The New Power Skill: Answering Your Messages

There was a time when returning phone calls, replying to emails, or answering a text was just the course of a normal day. Imagine that! Now? It feels like a downright luxury. What happened? What changed?

Texts and emails used to be considered the desired form of communication, usually the best way to contact someone. Now, the lines are blurred with our increased dependence on various forms of technology and, more so, our increased levels of responsibility. Now, a formal email doesn’t feel that different from a text.

People don’t always exhibit that same urgency or obligation to respond, especially if the message doesn’t have a clear, immediate action item, and even then, it’s a crapshoot.

There is a generational difference, too. Younger professionals, Gen Zs, in particular, often don’t view delayed or non-response as rude; they view it as normal. Not better or worse, just different. That’s a disconnect that can lead to some interesting issues in today’s professional environments.

I don’t care if you’re 22, 42, or 62, though – there’s a growing, across-the-board drop-off in what I call communication accountability. I have had more than one person complain to me about the lack of, what I’m told, is the decency to just acknowledge a call, email, or text – that basic contact. And it’s not just frustrating. It’s damaging. To relationships. To reputations. To trust, most of all.

There is no question that we are inundated daily with lots of messages. Speed and volume have, no doubt, devalued communication. When everything is immediate, nothing feels urgent. When you’re hit with hundreds of messages a day, even the important ones start to feel like “noise.” People are tuning out because they’re overwhelmed, apparently not because they don’t care. A technological overload, if you will.

But being “busy” or overwhelmed isn’t a “hall pass” for being non-responsive. Somewhere along the way, we traded professionalism for ignorance and indifference and started treating communication like a to-do list item we might get to eventually, if at all.

But this across-the-board apathy creates a golden opportunity for anyone who still shows up, communicates clearly, and follows through. That’s a rare trait now. Think about it. Can you make a list of your most responsive communicators? I’d be surprised if you had more than five. So, if you’re leading a staff, especially including talent, reminding them that responsiveness is part of their brand might be one of the most powerful things you can do. Reminding yourself that responding quickly and concisely could be one of your most recognized attributes as a leader. When staff culture is at the top of any leader’s list, this must be an integral part.

In a world where almost everyone’s tuning out, showing up is now your differentiator. Replying is your big brand move. Following up is your major trust builder. Clarity and consistency in how you communicate let people know who you are and how you operate. I guarantee it will get attention and produce interesting results, especially with that newer generation.

Note what BYU’s Ballard Center for Social Impact says about this group: “Gen Z, despite being the most digitally connected generation, paradoxically experiences higher rates of loneliness compared to older generations.”

So, the next time you’re tempted to swipe that email away or leave that text sitting unread “just for now,” think about what it says to the person on the other end. Think about what it says about you.

Responsiveness is no longer expected, but that’s exactly why it matters more than ever.