Let Us Seal This Deal With A Virtual Handshake

"Sup? Thanx for stoppin' and readin' my post. I really <3 what I do, it's gr8t!"

Hold the phone! Is that how you communicate online with professional contacts? Perhaps it may seem natural to speak in "IM" language, but professional communication should never be taken for granted.

Scott Allen, author of The Virtual Handshake expresses his frustration with a community that is obviously unable to transfer the ettiquette of professional face to face communication to professional online communication. He believes that many of us simply toss the rules of conduct out the window because in the virtual world you don't see the other person.

Both he and I agree on this point. Too often in virtual communication we forget the soft skills that become so vital in personal relationships. In actuality the importance of soft skills increases because with virtual communication we do not have the ability to see facial expressions, hear tone of voice, bare witness to body language, all of it is masked behind 1' and 0's displayed on our computer screen. Scott impresses upon us that being courteous is important, writing intelligently is important, and sharing information must be done appropriately as well.

We've been building our personal relationships for thousands of years, but virtual communication is relatively new. Over the last few decades we've increased our communications via technology and as such, we seem to have forgotten that relationships start with conversations; strong, intelligent conversations with others is what keeps us bonded together. For example, if you are sending an email and you put a link to your work, or your resume, some feel that is adequate for the relationship. WRONG! The link is simply a reflection of you, but not you specifically.

Rather than drop links to your body of work, try carrying a conversation via email, or a social network of your choice. These tools can be functional for business, but it is the person that determines the effectiveness.

With the gap between where we stand as communicators and how we use technology ever expanding, it's surprising that we do not have a "Virtual Toastmasters" set up to educate people on how to communicate effective and professionally online.