• I feel awkward writing this blog post.

    It’s not the topic, the timing, or any personal event causing me to feel uncomfortable. Nope, it’s nothing like that.

    You see, it’s been 8 days since my last post. And while that may not seem like a long time… as I sit here writing to you, my absence feels like a 50-foot wall I must scale.

    It’s weird.

    On the one hand, I’m desperate to get writing again. But, because of my absence I feel my first post has to be better than normal.

    Of course, the more I focus on how great this post needs to be, the less likely it will ever get written. If left unchecked, it could even prevent me from writing altogether.

    So, screw it. I am not going to let my brain play this little game. Instead, I’ll just tell you what’s on my mind. This way, tomorrow, it’ll be like old times again. Agreed?

    So, here’s my thought for today…

    “Is Silence The New No?”

    Here’s what I mean.

    With the increasing demands of the Attention Age - emails pile up, some tasks are left undone, and a few phone calls are sometimes not returned.

    We’ve all been there, right?

    But what happens when it’s you on the receiving end. Waiting for an important answer you need to move forward. It sucks to be kept in limbo, but what can you do about it?

    You’ve got a few options:

    1. Track down the non-responsive party through a more immediate communication channel like the phone, instant messaging, or personal visit.
    2. Get in touch with someone who either works with or for the party you are waiting to hear from. And have them pass the message along.
    3. Include deadlines in your communications and how things will proceed if you don’t get the answers your waiting for.
    4. Establish ground rules for communication so you’re clear how to escalate a request when there’s no response.

    I have used all the above options at different times. And they are all effective.

    What about you? Do you have any different strategies to prevent been dragged down by silence? If so, please share them below, because I believe silence is increasingly going to be a standard response that must be planned for.

    You see, just like this blog post, and my own uneasy feelings getting back into the swing of things. You don’t want your partners to procrastinate even further because of the delays already taken place.

    That means if it’s important to you – the onus is on you. And you must do whatever it takes to get the ball rolling again..

    I really believe this is the new challenge in working with others. Unfortunately, I think it’ll only get worse with time.

    That’s why I am curious what you think, and what solutions you may have already come up with. Go ahead and share them below.

    To higher profits,
    rich


    Tags: , , , , ,