Shop Talk

Almost every single morning, I hop on a bus heading to downtown or some other point in close proximity to work. Sometimes, I find myself people watching as I grab a seat and wait out the eight-minute commute (sometimes much longer depending on the traffic o’ the day and how many people need to get on and off - if you live in a sizeable city, you can surely relate).

In my little bouts of watching, I tend to notice that many people have iPods or similar mp3 devices and it’s made me wonder … Do people use them as a means of amusement, to make the commute more pleasant? Or, is it a way to avoid people - to hide behind a pair of earbuds and ignore existance as we know it? Surely, no one would even dare to speak to you over the deafening thrashing of guitars from an industrial German-rock band. (And yes, I am guilty of this, just so we’re clear).

Even more to my wonderment is how much people have become more reliant on technology than each other. But in this day and age, is it really hard not to be? Oh, I am definitely a digital baby by all means. I made e-zines for a subscriber base of hundreds of teens when I was 14-18 (little known fact #275) and wrote in an online journal long before I considered PR. I can remember my first time on the internet, which was AOL back in the day. Now, I can’t even begin to fathom how I, or anyone else for that matter, would live without all of this.

We know that people make it work like the Amish, for example, whose communities don’t depend on technology, but upon individuals working together as a whole - building relationships, communicating and solving their problems face to face. Perhaps we can take a page and realize that even with all of this technology that can figure out everything for us, we still need each other.

During the last several months, the idea of community has become so much more significant to me as I’ve started to really connect with many different people across multiple online platforms. Each person brings something unique to the table and while I may not interact on a routine basis, I do love to read and wrap my head around what’s important to them.

From this, I realize that community is just as important offline as it is online and it’s always been my personal goal to continue to grow my relationships, most importantly offline within the Pittsburgh PR community. Building relationships can be hard, especially when you have tendencies to be an introvert, like me. Yet, I’ve discovered there are two important things to establishing good relationships:

1. Picking up the phone. Here and there, I see much older professionals convey a sense of bewilderment that some of the younger professionals won’t pick up a phone. E-mail works, sure. It’s fast and easy to succinctly convey your thoughts to someone else. Still, I think there’s a necessity to pick up the telephone and speak to an actual human voice on the other end. The bad thing about e-mail or instant messaging is that a word, phrase or tone can be interpreted in an entirely different way than intended. I think that there is less chance for something to be misconstrued in an actual telephone conversation, unless of course, one person is having a bad day. (And yes, I know we could launch into the Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication, etc., but we won’t). True, I can say much more in an e-mail when I’ve had time to think, but I still enjoy making conversation and forging that connection with others via a simple phone call. Most importantly, you demonstate that you care - that the person is more than just an email address or a handle and he/she is worthy of your time.

2. Take risks. Stepping out of your comfort zone is key to creating new relationships. Yep, I hear this all the time and I’m sure you do as well, but it is very true. Putting yourself in an entirely new situation can be scary, but empowering at the same time. Just remember to swallow and take a deep breath before you take the plunge. I’ve made it a point now to either pursue new contacts on my own by introducing myself on the street somewhere or at an event. It’s hard because I can be pretty shy at first meeting, but I know that to fully get over my fear, it’s what must be done. Isn’t this what it’s all about, however? We’re going to be pushed in PR to do things we may never have done before, whether it’s a one-on-one with a client’s representative or a big presentation to the CEO.  Why not take risks and try new things? We’re engaging with so many different people who all have different goals in mind. The best way, in my humble opinion, to fully understand their needs is to take the time to actively pursue them, start a conversation and maintain that dialogue with the best intentions and full transparency.

So, perhaps the next time we’re on that bus, train or plane, we should start that conversation with the person sitting next to us. We never know where it might lead.

Wow — What started as a simple musing on an everyday occurrence has turned into a long-winded ramble. Sorry, folks! LOL.