Are You Losing The Human Touch?

Why face-to-face conversations still matter

 

I’ll wager that today - you will send and receive more texts and emails than you have conversations with your – customers, employees, friends and/or loved ones! Am I right?

OK, so I’ll accept that that’s one of the primary ways we communicate today, and it’s one of the primary advantages of technology – sharing information. But I ask you to consider. The good life isn’t about exclusively the exchange of information but about developing trusting, compassionate and enduring human relationships grounded in understanding, thoughtfulness, appreciation and being present. Yes, you can tell me what you had for lunch on Facebook, but I’d much rather hear from you now and then – in person.

I’m not talking here about that quick text or email from your iPad or iPhone that – “I’m on my way.” – “Your order has been shipped”. “The meeting has been canceled.” What I’m talking about here is – well here are a few recent statistics you might find interesting.
 

• The average couple spends less than 27 minutes a week in shared intimate (not sexual) conversation, and on average, over 36 hours per week individually scrolling/searching the internet.
• The average salesperson sends out over 50 emails/texts a day and talks with fewer than 10 customers/prospects during the same time frame. I’m not including here sales folks who are involved in telesales or telemarketing activities. 
• The average parent spends less than 0 minutes a week talking to each of their children one-on-one in important child-rearing conversations.
• The average manager sends more emails to employees in a week than they have conversations with them in a month.

Guilty of any of the above?  

If so, is it because you believe;

It’s easier, more convenient, or gives you a paper trail? It takes less time, avoids confrontation, and allows you to send messages 24 hours a day? People are too busy today to talk? People would rather use technology than have face-to-face or voice-to-voice conversations? My personal opinion regarding these and other excuses or rationales is – you’re wrong.  

The one thing that separates humans from all other species on Earth is the ability and need to share fears, desires, frustrations, feelings, hopes, worries, dreams, and yes, your opinions and information. Humanity is about the ability to create enduring one-on-one and one-to-group relationships based on knowing the other person’s or group’s uniqueness and those special traits that make them human.

I am not against technology, but the evidence is overwhelming – we are losing the human touch with those in our lives both personal and career or business. Don’t believe me! How many times have you gotten a “technology message” rather than a human when you have called any organization? I know . . . that’s just the way it is today. OK, so we agree that that’s the way it is, but I have to tell you, last week, it took me fifteen minutes and pushing multiple buttons on my phone before I could reach a live person. Frustrating? Well, yes, and then the person I finally reached wasn’t the right person.  

So, back to punching numbers on my phone and waiting and listening to their nine “telephone options” before I finally gave up and decided to no longer purchase from that organization but find a new supplier. Ever had this experience, or am I the only one with this frustration? I seriously doubt it!

A question – do you think you might be losing business because of your overuse of technology? Do you think one of your relationships might be in jeopardy because you are relying too heavily on technology? Are you losing touch/connection with others in your life in a real and human way?

Don’t risk it. The answer – use technology as a tool and not a crutch if you want to develop, build and maintain positive relationships with others in your life. Disagree? Go ahead and send me an email. But only 15 people have my cell phone number, so you can’t send me a text.

By the way, if you think this issue is a problem with relationships today – stick around – it’s just getting worse.

Tim Connor is the President of Connor Resource Group. He has been a full-time professional speaker, trainer, coach, consultant and bestselling author for over 35 years. During his career, he has given over 4000 presentations in twenty-nine countries around the world to a wide variety of audiences including over 2000 state and national associations and nonprofits.  Connect Tim Connor