In this engaging conversation, Erica Dhawan, a leadership expert and author of "Digital Body Language," dives into the pitfalls of modern communication that can generate anxiety. She highlights how excessive brevity can lead to misunderstandings and emphasizes the importance of clear expectations around response times. Dhawan discusses the psychological effects of shifting communication tones and how seemingly minor decisions, like email formatting, can influence team dynamics. Her insights are a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance collaboration in the digital age.
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Childhood Shyness
Erica Dhawan's childhood shyness, stemming from her immigrant experience and accented English, led to her keen observation of others.
This, in turn, sparked her interest in body language and communication, which she now applies to the digital world.
insights INSIGHT
Digital Body Language
Traditional body language, crucial for building trust and connection, has transformed in the digital age.
Digital body language, encompassing punctuation, emojis, and response times, requires explicitness.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Brevity Confusion
Excessive brevity in digital communication, like "We need to talk...," can cause anxiety and confusion.
A CMO's brief feedback led to 40 hours of unnecessary work, highlighting how brevity can hinder productivity and morale.
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In 'Digital Body Language', Erica Dhawan explores how traditional body language signals are replaced in digital communication. She offers insights and strategies to build trust and clarity across genders, generations, and cultures, making it easier to connect in a world dominated by screens. The book covers various digital communication platforms, from emails to video meetings, providing solutions to common misunderstandings.
Animal Farm
George Orwell
Published in 1945, 'Animal Farm' is a novella that allegorically represents the Russian Revolution and the subsequent rise of Stalinism. The story begins with Old Major, a boar, inspiring the animals of Manor Farm to rebel against their human oppressor, Mr. Jones. After the rebellion, the animals rename the farm 'Animal Farm' and establish a utopian society based on the principles of equality and solidarity, known as Animalism. However, as time passes, the pigs, led by Napoleon and Snowball, consolidate power and gradually corrupt the original ideals, leading to a dystopian regime that mirrors the oppressive human rule they initially rebelled against. The novel critiques totalitarianism and the corrupting nature of power, reflecting Orwell's experiences and views on the Soviet Union under Stalin's rule.
Erica Dhawan: Digital Body Language
Erica Dhawan is a globally recognized leadership expert and keynote speaker helping organizations and leaders innovate faster and further, together. Named as one of the top management professionals around the world by Global Gurus, she is the founder and CEO of Cotential, a company that has helped leaders and teams leverage twenty-first-century collaboration skills.
Erica’s writing has appeared in dozens of publications, including Fast Company and Harvard Business Review. She is the co-author of Get Big Things Done* and the author of the new book, Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance*.
In this conversation, Erica and I highlight common missteps that cause leaders to generate unnecessary anxiety from their communication. We discuss how brevity, response time, passive aggressiveness, and formality can work against us — and what we can adjust on our own behaviors to do better.
Key Points
In a way, all of us are now immigrants, processing more interactions in a digital world that is less familiar.
Excessive brevity may save a few keystrokes or seconds in the moment, but can generate lots of extra work for the team and organization.
Reduce anxiety by being explicit about our expectations on response time and teaching others what to expect from us.
Changing tone and formality without explanation can be jarring.
Seemingly unimportant choices like who we list first on emails can generate assumptions from those we’re communicating to.
Resources Mentioned
Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance* by Erica Dhawan
The Digital Body Language Expert Course
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How to Balance Care and Accountability When Leading Remotely, with Jonathan Raymond (episode 464)
How to Run an Online Meeting, with Bonni Stachowiak (episode 472)
How to Be Present, with Dave Crenshaw (episode 511)
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