Modes
The perks of matching the mode to the message

Arguably one the most wonderful aspects of being human is the sheer diversity the classification allows. If a cheetah had stripes you’d call it a tiger. Paint stripes on a horse, you’d call it a zebra. Not so, though, with humans.

Oh, the variety of characteristics and traits the term can comprise. Creatures of almost infinite shape, size, colour and configuration. With all these differences, you’d be mad to assume a generic, one-size-fits-all approach to communication could possibly engage everyone, right? Yet this is exactly what typical workplace communication does. The same mediums, the same message, the same mode, copy and pasted to the entire organisation.

Efficient? Indeed. But engaging? Perhaps we can do better.

To communicate in a human way, to gain attention, influence and engage those around us, we need to understand the subtle yet important differences in the way various delivery modes influence our communication. When do we hit the keyboard and write an email rather than getting up on our soapbox to give a speech? Understanding when and how to use each mode to our advantage is a critical skill.

The mode can be a shortcut to attention

Simply choosing the right delivery mode for our message increases our chances of getting people’s attention. A wordy email sent to someone out on a job is likely to get skimmed at best or ignored at worst. Sending a quick text on a messaging platform would be a far better way to ensure it’s seen and acknowledged. An obvious example, yet it illustrates the difference choosing the right delivery mode can make.

The mode makes a difference

Each mode has inherent strengths and weaknesses. Correctly matching the mode to the message increases the likelihood of its connecting and making a difference. Moving people to action is far more likely to be achieved through a rousing Churchillian speech than through a multi-page memo. Similarly, the telephone isn’t the best mode for teaching someone how to use a complex piece of equipment.

The modes we use shape our organisation

Imagine trying to build an agile, fast-paced organisation using only traditional mail. Futile! Our communication modes contribute to more than attention or influence; they shape the way our organisation works.

Spoken language

Here’s a fun fact for the next time you find yourself struggling to resurrect a dull conversation: Humans began speaking long before we wrote down our words. While evidence of speech function can be found in the bones of early humans galivanting around Africa 1.5 to 1.9 million years ago, the earliest example of writing, usually attributed to the Sumerians, is dated to a relatively recent 3200 BC.

Even now, we have a bias towards speech. We learn to speak before learning to read or write, and most kids can speak a language well enough to communicate by the time they’re three years old. Though most don’t have anything interesting to say for the next 15–20 years. Just sayin’.

While literacy rates have improved in most developed countries, around 14 per cent of the global population still communicates exclusively using speech.

More than any other mode, conversations are the way we prefer to communicate and connect. Even the most introverted among us has a reluctant fondness for a decent chat.

Getting into the technicals, speech is typically spat out in short, seven- to ten-word bursts. It’s immediate rather than reflective, which is the reason even the smartest folk can say not-so-smart things before thinking. It’s often delightfully loose, casual, full of repetitions, incomplete sentences, self-corrections and interruptions.

While we separate written words with spaces for clarity, few folk enunciate casual speech as clearly. For speed and fluidity we slur ‘did you eat?’ into a very different-sounding ‘jueet?’ Yes, what comes out of our mouths could be written as a whole new language (speshly inastraya). For this reason, spoken communication often feels less formal than written communication, unless we write phonetically.

Because speaking generally involves at least one other person (unless you’re fond of a sneaky soliloquy or monologue), feedback from whoever is listening continuously influences what we say next. It allows us to read situations and shape our communication accordingly. We can ensure comprehension through clarifications.

Speaking also relies heavily on unspoken context and shared knowledge. Where and when we have a conversation makes a difference. We can leave things unsaid or imply them indirectly.

Of all the communication modes, speech naturally allows the most nuance. It isn’t only about the words, it’s also the way we deliver them. We can determine how our words are interpreted simply by the way we say them, a combination of speech and body language known as paralanguage.

Gestures, intonation, inflection, emphasis, volume, rhythm, speed, pitch, tone, pauses, movement, visual cues, timing and timbre — all convey additional context, meaning and emotion, communicating more information than the words alone.

We can string words together quickly and energetically to convey urgency or enthusiasm. We can slow the pace to create a mood that’s relaxed or considered. We can adopt a measured, structured style that uses longer sentences and incorporates more ideas, to demonstrate credibility, authority and expertise.

The measured delivery of ‘Bond ... James Bond’ is no coincidence. Pausing between his words demonstrates credibility. Curling his voice down in the last syllable conveys confidence and competence. A slight Scottish lisp is icing on the cake.

Finally, the nature of speech means that words disappear once spoken. Unless it’s documented on video or audio recording, speech is far less permanent than writing. We’re busy and distracted, our memory prone to error, making it less likely we’ll remember spoken content accurately in the long term.

Advantages of speech:

• Establishes connection and cultivates relationships
• Conveys nuanced meaning and emotion
• Can adapt message on the fly by reading response

Disadvantages of speech:

• Temporary — can be forgotten if not documented
• Easy to say the wrong thing accidentally

A brief mention of the unspoken

Let’s not punish the unspoken. It’s estimated that 80 to 90 per cent of meaning is conveyed non-verbally. These are signals that complement speech, adding meaning and context to what we say.

Non-verbals can be used to reinforce or contradict our words, convey emotion, define the relationship with the people we’re talking to, provide feedback when someone else is speaking or regulate the flow of conversation.

This type of communication is often instinctual and far harder to consciously control than the words we use. Which also makes it a more accurate representation of a person’s thoughts and feelings compared with what they might be saying. Your words say one thing, but your face says another …

Yes, actions certainly do speak louder than words.

Non-verbal communication includes physical movement, facial expressions, body postures, gestures, oculesics (eyes), haptics (touching), proxemics (distance), physiological changes and breathing.

All are important, though breathing particularly so. It indicates our mood and influences our state of mind. High, shallow, rapid breathing releases chemicals that drive the fight-or-flight response. It’s typically associated with nervousness, anxiety, anger or excitement. Conversely, slower, deeper breathing makes us relax and conveys confidence.

The term ‘body language’ is deceptive, as it accounts for only a small component of non-verbal communication. Unlike sign language, which is a complete language system capable of comprehensive communication, body language is open to interpretation.

While some non-verbals are universal, many vary between countries and cultures. Eye contact is considered a sign of trustworthiness in many western cultures, but can be construed as disrespectful in some indigenous cultures.

The only grudging consensus is that seven emotions are universally obvious in our expressions: happiness, surprise, fear, anger, contempt, disgust and sadness. Though recent evidence suggests pride and shame may also be universal.

Advantages of the unspoken:

• Conveys emotion — strengthens our words
• Adds context and meaning — reinforces our words
• Allows us to give ongoing feedback without speaking (nodding, cocking head, shaking head)
• Regulates the flow of conversation
• Defines our relationships with others
• Can be used to interpret how others really feel — a more accurate representation than their words

Disadvantages of the unspoken:

• Can be a giveaway to others when we don’t believe what we’re saying
• Can be prone to unintended miscommunication due to cultural differences

Formal speeches and spoken performances

Since our beginnings, stories, songs and rituals have been passed on orally to preserve them. Yet even with higher literacy rates today, we remain enchanted by spoken traditions like speeches, theatre, news and storytelling.

While formal speeches and spoken conversations may seem similar, speeches actually have more in common with written language. Like writing, speeches tend to be delivered to larger and more diverse audiences. This means that unlike conversations, we need to establish context and common ground.

Speeches also require more precision and clarity than a casual chat. Once spoken, words can’t be retracted (unfortunately). So while we can apologise, qualify or explain, it’s better to get them right when they first leave our mouth.

Effective formal speeches balance the concise and considered language used in writing with the engaging and nuanced delivery of speech.

Advantages of formal speeches:

• Compelling and engaging when done well
• Shared experience of hearing a message as a group
• Motivate, inspire or move a group towards a common purpose

Disadvantages of formal speeches:

• Saying the wrong thing requires awkward clarifications or apologies
• Can be prone to misinterpretation
• Need to be written specifically and delivered well for them to be engaging

Written language

Compared with speech, written language is a more considered, contemplative and deliberative mode of communication. It has the potential to be concise, precise and detailed, but also requires focus and effort to read, consider and process.

The writer(s) (in this case, us) can write and rewrite content to get it exactly the way we want it. The reader (in this case, you), has the option to read quickly or slowly, pause to consider the content, or reread to clarify. In this way, both the writer and the reader control the pace. Together, we dance to the same tune but an entirely different beat.

Because we’re here and you’re there (wherever ‘there’ is — we hope it’s somewhere tropical, where cocktails are festively crowned by tiny, coloured umbrellas) … Where were we? Ahh yes, because we’re sadly separated by time and space, context becomes important. We need context to ensure meaning is accurately conveyed to an audience that may not share the same background information or knowledge. This is especially important given that written communication can be around for centuries. [Tugs at collar and gulps]

Unlike conversations, feedback is delayed. We can’t seek or provide immediate clarification, nor ensure everyone reading understands exactly what we mean. This means we need to be clear and unambiguous to ensure important content is understood.

Written language often feels more formal than spoken language. This is partly because it’s bound by more rules and conventions than speech. Where speaking has a more nuanced delivery, writing relies on punctuation, hierarchy, structure and visual elements to aid comprehension and convey meaning. This standardisation allows us to understand writing right back to the 1400s.

Formality isn’t just a result of structure, though; it’s also a hangover hauled into the present from times long past.

In previous centuries, literacy rates were much lower. Only the educated upper classes, professional bodies, government and universities used written language to communicate, and they tended to write as they spoke — formally. Meanwhile, most of the working classes were barely able to read, let alone write, and, as a result, their tendency towards colloquial speech never translated into written language.

These days, though, things are different. There’s a far higher literacy rate in our workforce than a century ago. And this shift, along with new forms of messaging, has brought a delightful trend towards the informal. However, higher education still drums formal, academic writing into us, and organisations continue to perpetuate the formal written prose from centuries past. We often hear this justified as professional. We could just as easily call it irrelevant.

We’re no longer writing exclusively for the academics and upper class — we’re writing for the people. And few of us choose to use formal language when communicating with our friends. If we want our writing to connect, it should celebrate the glorious colloquialisms and informalities that abound in everyday vernacular.

Finally, there’s email. This is possibly the single biggest complaint we hear when it comes to communication at work. The problem tends to be when it’s treated like traditional written language. It’s often used as a catch-all solution to conveying everything from lengthy technical content to short, informal texts.

Perhaps if we actually had to haul out a pen and paper every time we wanted to send a message, we’d be a lot more discerning with our words. It’s worth considering what we share in email, and what gets shared using other delivery modes and mediums.

Advantages of written language:

• Communicates detailed or in-depth information
• Can switch style to differentiate, or appeal to a specific demographic
• Allows recipients to read/reread at their own pace to understand content
• Provides a paper trail

Disadvantages of written language:

• Requires time, effort and focus to consume and process content
• Can feel more formal and less engaging to many people
• Can’t guarantee comprehension because feedback is delayed

Texting, messaging and asynchronous communication

Texting emerged with new technology and the communication mediums it enabled: text messaging, SMS, IM, and chat platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger. For the first time, we were able to produce and deliver written messages almost as quickly as our thoughts.

We’re no longer writing letters for delivery a week later, friends. We’re in the same moment, with shared context, gaining immediate feedback. And if you’re thinking that all sounds a lot like spoken language — you’re bang on there. Yes, despite the written medium, texting is actually much closer to speech than writing.

Linguist John McWhorter describes texting as ‘fingered speech’, and it certainly flairs with all the delicious looseness of spoken language. A flagrant disregard for conventions like punctuation or capitalisation. Fraught with abbreviations, aberrations and other grammatical abominations. The cravings of conversation, but controlled at our own pace.

However, while even our grandparents enthusiastically adapted, many organisations are still stuck in a pre-text bubble. We’re not advocating grammatical anarchy, but it’s time to shift our perception of what written communication should be.

This means embracing new asynchronous communication mediums like Slack, Yammer and the myriads of others that have no doubt popped up between our writing and your reading this book. It means using them in the way they’re meant to be used. It might feel strange to loosen the reins in a work environment, but you need only look at an automated text message from a bank or telco to see how odd and unnatural perfectly formed language is in this mode. The style jars peculiar, so cold and impersonal compared with the homely warmth of a little colloquialism.

Advantages of texting and messaging:

• Fast to put together and instant delivery — well suited for quick, informal messages
• Loose and colloquial — easy to consume
• Promotes conversations rather than one-way messaging

Disadvantages of texting and messaging:

• Transient — easy for the recipient to miss important details
• Not suited for detailed information

Visual language

Visual languages are written, but don’t use letters or words in a typical sense.

These languages have spanned centuries and continents, evident in cave paintings, ancient Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Mayan glyphs, Chinese kanji and various indigenous cultures, including Australian and American.

Today, visual language systems are everywhere we look, from signage and packaging to the internet and mobile devices. We live in a fast-paced and ever-shrinking world, where visual languages allow us to convey messages and ideas instantly, simply, clearly and unambiguously. They transcend geographical and literacy barriers.

Many systems have become standardised, becoming truly universal languages. Some concepts have become so linked to certain symbols that they can communicate meaning without using words. The cross, the swastika, the caduceus (medical symbol), the skull and crossbones — these have been imbued with centuries of ideology and emotion.

There are several common categories of visual languages, though the boundaries between them frequently blur. Let’s look at each in a little more detail.

Logograms

Logograms are abstract symbols that represent entire words or phrases.

Kanji is a written language used by Chinese, Japanese and Korean speakers and composed of 47 035 logograms (though only 4000 to 5000 are used by the average person).

If the name didn’t give it away, logograms are commonly known in the business world as logos. These are typically used in branding to build consumer recognition. When we see the swoosh, we think, Nike, just do it. When we see the golden arches, our salivary glands start screaming for McDonald’s fries.

Pictograms

Pictograms (or pictographs) are symbols that literally depict objects.

These include airport wayfinding, road signage, safety and hazard signage, recycling and waste symbols, and clothing care instructions. Their literal nature means we’re likely to understand their meaning even if we haven’t seen them before, and no matter what language we speak.

Ideograms

Ideograms are symbols that communicate ideas or concepts. They can literally resemble an object, or use abstract forms and colours.

For example, depending on the context in which it’s used, a light-bulb symbol often represents ideas, while a lightning bolt represents electricity or energy. We understand that any object inside a red circle with a line through it is forbidden. Similarly, we know to be cautious of any object shown inside a triangle.

Emoji

When you regularly receive emails littered with emoji from your 85-year-old grandmother, you know the language system is legit.

Essentially, emojis are just pictograms, not dissimilar from kanji, hieroglyphs or bison cavorting across prehistoric cave walls. However, the rapid and relatively recent emergence of this language makes it worthy of special attention.

Long before our devices had the graphical power to display the Pile of Poop emoji (), we were forced to punch various combinations of letters, numbers and punctuation marks to create crude pictures and faces to communicate emotion . These primitive emoticons were the precursor to modern emojis.

Today, emoji is not only integrated into our native languages; it’s becoming a legitimate language system in its own right.

Linguistic professor Vyv Evans describes it as Britain’s fastest-growing language, and it’s not surprising. Emoji pairs perfectly with technology, allowing for fast-paced communication that parallels instant messaging and character constraints on social media platforms.

Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Dictionaries, summed up the appeal of emoji perfectly in his justification for awarding (Face with Tears of Joy) their Word of the Year for 2015:

However, while a love of laughing until crying is almost universal, a survey conducted by HighSpeedInternet.com suggests that a country’s second favourite emoji might provide a more fascinating cultural insight.

Our French friends love a (Heart), which isn’t surprising at all for a country with a capital known as the City of Love. South Africans are also lovers, but more of the lusty variety with a fondness for (Face Blowing a Kiss). Ireland has quite the proclivity for the (Pile of Poop). And in Australia apparently we’re (Winking Face with Stuck Out Tongue) — mad as cut snakes, mates.

Disturbing sidebar: while Oxford was celebrating Face with Tears of Joy, the American Dialect Society declared (Eggplant) their Most Notable Emoji of 2015.

Speaking of eggplants … like hand signs or any language, emojis are just as prone to misinterpretation. Their inherent ambiguity allows for flexible usage, but also meaning that varies between age groups, cultures and nationalities. Oh yes, the innocuous Eggplant is apparently not considered a vegetarian-friendly menu option by 18- to 25-year-olds. And expressing your desire for a juicy may not communicate exactly what you’d intended either.

Advantages of visual language:

• Universally understood — commonly used systems transcend geographical and literacy barriers
• Conveys ideas and concepts quickly
• Communicates emotions (emoji)

Disadvantages of visual language:

• Some systems, like emoji, are still open to a degree of interpretation and can vary depending on demographic and context

Manual languages and hand signs

Manual languages visually represent a written language by using our body as a means of expression.

Fingerspelling (dactylology) uses fingers and hands to represent letters and numbers. It’s mainly used in deaf education or in conjunction with sign language, though it’s also used by technicality-exploiting monks to avoid breaking their vows of silence.

Hand signs and gestures can substitute for words in various situations. Scuba divers use hand signs to indicate intentions that for obvious reasons can’t be conveyed through speech; construction workers use them to communicate in a noisy environment.

Using them to communicate cross-culturally is fraught with the potential to offend, however, and can lead to entirely unintended consequences.

In Australia, we give the thumbs-up as a sign of approval, but in Latin America, West Africa, Greece, Sardinia, Russia and the Middle East it’s considered quite rude. Beckoning someone to follow using your finger is punishable by finger-breaking in the Philippines. Fingers crossed means the same thing as the middle finger up in Vietnam. An A-OK sign is actually an a-hole sign in Greece, Turkey, Brazil and the Middle East. The peace sign can start a fight in England, but throw the satanic salute at a Buddhist monk and they’ll smile at your benevolent gesture to dispel evil.

Yes, it’s all very confusing. Fortunately, flicking the bird (the middle finger) is offensive in any culture, so you’re still well covered there.

Advantages of manual language and hand signs:

• Allows visual communication when conversation isn’t possible because of distance, noise or environment

Disadvantages of manual language and hand signs:

• Interpretation will vary dramatically, depending on demographic, culture and context

Turn it all two-way

Here’s a fascination: the word ‘communication’ evolved from the Latin verb communicare, to share. How good! Sharing evokes an image of people actively involved in circulating a message they care about.

Losing the feels and turning it technical, all communication requires a sender, a message and a recipient (or recipients). The process is considered successful only when the recipient not only receives but also understands the sender’s message.

This raises an important question: how do we know our message has been not only received — but understood ?

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once claimed that ‘the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place’. And there’s the rub. How many almost-communications are floating around at work? How many senders might be assuming their recipients chose not to act or respond, while the intended recipients never actually received or understood the message?

Obviously, we have no chance of influencing anyone if our message isn’t understood.

The only way to ensure our communication connects is by turning it two-way. Effective communication isn’t only about improving how we send messages; it’s also about getting better at receiving them. It’s amazing what we learn when we listen, how we improve when we seek a response, and how people respond when we open a conversation.

The mode we choose goes a long way towards enabling this type of interaction.