Cornerstone Communication

Don't let a fear of the past or a fear of technology keep your organization from moving forward with its communication initiatives.

I was recently asked to share my thoughts as to whether or not contemporary communication tools (Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare) are just fads destined to fade away or realistic replacements to the old ways of communicating (telephone, email, newsletter). My response even surprised me.

During the interview, I repeatedly found myself referring to what I was calling an organizations' cornerstone communication pathway, which is the method of communication preferred most by its respective community. For example, some organization’s members prefer to receive their news via newsletter mailed to their doorstep. Before I realized what I was saying, it occurred to me that I was actually restating what I’ve been told over and over again: “don’t abandon your old way of communicating but at the same time don’t be afraid to experiment with emerging technologies.”

There is no real way of knowing what communication tool will be here tomorrow. This doesn’t mean we have to a) rush right in to the newest fad or b) be so paralyzed by fear that we fail to experiment with emerging technologies. Find comfort in what works best for your organization and slowly test and implement additional methods and you may soon uncover that another cornerstone of communication lies right beneath the surface.

Photo credit: This image was borrowed from http://www.senate.michigan.gov/Virtualtour/statecapitol.htm. The cornerstone featured in this photo was used to construct the third State Capitol and contained historical documents and memorials.