It was my birthday yesterday.
A friend I hadn’t spoken to in a while called me in the afternoon to wish me happy birthday.
Not a text. Not a post on my Facebook wall with emojis and a gif of a dancing llama (though yes, I did laugh at the ones I got).
An actual phone call.
He said Facebook had reminded him. But instead of firing off something digital and forgettable, he decided to go old school and call. We chatted for five minutes. It was personal. Real. Better.
And it reminded me of something simple but powerful for anyone in a leadership role:
👉 When it comes to communication, the how matters just as much as the what.
If you manage a team and want your message to land – to be heard, understood, remembered, and appreciated – choose the highest form of communication available to you in the moment.
Here’s the hierarchy I stand by:
✅ 1. Face-to-face > 2. Phone > 3. Everything else
Email, text, Slack, Teams, carrier pigeon – they all have their place. And sure, using a mix of channels can be smart.
But none of those are where trust is built, tone is read, or respect is deeply felt.
Want to give meaningful praise?
➡ Do it face-to-face.
Need to handle a sensitive issue?
➡ Pick up the phone.
Have a message that could land badly, or needs nuance?
➡ Don’t hide behind email. Deliver it live, with empathy.
Yes, we’re all busy. But the shortcut you take today might become the long road you have to travel tomorrow – fixing confusion, disengagement, or resentment.
Leadership isn’t just about getting your message out.
It’s about making it land.
And nothing lands like something personal, direct, and human.
So, go old school more often.
Your team will remember – and thank you for – how you made them feel, not how efficiently you sent a message.
Oh, and to my buddies who did indeed text or social-media-message me yesterday: thank you 🙏 (deliberate emoji usage, approved). I didn’t expect – or need – a phone call. You thought of me in the moment. And I appreciate that.
Even if there is now one more candle on my cake.
👇
Want help building stronger, more human communication habits into your leadership style?
I help managers become the leaders people want to work for – not just report to.
Let’s chat 📞
