not done it.
So what did I do that was so bad?
Simple. I acted on an e-mail before I read the entire text of the e-mail. It was sent to a group of people, asking them for their independent thoughts on a logo.
Now, I have been through several logo designs and selection processes. I have seen great logos put aside and passed over for far worse ones. I have seen logos that look good when they are fresh and crisp, but would not look good when photocopied. Or faxed. Or scanned. These could be logos that rely on color as being a primary element of the logo, rather than a secondary element. Or design elements that are too small. Regardless, I have a good feel for what looks good as a logo, as well as what won’t look good in many uses.
So, when I saw the logos and an “A” or “B” selection, I immediately jumped in, gave my opinion (with explanations) and fired it off to the whole group. And it was about an hour later when I received a follow-up e-mail from another person on the e-mail that pointed out my error.
Ooops.
I replied incorrectly.
I had quickly replied and sent my reply to the entire group. Down at the bottom of the email it asked that replies only be sent to the sender. This is perfectly understandable, trying to eliminate bias between people who voice their opinions. That's exactly what I did (accidentally). My opinion went out to everyone, which likely resulted in influencing at least some of their opinions. Not what the sender wanted.
That’s simply something that I can’t take back and fix the damage. I immediately sent out a reply e-mail to everyone with an apology and a plea to ignore my comments. But the cat’s out of the bag and I can’t take it back.
So what’s the point of this post here?
Complete communication.
It’s simple. Communication is important. Or perhaps I should say COMPLETE communication is important.
Communication is a two-way street. One side “projects” a message. The other side “receives” the message. Accurate and full communication only occurs when both individuals understand the message in the same way after it has been transmitted .... and received.
Poor Communication
Lack of complete communication can occur due to a wide variety of reasons. In this case it was because I acted before I took in the full message. Had I read and understood the entire email before replying, it’s likely that I would have seen the message “don’t use reply all” at the end. It was an important element of the message, and because I didn’t see it …. I did exactly what I was asked not to do.
The Tale Of Two Errors
There are two errors (i.e. “risks”) that can be identified here. I will start with my error first. That's an error on the receiving end.
Always receive the whole communication and understand it fully before acting on it. I know that it’s not always possible, especially in this age of long and voluminous communications. But you should work to receive and understand the message that is being sent. Not 10% of it. Not 40%. Not 80%. Wait until you see, hear, and read 100% of the message to ensure that you fully understand it before you act.
The second error was from the person transmitting the message. It’s the duty of the sender to help you easily see and understand the important elements of the message, especially if they are special instructions. In this case, because there was a desire to keep everyone’s opinions separate, it would have been far better to provide those instructions right at the beginning of the email. To have the reader acknowledge that condition before reading the body of the message, rather than assuming they would catch it at the end.
It may be useful to emphasize this point. Flagging the email with a header: “Important. Please read this first”. That would have certainly had everyone see and understand the desire for confidential replies. The chances of missing such a message at the beginning are far lower than having that message at the end of the email. That's why "CONFIDENTIAL" flags on memos, etc. are typically written in capital letters at the beginning of the document, rather than at the end. That position and typeface SHOUTS OUT your special instructions or conditions to the reader before they start reading the document.
Highlight Special Instructions When Communicating
In summary, it’s important to provide important elements of communication up front with appropriate emphasis to help the receiver get that message for action. Don’t make them hunt for what you want to say or do.
Likewise, to recipients of communication … pay attention and be “present” for communication. Wait for the projected message to be fully delivered before you take action.
Both of these acts can help improve communication ... and help prevent miscommunication.
WhiteCoat Risk Management provides these articles to help improve general risk awareness in all aspects of your life. It is not responsible for any actions you take or fail to take regarding any aspect of your financial planning or risk management. This article is provided for information purposes and is not intended to provide individualized advice. You alone are responsible for your decisions.
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