By Jonathan Halls

Communication is changing radically.  This includes how we communicate, our expectations in communication and the reasons we do it. 

The changes have profound implications for leaders and staff in high performing organizations. 

Next generation of leaders will communicate differently

Back in January I was leading a workshop for television producers grappling with the impact of the online world on TV.

Jim Harrison, Head of Interactive at Endermol Productions was a key guest speaker.  Endermol is the mammoth television production company which developed Big Brother and other run-away success formats around the world.

Jim asked the group if anyone had a Facebook account.  A few people raised their hands looking embarrassed.  “If you’re over 30,” he said, “there’s a good chance you’ll have only signed up out of academic interest.”

Phew, I thought, that’s me, because my interest is more academic than enthusiastic.  He went on.  “But if you’re under thirty, there’s a strong chance you’ll live by it.  And you’ll be hooked by it.”

It’s a sobering thought.  Because the twenty-five year-olds in your company today are your middle managers in 5 to 10 years.  Their communication experience is so different to those of us on the other side of the mountain.

Facebook and other social networking sites are not the only changes that challenge how we communicate.

More has changed than we realize

When I work with organizations undergoing radical change, I often ask them to list 15 things that have changed in the past 15 years.

It usually surprises them.  Because we don’t often sit down and track how many things have changed.  The changes go beyond technology and touch things like  societal values, many which are changing.

Life has changed so much that many of us haven’t come to terms with what it really means.  Except we’re learning new phrases like ‘time poor’ and hearing the ubiquitous complaint, “I’m too busy!”

Some of the biggest stimulants of change are obviously technology.  71% of Americans now have internet access.  53% of Germans and 40% of Britons are hooked up the to the information super highway.  In China, 210 million people use the internet – equivalent of just over a third of Americans.

When it comes to cell phones, there are now more handsets in the UK than the entire British population.  In Asia Pacific, 388 new mobile phone accounts are opened every minute.  And worldwide, there are 3.6 billion cell phone accounts.  Wow.

It's beyond technology - we need a new grammar

But tracking changes in technology, can blind us to some of the more important changes that are of a more human nature.  And nothing is so fundamental to us as communication.

In light of the changes we see, I believe we need to radically review what communication is and how it takes place.  It’s time for a new grammar – something I’ll be talking about at a conference in May, in Brisbane, Australia.

But what do I mean?  Here’s one short example.  Most will agree that email has revolutionized communication.  It’s now instant, free and global.  But the way we write has changed.  As have the people expecting us to write.

I remember pounding out memos on a typewriter once.  Had to make sure the spelling was correct and each sentence started with a capital.

Now our language uses new spelling, phrasing and punctuation.  Who starts sentences with capitals these days?  (Except me –perhaps I’m a luddite.)

Email isn’t the only stimulant of this change in language use.  Cell phones and SMS text messages are changing the way we write sentences. And their timing.

Multimedia applications are liberating us from using only text.  Short videos and still pictures are becoming more important as communication evolves.

Mobile platforms change the possibilities of when and where our messages can be sent.  And interactivity changes the very tone of our messages.

The danger: misunderstanding or being misunderstood

It’s a fascinating discussion because before long, those of us who follow the grammar taught twenty years ago, may find ourselves either misunderstanding others or being misunderstood.  So where does it leave us?  We need a new grammar.  Or in real terms, a new set of rules or conventions.

Unless we learn the new communication conventions, our ability to be good leaders will suffer.  As will the ability to be effective  team players.  Here at Talkshow, we’re continuing to explore this as we spend much of our time helping people be better communicators.  We’re publishing our thoughts at conferences and on our website all the time.  For now, though, the challenge is to learn a new grammar.

Jonathan Halls is Managing Director of Talkshow Communication Ltd.

 This article has been taken from the March 2008 edition of Tomorrow - Talkshow Communication's monthly briefing.  To subscribe, email us at information@talkshowcommunication.com.

© 2007 Jonathan Halls and Licensors.  All Rights Reserved.