By leaning too heavily on the latest technology tools, could we be losing some of that personal connection that is so critical to career and business success? According to our recent guest, Renee Marino, we must strike that balance between new school tools and old school face-to-face interaction if we want to make it in this post-pandemic workplace. Get some fresh insight from Renee’s new book, Becoming a Master Communicator, and find out how to step up your communication game at work.
GUEST AT A GLANCE
Renee Marino is the bestselling author of Becoming a Master Communicator: Balancing New School Technology with Ol’ School Simplicity. She is a communication coach and speaker, a broadway and film actress, and the CEO of Master Communicators LLC. She is passionate about helping people pursue the life of their dreams by helping them communicate successfully with those around them.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR
🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws
📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.”
WHAT WE’RE MISSING
It’s all about striking that balance, explained Renee Marino, between new school communication technology and old school face-to-face interaction. “We’re all moving so quickly nowadays,” she said, thanks to this “beautiful gift” of technology. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t consequences to leaning too heavily on the new tech tools and attempting to multitask to get more work done faster.
Renee recalled, “I was the queen multi-tasker, wearing my crown proudly, until I realized I was getting a little messy in all of my tasks. Truth be told, there really is no such thing as multitasking — it’s task-switching.” Advancements in technology are exciting and useful, but if we don’t learn how to balance the old and the new, problems will arise. After all, this is where the miscommunication happens, and “communication is like breathing.”
PODCAST EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
A Widespread Issue
“The best times of my life have been when I had really amazing communication, and I was being clear, and I was listening fully. The hardest times were when there was ineffective communication, where communication was happening strictly through bridges or strictly through emails. And I realized this is a problem. And I know I’m not the only one having it. I know that everyone who lives in this society — with their smartphones attached to them — is experiencing this.”
Mastering Communication
“I want everyone to really understand this and hear this well. If we master our communication — and that doesn’t mean becoming perfect communicators because there is no such thing as perfection — but if you start to place a strong priority on the way you’re communicating at work and at home, I promise you that you will begin to lead your life in the way you envision. You will begin to live the life that you want, have the relationships you want, and have the career you want. […] And I can speak on this because this is what has happened and continues to happen in my own life.”
Striking the Right Balance
“That’s why the subtitle of my book is Balancing New School Technology with Ol’ School Simplicity because it’s not one or the other. It’s not all or nothing. […] We want to learn to balance these two worlds because, when we do, that’s when we become master communicators — when I know the right time and place to reach out to you through an email versus to pick up the phone or ask about hopping on a three-minute Zoom.”
Connecting with Others
“No matter who you are, no matter what business you’re in, no matter how much education you have, or how many accolades, if you don’t know how to genuinely connect with another human being or human beings, you’re not fully living and you’ll not live to your full potential. […] We cannot forget that we are human beings, and human beings are meant to connect. And when we forget about that, that’s when we feel some resistance in our lives.”
Speaking and Listening
“I believe one of the most crucial components of being a master communicator is being a master listener, and that means being a complete listener. What do I mean by that? I mean not being the person who’s listening while they’re thinking about what they’re going to jump in and say next, but the person who truly sits back, takes a deep breath, grounds themselves, and allows that person to be heard. Complete listening is a two-way gift. You give the other person the gift of having an open platform to be heard, and you give yourself the gift of possibly learning something new, gaining a new perspective, or realizing that you are more alike than different from the person that you’re speaking with.”
Leading the Charge
“The best leaders lead by being and not by telling. So what that means is if you want to work amongst great communicators, […] that means you must be a great communicator. And how do you do that? By being as clear as you possibly can. In a new relationship, professional or personal, why not ask the question? Ask them if they could identify or share what their communication style is. By asking them upfront, it shows them that you’re a great communicator, and that will unconsciously make them want to step up and be a better communicator.”
LEARN MORE
Order a copy of Renee Marino’s book, Becoming a Master Communicator: Balancing New School Technology with Ol’ School Simplicity, and get a free ebook to give to someone who would benefit from the communication methods within. You can also connect and share ideas with Renee on Instagram.