Saturday, March 16, 2013

TEXT

We are blessed at our church to have some amazingly professional (and young) cohorts.  They are full of passion and knowledge, despite some of their relatively young ages.  I have learned much from these teammates.

Their generations have been labelled Millenials and Gen-Xers.  I've come to find out they process things differently than I do - have different expectations than I do - communicate and receive communication differently than I do.  Basically, they're different from me.

I used to wear a tie to work way back in the day.  It was just what you did then.  I thank this younger generation for removing that rope from around my neck.  I still like to wear ties but now I do it because I want to do it.  It's more fun now.

One of the preferences I've discovered of the younger generation I work with every day is they prefer texting over e-mailing.  Now, most of us/them have e-mail capability right on our phones, but I always get a faster response if I text them.  I'm just slower at texting than I am at e-mailing.  My fingers are too big for my phone keyboard.  But I'm a speed demon at e-mail.

I've also realized I can send a seven paragraph message and often get a seven-word response.  It isn't disrespect - they just streamline to a fault.  Brevity is the sincerest form of flattery (no, that's 'imitation' actually - but whatever).

The younger generation also likes something written in the e-mail subject line.  I'm famous for sending e-mails with NOTHING in the subject line.  I think it might be seen as a message indicating laziness or unimportance - neither of which really apply.  Still, the team will poke and prod me that I've neglected the subject line.  They still answer though.

I'm fond of putting things in CAPS.  I learned that it was kind of like yelling - even though that wasn't what I meant by it.  I routinely type my sermons with combinations of words italicized, bolded, underlined and in CAPS.  It's just my style to indicate EMPHASIS - not to yell.  Still, they don't like messages written with all CAPS.

It is also rather common for many of us to 'CC' others on one e-mail.  That's just to keep people in the loop who you think should be.  I think the younger generation prefers you just talk to them and not make it a round table discussion.

I wonder what the next form of communication will be and what challenges we'll have talking to each other in the future.

We're so different -- and that's what makes it so great.

And be blessed.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I could never text, I am far too wordy...ummm, I suppose you have noticed that. IMing is my style.

I've always wondered why you italicize any name? Titles of books I get...names of towns..maybe, but when you are talking about Joelene, for instance,you even italicize her name. I always wondered why?

Bob W. said...

Of course, most of your folks are on iphone/ipads and if you have a Mac with Mountain Lion, you can "message" them from your computer keyboard and Messages doesn't ming longer "texts".

JUST SAYIN!!!!!

PK's BLOG said...

I don't even know what you just said Bob.