"Know Your Audience in Communicating," Leadership 2.0 Attendees Are Told

“Know Your Audience in Communicating,” Leadership 2.0 Attendees Are Told

Does texting someone — using cell phone shorthand such as BTW and OMG — make sense in business? It might be OK, as long as you know your audience, communications expert Tim Kraft told Leadership 2.0 attendees. The proliferation of different types of electronic communications has radically changed how we communicate, and new methods are quickly invading the long-established ways to reach people.

By Mark Phillips

MIDLAND, Mich. — Does texting someone — using cell phone shorthand such as BTW and OMG — make sense in business?

It might be OK, as long as you know your audience, communications expert Tim Kraft told Leadership 2.0 attendees. The proliferation of different types of electronic communications has radically changed how we communicate, and new methods are quickly invading the long-established ways to reach people. For example, tags such as BTW (by the way) and OMG (Oh my god) that texters use on cell phones have creeped into business emails. (BTW, that might be fine for asking a colleague to go to lunch, but OMG, don’t send an email like that to the president.)

The advent of desktop computers means that people who in the past would not have written business correspondence can now rapidly fire off emails that shape other peoples’ perceptions of them, for better or for worse. It’s more important now more than ever to understand effective writing techniques, Kraft said. When in doubt, keep it formal, especially in emails, because you never know where that email will be forwarded and who will read it.

At left: Writing expert Tim Kraft shares best practices for written communications during Leadership 2.0 classes.

On Wednesday afternoon, Leadership 2.0 attendees turned a pile of newspapers, tape and paper bags into zoo animals — all for the sake of team-building. The afternoon’s semi-athletic activities were punctuated by egg-carrying competitions, using golf clubs to hit lettered tennis balls to spell “TEAMS” and creating “perfect” squares using rope while blind-folded. The point? With email and cell phones, people can work without ever seeing their colleagues for days. The art of personal interaction has become more important to learn.

At right: The Leadership 2.0 attendees took part in several outdoor team-building activities Wednesday afternoon.

In this morning’s session, CARQUEST Director of Traditional Markets Mike DeSorbo related the story of a Major League Baseball club owner who has a 24-point checklist to ensure fans get a great baseball experience. What’s on the checklist? Things like checking the restrooms to ensure they’re clean and cleaning each seat, no matter if it’s in the bleacher section. “There’s nothing here that’s difficult or rocket science. It’s not hard to do this,” DeSorbo said, adding it’s a clear way for business owners to differentiate themselves from another.