15 min
Understanding Digital Body Language with Erica Dhawan Workhuman Radio
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- Careers
Mike Wood welcomes Erica Dhawan, one of the speakers at WorkHuman Live 2020, to this week’s show. Erica is the world’s leading authority on Connectional Intelligence and the founder and CEO of Cotential. She is a speaker, trainer and consultant, as well as a bestselling author and podcast host. Named the Oprah of Management by the Thinkers 50, Erica is considered one of the management thinkers most likely to shape the future of business. She and Mike chat about digital body language, the topic she will speak on at WorkHuman Live 2020.
What is Digital Body Language?
A modern dilemma is that while body language makes up 75% of communication, today 70% of our communication is digital. As a result, it’s becoming more difficult to express what you mean in the workplace, and to grasp what others mean. These days we don’t talk the talk, Erica says, we write the talk. She defines digital body language as the cues and signals we send in our messages that truly make up the subtext of what we mean. She says that it is a key skill to help reduce the empathy deficit that strains workplace relationships.
New Signals
Mike asks what signals we should look for in digital communications. Erica responds that digital body language shapes every interaction we have now, even face to face ones. Some of the new signals are word choice, response time, medium choice, and email signature. The key thing to keep in mind is how our digital body language signals are received by others. She says that we should first ask ourselves if we've given the other person enough context and if we're being clear, then if we’re using an emotional tone that’s in keeping with our company culture.
Practice Patient and Careful Responses
Today’s advanced technology, Erica says, has created a culture where we feel that communication has to be instant. One of the most important elements of digital body language is to practice patient and careful responses. Be patient; you shouldn’t panic or get upset if someone doesn’t respond immediately, Erica says. A better approach is to include response time expectations in your messages. When you rush to respond to messages, there’s a high chance that your response will have mistakes and typos. Hasty responses can cause a breakdown in trust, Erica points out. Respond carefully and thoughtfully.
Using Sarcasm and Humor
There are times when we can use sarcasm or humor in our digital communications effectively, but it depends on the audience and our relationship with them. Erica describes when sarcasm and humor is appropriate, and when it’s better not to use it. Ultimately, she says, everyone has their own style of sarcasm, and if it can cause misunderstanding, it’s best not to use it at all. Mike adds that there still needs to be a tone of business in your writing. Erica comments that digital body language is a whole new skill set but it’s critical for teamwork and leadership in the modern age.
Resources
EricaDhawan.com
Erica Dhawan on Twitter | LinkedIn
WorkHuman Live 2020
Mike Wood welcomes Erica Dhawan, one of the speakers at WorkHuman Live 2020, to this week’s show. Erica is the world’s leading authority on Connectional Intelligence and the founder and CEO of Cotential. She is a speaker, trainer and consultant, as well as a bestselling author and podcast host. Named the Oprah of Management by the Thinkers 50, Erica is considered one of the management thinkers most likely to shape the future of business. She and Mike chat about digital body language, the topic she will speak on at WorkHuman Live 2020.
What is Digital Body Language?
A modern dilemma is that while body language makes up 75% of communication, today 70% of our communication is digital. As a result, it’s becoming more difficult to express what you mean in the workplace, and to grasp what others mean. These days we don’t talk the talk, Erica says, we write the talk. She defines digital body language as the cues and signals we send in our messages that truly make up the subtext of what we mean. She says that it is a key skill to help reduce the empathy deficit that strains workplace relationships.
New Signals
Mike asks what signals we should look for in digital communications. Erica responds that digital body language shapes every interaction we have now, even face to face ones. Some of the new signals are word choice, response time, medium choice, and email signature. The key thing to keep in mind is how our digital body language signals are received by others. She says that we should first ask ourselves if we've given the other person enough context and if we're being clear, then if we’re using an emotional tone that’s in keeping with our company culture.
Practice Patient and Careful Responses
Today’s advanced technology, Erica says, has created a culture where we feel that communication has to be instant. One of the most important elements of digital body language is to practice patient and careful responses. Be patient; you shouldn’t panic or get upset if someone doesn’t respond immediately, Erica says. A better approach is to include response time expectations in your messages. When you rush to respond to messages, there’s a high chance that your response will have mistakes and typos. Hasty responses can cause a breakdown in trust, Erica points out. Respond carefully and thoughtfully.
Using Sarcasm and Humor
There are times when we can use sarcasm or humor in our digital communications effectively, but it depends on the audience and our relationship with them. Erica describes when sarcasm and humor is appropriate, and when it’s better not to use it. Ultimately, she says, everyone has their own style of sarcasm, and if it can cause misunderstanding, it’s best not to use it at all. Mike adds that there still needs to be a tone of business in your writing. Erica comments that digital body language is a whole new skill set but it’s critical for teamwork and leadership in the modern age.
Resources
EricaDhawan.com
Erica Dhawan on Twitter | LinkedIn
WorkHuman Live 2020
15 min