I shot a video once asking are we connected or disconnected.
I think we would all agree that are more disconnected today even though we have countless ways to connect.
It reminds me of a lyric I heard from a band called Rough Trade in Toronto many years before the internet which said, “All Touch. But No Contact.”
We can all quickly paint a mental picture of being in a restaurant and seeing a family of four out for dinner. However there are few words exchanged because everyone is on their devices. Everyone smiles when their food arrives and some words are spoken but often everyone is back on their devices.
I see less of this when I travel to other countries. Maybe conversation is more of a social bond in those places. Maybe the devices are too expensive for ever family member to have one or maybe they think it is plain rude.
Responses have vanished in many business interactions. It has become brutal in job hunting. I believe that the first thing that people in transition encounter is silence. I have written before that apply on company website is one of the biggest lies in the world.
If a person in transition sends out a hundred emails they may get a couple of responses but mostly the sounds of silence.
Where there really days when one would actually achieve a letter from the company saying they found candidates more qualified? Or maybe a chintzy stamped postcard. Somebody actually took the time. Was there a different sense of corporate civility in the past?
I have spent a lot of my time doing New Business so I am used to rejection. Hunting is often a silent and lonely practice.
I remember when media people or account people would see suppliers or reps. They may get some new media ideas they could take to the client or learn something. Maybe even some rumor about an account going into review.
I don’t think there is much of that these days. It is not that they can’t get by the receptionist. It is because there is no receptionist.
What often may be great ideas don’t come to your front door anymore. They end up in your spam folder.
When I am doing some recruiting for companies a lack of response is again often the norm. This happens on both LinkedIn and even if I send my note to their email because I have found the company’s email protocol on Hunter.io
I think getting out of this rut is a personal action one person at a time.
On the rare occasion that I get a response to one of my unsolicited solicitations I respond with thanks for the courtesy of your response. I want people to feel good being human.
#ConnectedorDisconnected #Devices #HumanInteraction #HankBlank