From Erica Dhawan, the author of Get Big Things Done, a book that decodes digital body language and offers solutions to optimize workplace communication.
The email reply that shows up a week later. The ambiguous text-message. The ellipsis that seemingly has no meaning. Is it any wonder workplace communication takes us so much time and effort to figure out, and that we’ve lost our innate human capacity to build trust and connection with our colleagues?
In Digital Body Language, consultant and researcher Erica Dhawan sheds light on why the conversations we have at work are marked by misunderstanding, suspicion, and fear. The signals and cues of empathy we’ve traditionally relied on through body language have been subsumed by the latest technologies. Today, empathy relies less on what we say than on how we say it—and very few people understand the how, whether they’re emailing, texting, or using any of the numerous communications platforms workplaces rely on. In a world marked by swift, speedy exchanges, how can we re-learn how to establish genuine trust, support, and motivation?
Digital Body Language is a guide to decoding the cues of digital communication that allow us to convey greater understanding and emotion on the job. Fluency is the basis for workplaces founded on trust. She takes listeners across industries and investigates a wide array of exchanges—from large conferences and team meetings to daily emails, IMs, and conference calls—and offers insights and solutions to reinvigorate workplaces with clarity, engagement, and empathy.
