第八类 通信

01 What is a good way to communicate? (face to face, emails, text messages)

1.1 面对面

1.1.1 提高效率

It drives participation and ensures engagement. When people are all in the same room, it encourages everybody to participate. Last week, I was waiting for an email from one of my group members so I could get our math project done. You know, I was the group leader so I needed to collect everybody's part. However, he had totally forgotten that our project was due the next day. He told me he went out shopping with his girlfriend. I was so mad at him. If we had discussed our project face to face, we could have got our project done that day. We would not have wasted so much time.

1.1.2 没有误会

There is no misunderstanding. When someone is reading your text or emails, they can't perceive emotional expression like postures, facial expressions or tone from those words. Some people are really sensitive. When they see the words, they are much more likely to interpret them negatively. By just texting“I am busy. Talk to you later”, someone may interpret that incorrectly, like you are not interested in talking to him, and may become upset. But the truth is you are really busy with all the projects that are due tomorrow.

1.2 电子邮件

1.2.1 帮助回忆

You can go back and review. It is extremely frustrating when you just walk out the door and can't recall the conversation. Email, on the other hand, has the advantage of being permanent. It can be reviewed or used to refresh your memory. I attended a conference last week. And I just couldn't concentrate on it, because my girlfriend had broken up with me that day. I was so sad. The worse thing was that I had to do a project my boss assigned to me during the conference. I had no clue what he mentioned in the conference. Luckily, he sent a meeting recap to everybody via email later that day. So, I was able to pull it up and read it. After several minutes of reading, I knew everything about the project.

1.2.2 效率高

If I am the leader of a team project, I add my team members' email addresses ahead of time. So, when I have to set up a meeting or discussion, all I need to do is open my outlook, set up an invitation and send it out. It only takes a few seconds to keep everyone informed. However, if I call each member of my team by phone, there is always someone who doesn't pick it up. Even if I can use my cell phone to reach everyone, it will take too much time. Plus, it will be a nightmare if the meeting gets cancelled or the time changes. That means I have to call everyone again. But with email, all I have to do is send out another one and everybody will know it in a very short time.

1.3 短信

1.3.1 快速并且有时间考虑

I can't argue with the fact that emails get opened way less than text messages, because email is more likely to hit the spam folder before anyone even sees it. If what you are communicating is time-sensitive, then you want to be sure your audience gets the message. It is awkward when you can't give an affirmative response while someone else was waiting for you on the other end of the line. However, text messages give you enough attention to notice and still take your time to think and respond.

1.3.2 记录

The same goes for situations in which you cannot get access to a pen or paper and you need to jot down important information. You can enter the information into a text message, and then either send it to yourself or save it in the“draft folder” on your phone. The information can be stored there forever and be pulled out at any moment you want in the future.

1.3.3 避免尴尬

It comes in handy when face to face communication or phone conversation is inappropriate. Last time, my colleague was reporting to our boss at a meeting and he was missing some points. Of course, I couldn't say anything to interrupt the conversation or call him in the middle of the meeting. So, I sent him a text message. He felt the vibration and he peeked at his cell phone screen. Then he saw the message and he added these missing points later in the report. Thanks to these points, our boss said my colleague did a pretty good job.

02 What is not a good way for communication?(face to face, emails, text messages)

2.1 面对面

2.1.1 效率低

It will kill productivity and work flow, because face to face conver-sations can often lead to many distractions. Last weekend, my team members and I had a discussion about a biology assignment. We were struggling with a team presentation and trying to figure out how to start. After three minutes discussing the solutions, one of the team members started to talk about a ball game, and everybody was excited and started to share their thoughts on that game. It took us 2 hours to finally realize the topic was off track. Even though we tried to stick with the assignment, nobody could concentrate on it, because we were still thinking about that game. By the end of that day, we didn't finish the assignment, as we wasted too much time. It was really disappointing.

2.1.2 表情丰富，容易看穿

I actually like text messages and emails better, and the reason is quite simple:my facial expressions expose too much information, which could lead to serious problems. For example, once my girlfriend asked me, if she and my mom fell into the ocean at the same time, who would I rescue first? I was surprised by the sudden interrogation. I paused for a second, and told her that of course I would rescue her first. However, she didn't buy it at all. According to her, I did not look at her confidently and directly, and because my cheeks turned red. Had she asked me the same question through email, I would have answered perfectly.

2.2 电子邮件

没效率

Sometimes, sending emails is not efficient. Last month, I sent an email to invite all my friends to come to my birthday party. But only three people showed up that day. I was really disappointed, because I thought my friend were willing to come. A couple of days later, my friends called me and said, they just saw the email and asked me why I sent an email instead of calling them. They were really sorry for not coming to my birthday party. Then I realize people don't check their emails often. Since then I always use cell phone instead of emails to communicate with my friends. It's more direct and efficient.

2.3 短信

引起误解

There could be some misunderstandings when we communicate via text. When someone is reading your text, they can't receive emotional expressions like postures, facial expressions, or tone from those words. Some people are really sensitive. When they see the words, they are much more likely to interpret them negatively. By just texting“I am busy. Talk to you later”, someone may interpret it incorrectly, like you are not interested in talking to him, and become upset. But the truth is you are really busy with all the projects that are due tomorrow.

03 What are the benefits and drawback of cell phones?

3.1 好处

3.1.1 效率高

Cell phones allow you to reach out to others instantly. Sometimes, sending emails is not efficient. Last month, I sent an email to invite all my friends to come to my birthday party. But only three people showed up that day. I was really disappointed, because I thought my friends were willing to come. A couple of days later, my friends called me and said, they had just seen the email, and asked me why I sent an email instead of calling them. They were really sorry for not coming to my birthday party. Then I realized people don't check their emails as often. Since then I always use my cell phone instead of emails to communicate with my friends. It's more direct and efficient.

3.1.2 拉近距离

Cell phones have kept us wonderfully close together. We can talk to our friends and families anytime to find out how they are doing. We can share joy with our loved ones onspecial occasions, even from great distances via video chat, as if they are in the same room. We can make funny faces for our kids when we can't be there with them, so they will feel warm.

3.1.3 安全

Cell phones can keep us safe. Walking home alone at night seems less creepy if we have a cellphone in our hand. When you feel unsafe, you can pick up the phone and call for help. Emergency numbers can be preprogrammed into your phone to make it just one number away. Whenever you feel afraid walking alone at night, you can hold your cell phone up to your ear and talk as if there's someone listening on the other end. It really helps.

3.1.4 方便

With all these powerful apps with fancy features, everyone can use cell phones to better their lives. If you are tired of driving yourself to work in the early morning, you can use your cell phone to open Uber and let it find a driver to pick you up. If you are hungry and don't want to walk all the way to a restaurant, a takeout app is a better option. Just order everything you want on your cell phone, and you can continue doing your work. The app will take care of the rest. After 10 minutes, you will be notified that your order is on the way. If you want to confirm some facts but can't find the references, all you need to do is pull out your cell phone and google it. The answer will appear in a second.

3.2 坏处

3.2.1 不安全

Everybody knows automobiles and cell phones don't mix. Yet, still lots of people keep using their phones while driving, using the“It is an emergency;I need to take this call” excuse. It doesn't matter if it is hands-free or not. When you pick up a call while you are driving, you are distracted. It will slow or sometimes mislead your decision making, which is extremely dangerous on the road. When you are supposed to hit the brakes at the traffic light but you don't, because you are on your phone. You know what happens next.

3.2.2 拉远距离

Most of us are no strangers to a scenario of a group of friends sitting down to a meal together, laughing, swapping stories, and catching up on the news. However, they are busy with their“friends”on their Facebook or Instagram, not the real people in front of them. Sure, everybody has to use their cell phone once or twice at the table, like looking up movie times, checking e-mails, showing off photos, or taking a call or two. But when people do this all the time in front of others, especially their families, it really kills conversations and hurts people's feelings.

04 Are technologies driving people away from each other?

4.1 Yes

Most of us are no strangers to a scenario of a group of friends sitting down to a meal together, laughing, swapping stories, and catching up on the news, but not necessarily with other people in front of them. Sure, everybody has to use their cell phone once or twice at the table, like looking up movie times, checking e-mails, showing off photos, or taking a call or two. But, when people do this all the time in front of others, especially families, it really kills conversations and hurts people's feelings. I am pretty sure these people will not get invited to their friend or family dinners in the future.

4.2 No

With the invention of mobile phones, laptops and tablets, people can communicate and keep in contact with each other without any obstacles. When I was working in the U. S., every time I got back from my long working shift, I would video chat with my Mum and Dad. I could see their lovely faces, hear my Mum's stories, like what an amazing deal she got in the shopping mall, and laugh at my Dad's cooking skills. With all the live images and emotions behind the sounds, even when I can't be at home, I still feel warm and less lonely. And I believe my families feel the same way.