I'm a Gen X'er but still prefer face to face communications
Thanks for sharing this Sharon. It sounds like you use different tools to connect with different audiences. This will certainly help you build rapport with your students.
Dr. Jean Norris
I try to keep up with the recent generation. I text and email, but don't twitter or do facebook by choice. I choose not to exploit all my personal information on the Internet. I think others should reconsider before doing so.
As a Baby Boomer I dont mind working on my day off and I feel confortable communicating to people via e-mail or text.
Jessica,
Wow! It sounds like you definitely are in the right career field! Great awareness!
Dr. Jean Norris
Definetley, I fit the Generation X to a T with the flexibility of communication. I like to keep emails organized in folders pertaining to information by category. However, I don't mind being contacted outside of work. Considering myself to be an entreprenuer having different roles. When it comes to business I rarely turn myself off.
Some of my most creative projects have come to me in thought outside of work! Then, I can relay that to my colleagues when I come back into work! Which being contacted at home is from the generation of Baby Boomers. Due to working in Admissions and other career experience
I have enjoyed the preference of communicating Face-to-Face which is of the Traditionalist style. With technology, the world is pretty much flat! So, having excellent over the phone communication and active listening skills go a far way.
If, I could not work with people. Honestly, I don't know what I would be doing. These skills and working with many different people apply to so many industries.
Brannon, thanks for sharing this. I wonder, what do you do if you have a student that prefers to talk via the phone versus written communication?
Dr. Jean Norris
I am a millennial, but I do prefer documented correspondences. Letters, memos, emails, etc. I like to have things for my records.
YVETTE,
There's many interesting insights that can be gained by looking at the characteristics of each generation. Being aware of your own preferences and how they may or may not align with the generation you're "grouped" into can help you connect with other generations in a different way.
Shannon Gormley
I THINK THAT MY GENERATION MIGHT NOT MAKE USE OF E-MAILING, TEXTING AND CHATTING ON THE INTERNET WHICH I ENJOYED VERY MUCH.I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Richard, thanks for sharing your preferences. It looks like you are using the communcation modality that is best for the student. Great approach!
Shannon Gormley
I use emails on a daily basis and Prospective students respond very well to them. Its very common for me to email applications as well as directions through email. I find that email works well because many of my students have limited minutes on there phones and alot of times I run into disconnected numbers. I do not use text at work however I feel it would be beneficial in contacting generation X and Millenails.
Richard, thanks for sharing. That is great awareness. I'm curious, how does your preference of communicating through e-mails and text messages work within the context of work and your students?
Shannon Gormley
I am generation x and my favorite way to communicate with friends and family is through text and email. I also use social media to keep in touch with friends from my high school and college days. I am much like a traditionalist in that I do not like when people just drop by I prefer to shedule a meeting ahead of time because I feel more prepared.
Thank you for sharing, Josh. It looks like the awareness that you've gained will help you in a variety of ways. It sounds like you make a conscious effort moving forward to understand another individuals style of communication and try to adapt when necessary. I'm sure you'll see an improvement in getting your message across as well as the connections you form with others. All the best to you as you move forward.
I think the more knowledge you have of who you are speaking with can help you communicate even more effectively. This lesson has helped me immensely in being able to understand the different styles of communication, with an awareness that many people fall into different styles irrespective of their generation designation. Knowing these tendencies will help me to get my point across in a way that is comfortable to the person I am addressing.
Interesting insights, Josh. Isn't it great when you can draw comparisons between generations? We have so much to learn from each! How do you believe this awareness will help you in future communications?
I appreciate the traditionalist mode of communication the more that I think about it. When I am in work mode I like to get things done quickly,I like that they tend to be direct. Direction of communication seems to be trait shared between traditionalist and X'ers in my experience.
Excellent awareness, Josh. Small talk is a great way to build rapport and you're right, it's important as you're building a relationship with another person. It's good that you know that it's not necessarily your favorite thing to do but you adapt to accomodate the other person in order to develop a relationship.
I think I am able to pick up when someone is trying to small talk. And while I do not always enjoy that sort of thing, I adapt to doing it because relationships are important. To answer your question, I remind myself that small talk is important to relationships.
