Understanding the value of face-to-face communication and how we allow text/social media to overpower our communication mediums

1. Millennial Communication
So you can text and tweet, but not speak!
By: Loren Bass, Higher Education Change Agent

2. Let’s Discuss some things:
 Why do we avoid face-to-face conversation
 Interpreting messages differently
 Media blunders and their effects
 The good and bad of social media

3. Communication in an evolving world
 Interpersonal communication can be scary, but why?
a) Afraid to say the wrong thing
b) Afraid of rejection and conflict
c) Unsure of how to have constructive conversations
d) Unsure of knowledgeable subject matter to hold a substantial conversation
The bottom line is that your allow fear to make you avoid the beauty in communicating.
Proper communication leads to knowledge

4. What did you just say!
 Ever text something and the other person got upset with you? Why?
 Ever posted a Tweet, Facebook Status, Instagram post and got flack about it?
a) They read it in a different tone than you meant it
b) They read what the wanted to read which is not always what the message said
c) They read “in between the lines”
d) “A hit dog will holla”

5. Sorry, you can’t take that back!
 Sadly, there are SO many example: Check out the articles I found on Google
 “50 ways social media can destroy your business.”
 “7 social media mistakes that can damage your career.”
 “Valuable Lessons from 5 Shockingly Bad Social Media Fails.”
 “10 Social Media Blunders That Cost a Millennial a Job — or Worse”
 No matter what industry you are in, social media can be a good place to take a stance and speak
out on some things but other time…you may want to reconsider

7. “You’re FIRED!” (Donald Trump voice)
 Justine Sacco- The publicist who tweeted a joke about getting AIDS before takeoff on a flight to
Africa.
 Conner Riley - The recent college graduate who tweeted how much she hated her new job
(Cisco).
 Nicole Crowther- The extra on Glee who tweeted spoilers.
Don’t be that person, who social media rips apart AND you lose your job. Double whammy!

8. The good versus the bas
Pros Cons
Put yourself out there in a
good way
Posting inappropriate
statuses/pictures
Connect with students in
other educational
systems
Making people feel bad
about themselves
Make new
friends/communicate or
connect with old
friends/family
Cyberbullying
Just to name a few…

9. Let’s chat: The challenge
 I challenge you to evaluate your face-to-face conversation this week versus yout text/social
media conversation this week.
a) Do you talk more freely via text/social media?
b) Do you have long conversation with people via face-to-face conversation?
c) Do you laugh more during face-to-face conversations vs text/social media conversation? Why?
Now what can you do differently next week to improve the amount and quality of your face-to-face
conversation that will help you out in the future?