The One Hour Rule

The relatively sudden shift in how we communicate makes life difficult sometimes.

I call it "The One Hour Rule" at my institution. No matter what decision is made or who is told what in regard to housing at Gustavus, within an hour I will have anywhere from two to a dozen emails or calls from students asking me for details. "I heard you let another group of students off-campus," or "I heard some people got moved out of ____ Hall and into ____ Hall... what does that mean for me?" It might be a tiny detail affecting just one or two people, but dozens hear about it and either want justification or want to know how it benefits them. I don't know if this is because I work on a small campus - I am sure that contributes to it - but more than anything, I think it's the rapidness of communication - the ability to text it, Tweet it, post it or call about it instantaneously that creates this intricate web of communication.

I heard a great summary of this idea and I wish I remembered where, but it essentially was that the promise of technology gave us the idea that we'd have amazing freedoms in the future - hands-free! communication anytime and anywhere! - but now that the future is here, we are tied down more than ever by the thing that was supposed to be so freeing. Robots were supposed to be doing our jobs and we were supposed to have automatic cars and hover-boards. Not only is that not completely true, a little rectangle the size of a deck of playing cards determines my every move.

I'm a horrible offender when it comes to tying myself down to technology, but I'm working on it this summer.. I continuously check email, but I recently turned off the blue notification light on my phone that used to tell me when I had new emails. The incessant light was distracting and inevitably lured me into looking at the message (and 9 out of 10 times, the message was something that bothered me, upset me or immediately caused more work - and it ruined more than a few evenings or events with my wife and children. Sorry, honey). And now I wait until I've accomplished one or two core tasks at work before checking Twitter or Facebook in the morning. It's a slow walk uphill, but I'm working on it.

So how do we control the flow of information and communication at work and somehow feel okay about it? There is no "winning," right? We can't just disconnect when others are demanding our time, as much as we all say that we should be able to do that.

How do you answer that 100th email with the same exact question (and nevermind that the answer to that question was in an email sent to the student body, is on a poster in every residence hall and is in six places on the website) and be as friendly and cordial in the 100th email as you (hopefully) were in the first AND know that the message was conveyed effectively?

How does communication work for YOUR students? I think we make assumptions about what works best for our students. Studies show us how students likely communicate, but variables specific to your institution might pose different challenges or unique opportunities.

I challenge you to find the data. And don't just ask your student leaders or those who respond to surveys - ask people in the halls or in your student union. Create a 3-4 question survey for every visitor in your office and have them fill it out while they wait for their appointment. Ask how they prefer to receive information, where they heard about a specific aspect of your department, etc.

Understand your version of "The One Hour Rule" and discuss how that affects your department and your communication strategy. Don't tie yourself down with what you assume is the best way to communicate - it can lead to frustration, inefficiency and (most importantly) can lead to less-than-ideal interactions with the students you serve.