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Multi-tasking Leads to Miscommunication
Steve Adubato, Ph.D.
Recently, two parents took their eleven-year-old son to the hospital
for a stress test on his heart. As the doctor was reading the test
results his beeper went off. He immediately asked the nurse/technician
in charge to call his office. The doctor then proceeded to have
a conversation with his office involving another patient case while
reading the EKG results. At several points, while the doctor was
talking with his office staff, the nurse running the EKG equipment
thought the doctor was talking to her and vice versa. This confusing,
not to mention annoying, communication went on for several minutes
until the doctor was confronted by one of the parents. Ultimately,
the doctor apologized but explained that he was "very busy"
and continued that he often felt the need to "multi-task"
because his plate was so full.
Doctors aren't alone. All of us multi-task, but rarely do we think
about the consequences of our actions or the impact multi-tasking
has on the quality of our communication and the quality of our relationships
with others. In the previous example, it is clear that the doctor
was more prone to engage in miscommunication involving either or
both medical cases because of his multi-tasking. His level of concentration
was not what it needed to be. He was simply not present and that
can be dangerous.
Beyond medicine, consider some ways we multi-task and the impact
it has on our every day communication:
- Conversing on the phone while checking e-mail or surfing the
Web. How many of us are guilty of this? While you think you are
being productive, you run the risk of missing valuable pieces
of information. Further, the nuance or subtleties of interpersonal
communication often get lost unless you are truly concentrating
on this single task. Simple advice; keep your computer screen
off while talking on the phone because the temptation to use it
is too great.
- Working your palm-pilot or reviewing reading material while
participating in a meeting. Meetings can be boring and you may
be justified by multi-tasking in this way. But again, important
opportunities to contribute to the meeting's goals and communicate
your views will be missed while your attention is diverted.
- Going through a mental "to do" list while in a face
to face conversation with a professional colleague or family member.
Make a decision to be present. Commit to the conversation and
raise the bar for your interpersonal communication. Fight the
urge to go on "automatic pilot" and fake it. In most
cases, the person you are speaking with will see that you are
not present and become frustrated, or even worse, mentally shut
down.
- Engaging in a work related conference call on a cell phone while
driving in heavy traffic. (I've been guilty of this one!) Even
if you are using your speakerphone or hands-free device, it is
really risky to digitally dial a number on your cell phone when
driving. Therefore, if you have to communicate via cell phone,
pull off to the side of the road, particularly if the call's content
is important. You will find that your communication is much better
when you do this.
- Watching TV or listening to the radio (with all those annoying
commercials) while going over important work-related material
or a student doing homework or reading course material. Concentration
is the key to more effective communication, both verbal and written.
How do you feel multi-tasking is impacting on your communication?
Write to me.
Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication
and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the
Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza,
Newark, NJ 07102, visit his Web site at www.stand-deliver.com,
or e-mail him at sadubato@aol.com.
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