Has Modern Technology Actually Improved Communication?
(Or Have We All Just Become Really Fast Typists?)
When I speak on the topic of communication, I’m often asked the same question:
“Has modern technology improved communication skills?”
It’s a fair question. After all, younger generations grew up with screens practically welded to their hands, shouldn’t they be expert communicators by now?
Meanwhile, those of us from earlier generations have lived in both worlds, with technology and without it. And because of that unique vantage point, I can say with certainty:
There are some major differences.
A Time When Communication Wasn’t Optional
I grew up in a small farming community where technology was minimal and a TV was considered a wild luxury. Everyone knew everyone. My mother was the town nurse, if someone needed help, they called our house. If they needed eggs, well, they called us too, because we raised chickens. My first “job” was collecting and delivering those eggs, which we’d trade to other farmers for pork and beef.
Why share this story?
Because that community functioned on communication. Asking neighbors for flour, sugar, or a tool wasn’t an imposition, it was practically a community sport. Need a fence fixed? Someone showed up before you even finished the sentence.
We learned early that communication wasn’t a hobby, it was a survival skill. And as we grew, those skills strengthened and became part of who we were.
Real Communication: Now an Endangered Species
Fast-forward to today’s generations, my own kids included.
Technology gives us more ways to “connect,” yet somehow fewer ways to actually communicate. Social media lets us interact with people we barely know (and in some cases, barely trust). Devices make it easy to talk at people, but not necessarily with them.
Add video games replacing community activities, plus a steady stream of conflict and negativity pumped into society through media, and it’s no surprise communication is suffering. Many people are simultaneously “connected” to thousands… and genuinely connected to almost no one.
And Now… Sales
So how does this affect sales?
You don’t need a crystal ball to guess:
As communication skills have declined, so have sales skills.
Some companies have thrown in the towel entirely and moved sales online, removing the human element altogether. Now, for certain products, this might work just fine. But most buyers still prefer dealing with a real person who listens, communicates, and understands their needs, not just a website with “Add to Cart” buttons and a chatbot named Kevin.
People want to experience products, not just look at 2-D pictures of them. And they want communication—not just transactions.
The Opportunity Hidden Inside the Problem
Here’s the good news:
Because communication has become so rare, those who master it will stand out more than ever.
Imagine you and your team operating as true Masters of Communication.
How would that change your company?
Your customer experience?
Your community?
Honestly, how would it change the world?
We don’t need to overthink the problem. We just need to start improving communication skills—individually and organizationally. If we do that consistently, we can change companies… and maybe even society… for generations to come.
Let’s get to work together.
