Leadership DevelopmentCommunication in the Development

CenterDigital Age

M 2008May 2008

Presented by:Elizabeth C.S. Jamison

Director Leadership Development CenterDirector, Leadership Development CenterRadford University

©2007 – All Rights Reserved Leadership Development Center

Word Association

Workplaces to Workspacesp pTechnology has created virtual “workspaces.”Di t ib t d kDistributed work– Time zone differences

Work life differences– Work-life differencesImpact—

Changes assumptions of what you know– Changes assumptions of what you know– Changes workforce management practices– Raises stress levelsRaises stress levels– UNCHANGED expectations

We judge ourselves by our intentions. j g yWe judge others by their actions.

-Max Dupree

Are you a Timeshifter?Are you a Timeshifter?

Time ShiftingTime Shifting… the recording of programming to a g p g gstorage medium to be viewed or listened to at a time more convenient to the consumer…

~WikipediaWikipedia

“Old” Communication Technologiesg

Land-line phonespFax machinesScannersScannersCell PhonesE-mailIM

New Communication TechnologiesgTextingPodcasting & RSS feedsWikipediapBlogs Skype/iChatWeb 2 0 (e g Second Life)Web 2.0 (e.g. Second Life)Social Spaces– Facebook & MySpace

W t b h t t t b b We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.

-Max Dupree

Example: Second Life Avatarsp

http://www youtube com/watch?v i6Dhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6D9I36zsec

Sample MySpacep y p

What communication i ff t th tissue affects you the most

at your workplace?y p

To make it work--Develop trustComm nicate often and thro ghCommunicate often and through different mediums

U d t d & f i t– Understand pros & cons of various typesManage expectationsManage conflict – don’t avoid itSystematize how to capture cumulative,Systematize how to capture cumulative, digital information

Human history becomes more and more a yrace between education and catastrophe.

-H.G. Wells

Tips for Managing Virtual TeamsTips for Managing Virtual Teams

M i i f tiMaximize face time.

Be considerateBe considerate.

Handle serious conflicts.

Keep all communications in a shared databaseshared database.

Tips for Managing Virtual TeamsTips for Managing Virtual Teams

Use tips from the trenches-protocols.

Consider moving teleconferencesConsider moving teleconferences.

Utilize appropriate technologies. pp p g

Communicate, communicate, i tcommunicate.

One more consideration…One more consideration…

Generational Factors

Four Generations in the workplacep– Traditionalist (1922- 1946) Age: 62 – 86– Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964) Age: 44 - 62– Generation X (1964 – 1980) Age: 28 - 44– Millennial (Y) (1980-2000) Age: 8 - 28

Diff i i d iDifferent communication trends in newer generationsDi it l N ti Di it l I i tDigital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants

Digital Immigrant Digital NativeAs a second language –examples: Native to language- examples

Printing out e-mail Prefer games to “work”

Printing documents to edit Prefer graphics BEFORE text

B i i l i t “ ” I t t tifi ti & f tBringing people in to “see” a website (not sending the URL)

Instant gratification & frequent rewards

Phone call for “did you get my e- Text Msg: “RU there?”y g ymail?” Text Msg: “RU there?”

Big picture then act Receive information FAST (Hi twitch speed)twitch speed)

Sequential processing Parallel process & multi-task

fLook for directions in a manual Look for directions in the medium (if at all)

Communication Stylesy

Traditionalists & Boomers– Tend NOT to challenge authority/status

quo– Prefer face-to-face interaction and phoneXers & MillennialsXers & Millennials– Taught to speak up & challenge ideas– Y: E-mail is SO yesterdayY: E mail is SO yesterday

I wish people who have trouble p pcommunicating would just shut up.

-Tom Lehrer

Baby Boomer (Digital Immigrants): C i ti Ch t i tiCommunication Characteristics

People-oriented, less technology savvyTechnology Orientation–– Openly dislike computers OR Use them only as

work/life tool– Edit better on paper than screen

R t i i f ti b tt thRetain information better on paper than screenPlan & work sequentiallyPlan & work sequentiallyMemories created and accessed in a regularly patterned fashionregularly patterned fashion

Gen Y (Digital Natives): C i ti Ch t i tiCommunication Characteristics

Acculturated to technology-enhanced communicationCommunicate constantly (and expect you to also)Preliminary research indicating different brain

i iwiring– Random access to information

Changes in short term memory and orientation– Changes in short-term memory and orientationReal social connection occurs digitallyMulti task while multi taskingMulti-task while multi-tasking

Quick QuestionQ Q

How far would you drive back ll h fto get your cell phone if you

forgot it at home?

In Summary… y

Communication happensCommunication happens

Technology happens

Generations happen

…Adapt

Once you eliminate the impossible whatever remains no Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

~Sherlock Holmes (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Leadership DevelopmentDevelopment

Center

Th k Y d G d L kP t d b

Thank You and Good LuckPresented by:

Elizabeth C.S. JamisonDirector, Leadership Development Center

Radford University

©2006 – All Rights Reserved Leadership Development Center