One always hears Communication is a two-way street, yet increasingly nowadays it is not. I’ve been teaching a business communications class to my high school students, and I note the consternation on their faces as I help them understand that the burden of communication falls on them as future employers. I understand that burden all too well. At our school, I am in charge of the announcement sheet, the calendar, follow-up phone calls and updated emails. There are just as many people for whom communication can’t come fast enough as there are those who have no idea there are announcement sheets and a calendar. It’s a tough gig!  I feel like I am communicating constantly, but I really have no idea how many actually read my messages.

  Another reason communication is one-way nowadays is because so many choose to use what I would call back door communication. Forms include texting, memes and tweets, and selfie photos labeled with location. It seems people would rather talk at people than to people. Hi.  I’m alive and I am here (location noted) today.  This meme sums me up today.  Word doesn’t have emojis, so putting a string of them to illustrate my point is out of the question, but you get my drift.

     Ironically, I have more students who talk incessantly than ever before.  I wonder if there isn’t a correlation between lack of communication and never really listening.  When a child repeats his story until he gets a reaction from me, I postulate that he is used to not being listened to, and he has learned to continue till someone listens. 

     With so many things competing for our attention today, I urge you to make the “live” communication a priority.

-          Michelle