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Office messaging: Why you should avoid those texting shortcuts
Kenyan professionals who take the extra step and compose messages with precision and respect stand poised to earn greater goodwill from colleagues and stakeholders.
Makori manages a niche accounting firm in Nairobi. He frequently relies on abbreviations when drafting updates and client messages.
That practice sparks continuous misunderstandings among colleagues who question his diligence.
Many recipients view Makori’s abbreviated texts as offhand remarks that lack genuine warmth. Multiple team members ignore his missives due to perceived indifference, and Makori wonders why his attempts to rally support fall flat.
He occasionally requests input on crucial tasks, yet coworkers hesitate to contribute because they sense minimal effort behind his succinct wording.
Wanja, on the other hand, leads a financial planning coordination team. She devotes careful attention to every written communication and invests extra minutes in composing thoughtful non-AI-generated sentences. Her deliberate approach inspires colleagues to engage in robust discussions without hesitation.
Wanja sometimes crafts detailed outlines for group projects, and team members respond with equal care. The style that she utilises fosters an atmosphere of mutual respect, and employees routinely reciprocate her courteous tone. Many clients express satisfaction with Wanja’s thorough updates and praise her knack for clarity in every exchange.
But in today’s modern world whereby the personal and professional lines often blur and through the use of technological gadgets and social media, abbreviations such as “how r u” or excessive use of acronyms becomes more and more abundant. However, where do we draw the line between how we communicate at work versus at home?
Prolific researchers David Fang, Eileen Zhang, and Sam Maglio conducted a recent ambitious investigation that illuminates the phenomenon of texting abbreviations in professional and personal exchanges. Their data stemmed from eight preregistered studies and included over five thousand participants.
Results revealed a strong link between abbreviations usage and diminished perceptions of sincerity by those reading the communications.
Recipients tended to doubt the sender’s genuine intentions when they encountered truncated words or phrases.
The study noted that texting shortcuts frequently persuaded readers to disregard follow-up messages altogether or at least delay meaningful responses.
The research involved surveys, lab experiments, field observations, and even archival analyses of dating app conversations. Participants evaluated assorted text transcripts that contained common abbreviations, fully spelled words, or a combination of both.
A portion of the sample reported attitudes toward the communicator’s effort, while other participants recorded willingness to continue chatting with the communicator. The studies uncovered a recurrent pattern that pinpointed lower genuineness ratings whenever abbreviations appeared in messages.
Managers who guide teams across multiple channels can draw valuable lessons from the new research by noting that leaders who wish to convey trustworthiness and genuine concern may benefit from lengthier wording that demonstrates attentiveness. Recipients often gauge a supervisor’s level of care by examining the phrasing of each announcement or directive.
Managers can prompt better cooperation by steering away from abbreviations and endorsing complete words or phrases.
That practice cultivates a workplace atmosphere of respect, since employees generally respond with enthusiasm when supervisors project sincerity.
Employees who engage in group projects or client support can likewise profit from heightened awareness of wording choices.
Staff who aim for promotions or strive to impress decision-makers often gain an advantage by prioritising thorough communication methods. Coworkers and superiors typically interpret untruncated messages as signals of thoughtful engagement with team goals.
Personnel who refrain from abbreviations can strengthen professional reputations and encourage higher levels of trust within organisations. That habit often prompts faster replies and fosters sustained collaboration, which proves vital in fast-paced environments.
Communication habits carry profound consequences for both our professional and personal relationships. Efficient shortcuts rarely succeed in digital spaces when sincerity remains critical.
Readers appear to assign harsh judgments to even the smallest details of written language and frequently form quick impressions of effort based on textual brevity.
Our Kenyan professionals who take the extra step and compose messages with precision and respect stand poised to earn greater goodwill from colleagues and stakeholders.
Careful word choices prompt stronger bonds and smoother teamwork, which reinforces the value of thoughtful expression in East African workplaces.
Have a management or leadership issue, question, or challenge? Reach out to Dr. Scott through @ScottProfessor on Twitter or on email [email protected]