{"id":4153,"date":"2022-02-22T14:06:06","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T14:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iese.edu\/standout\/?p=4153"},"modified":"2025-01-13T13:56:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T13:56:57","slug":"face-to-face-conversations-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iese.edu\/standout\/face-to-face-conversations-power\/","title":{"rendered":"The power of face to face communication"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1559140963143{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1559216895048{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”” css_animation=”bottom-to-top”]I’m sure you remember. Your uncle would show up at your house unannounced from time to time, just to chat about his day for a while. Your classmates would stop by to pick you up, with no idea whether or not you\u2019d be home. Or you\u2019d casually call your best friend\u2019s land line and could instantly recognize the voices of everyone in their family.<\/p>\n

How long has it been since you\u2019ve experienced one of these situations? Even if you\u2019re young enough, you still might have no idea what we\u2019re talking about.<\/p>\n

The digital revolution<\/strong> has obviously brought us countless devices that make our lives easier, more efficient and more convenient. But in terms of human relationships and conversations, it has also imposed some very high barriers<\/strong> that never existed before. We live in a paradoxical world: although we are more connected than ever<\/strong>, the act of entering an office, knocking on someone’s door without warning, or even an unannounced phone call can often be considered an intrusion or a show of disrespect<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Outlook, Gmail, Skype, Slack, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp and Instagram bring us unquestionable advantages. But their boom\u2014which has catapulted exponentially during the pandemic\u2014is also causing us to impose a set of digital boundaries that separate us from full experience and from the results that can be achieved by talking directly with another human being<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

7 benefits you can only get by talking<\/span> to your teams in person<\/h2>\n

In the world of business, and especially as a leader<\/a>, shying away from conversations that could be face to face and retreating into written messages is as tempting as it is risky<\/strong>. However, we find ourselves doing so more and more. Consider: How many close conversations have you had with your team members<\/a> in person in the last month?<\/p>\n

Laziness and fear of awkward situations<\/strong> compel us to hide behind the keyboard and the screen when we communicate, but we are losing very valuable elements along the way: time in unending email chains, attention span<\/a>, space for deeper relationships, ability to understand and share emotions, and more. Plus, given the difficulty of conveying subtleties in tone when we write, we often fall in the trap of generating unnecessary tension and plenty of misunderstandings<\/strong>, which gradually drain our energy and deteriorate our relationships. Consider again: How many poisonous email exchanges are in your inbox right now?<\/p>\n

Leading isn\u2019t about sending orders, angry complaints or reports over email, but rather talking with people<\/strong> to help push projects forward. If you want to be a more responsible leader<\/strong>, perhaps the next time you want to communicate something, you\u2019ll simply stand up and go see that person.<\/p>\n

1.<\/span> Fewer misunderstandings<\/h3>\n

Did you know that 25% of the emojis we send are interpreted by the recipient to have the opposite meaning than we intended? Gestures, tone of voice and the look on our face all help convey what we want to say and how we want to say it with a precision that\u2019s not possible in written language. We express and perceive feelings more clearly and that allows for mutual empathy, avoiding many unnecessary conflicts caused by poor communication.<\/p>\n

2.<\/span> Greater effectiveness and persuasion<\/h3>\n

We often think that an email has the same impact as asking for something in person, but actually face-to-face communication is 34 times more successful<\/a>, because persuasion has much more to do with emotions than with reason. So it’s not enough to write a clear and direct message; what makes a message credible is what we convey through our body language.<\/p>\n

3.<\/span> Stronger bonds<\/h3>\n

Close and frequent contact generates trust and security between people, and this is true in the work environment as well. Being in another person\u2019s physical presence makes it much easier to find common ground, and many conversations lead to memorable moments that strengthen the relationship. Plus, physical proximity activates mechanisms in our body that reduce stress and relax us.<\/p>\n

4.<\/span> Simpler conversations<\/h3>\n

When we get immediate responses accompanied by gestures and body language, right away we can see how the other person feels, anticipate what\u2019s going to happen and adapt our tone as we go. This is very helpful in reaching agreements. Plus, when it comes to setting objectives, we usually negotiate them more in person. We adopt them as our own and coordinate better to achieve them.<\/p>\n

5.<\/span> Better attention, concentration and cooperation<\/h3>\n

How many times a week do you try to multitask during online meetings? When we speak face to face, it’s almost impossible to be doing something else at the same time. Instead we tend to concentrate more on the present, get involved and practice active listening, which is essential for any quality conversation.<\/p>\n

6.<\/span> Deeper learning<\/h3>\n

Learning at the conceptual level means understanding a new idea like \u201ccreativity\u201d or \u201cdiversity\u201d. But deep learning involves living those concepts, discussing them and applying them to different contexts in our daily lives. That’s why this type of learning only happens when we experience the ideas alongside other people, as happens in all IESE programs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7.<\/span> More communicative and social skills<\/h3>\n

Speaking in public, conveying emotions, managing uncertainty, putting ourselves in other people’s shoes, working on affective relationships and self-esteem are all things that improve when we are in contact with others, not behind a screen. Don\u2019t forget that we’re social animals after all.[\/vc_column_text]

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