Sometimes avoidance costs more than acceptance

I was put in a group of more experienced people with the assignment of delivering a 20 minute presentation. All the experienced people in the group began some serious navel-gazing. I tried to steer the conversation toward the content of our presentation, but a couple of people were focused on pinning presenting assignments on others than themselves. After 30 minutes had passed I realized the stupidity and futility of the room. I volunteered for a five minute assignment and the meeting ended almost immediately thereafter. Putting the extreme stubbornness of several individuals aside, we saw that one question provided all of the friction that wasted everyone’s time.

More contact reduces communication friction

I was speaking with someone through a messaging app and the conversation was escalating in complexity. I stopped the chat and took it to the phone. We immediately accelerated the pace of the conversation and increased understanding. Sometimes more contact is less friction in communication. Whether it’s 140 or 160 characters, it lacks the auditory experience that efficiently provides the valuable context.