667: Digital Body Language
In this episode, I thought that a book was clearly targeted at a specific audience...
Friends, friends, friends.
Welcome back to Teatime Reading where there are books in progress.
When I saw the title of the book that I’m reviewing today, I will admit that I was intrigued. Digital Body Language felt like a book that was tailor-made for our 2021 lives.
Author Erica Dhawan made the goal of this book evident in the title and she did a pretty good job of it. I just felt that a large focus of this book was strictly on the professional world. How to interact in a remote (or hybrid workplace).
The battles were highlighted between generations who were either native to technology or who had adapted to the shifting landscape. Text messages versus email, emoji usage, zoom etiquette, and more. This book was much more than body language because the explained how everything changes online. You can’t rely on gestures and posture and physical body language if you are reading an email. It becomes exponentially more difficult to gauge intent in an emoji or a period.
This book had a clever title and interesting information. Some of the highlights that stood out were the following:
Reading carefully is the new listening.
Writing clearly is the new empathy.
A phone or video call is worth a thousand emails.
If you follow up twice with no response, switch to a different medium.
The return and importance of the exclamation point.
Older generations almost always end up adopting the vocabulary of younger generations (emojis).
I’d recommend this book to people in the corporate world without much reservation. I would like to see a book like this focused on life outside of work though.
I feel like there could be good value there.
Until next time, keep your bookmarks close.
Peace, Love, Pages.
Note: As Always, Affiliate Links are here for your convenience at no cost to you. All reading was at my own expense.