I told my coffee maker that communication is key. Now, every morning it greets me with, “Let’s espresso our feelings!”

While conversational AI therapists exist, no one has incorporated that technology into coffee makers…yet. Thinking on that for a moment, with the commonness of remote work along with the increased feelings of stress and isolation, a Counseling Cappuccino Maker might just replace the proverbial company water cooler soon. The downside is that it will probably cost a latte (okay no more coffee puns, we swear!).

In our conversation with Jenn Bedell on Analysts After Dark, we talked about effective communication as Business Analysts. Effective communication is an essential tool in the analyst’s toolbelt. Without it, we become order-takers and stenographers missing the primary goal of our position, ensuring stakeholder satisfaction by helping them deliver functional software.

An experienced analyst can influence direct change by questioning business processes, divulging negative customer feedback, and probing organizational objectives leaning on honed communication skills to ensure the correct message is received. All of that got us thinking, how will communication change going forward?

It seems like no one talks about the Agile Manifesto anymore. Just kidding. It’s probably been included in every IT presentation since it was created over 20 years ago. However, that doesn’t mean what it stands for, its purpose, isn’t still applicable. Reviewing the 4 principles, only one of them refers to technology. The remaining guidelines all refer to communication in some manner. There must be something to that. How do those same principles apply today?

Communication Generation

With the oldest Gen Zers, born in 1996, representing a larger portion of the labor market every day and beginning to take on leadership roles, it is important to understand how communication may change. This not only affects how we communicate within our companies but also to our end customers. Here are a few key considerations when communicating with anyone, but especially future generations:

Transparency

One of the fundamental aspects of effective communication is trust. With an audience’s ability to fact-check nearly anything, building trust is impossible if you are concealing or misrepresenting information. Prioritizing clear, open dialogue allows both parties to understand each other’s intent while providing space to explore the other’s message. Gen Zers need to understand the truth, both inside the workplace and outside it.   

Instant Gratification

Being the first digital generation, it’s understandable that expectations have a quick turnaround time. Whether it’s news, a response to an inquiry, or feedback, the expectation is that it’s done quickly. With the availability of social media, there is a rampant change in the frequency of communication between Gen Z and other generations as well. When communicating ensure that a clear timeframe is understood and followed through with.

Purpose

Probably the most defining element of communication in future generations is their pursuit of meaning. A study by EY reports that “In 2020, 36% of Gen Z participated in a political rally or protest or signed a petition for a cause they agree with”. This intrinsic passion not only applies to their philosophical beliefs but to their interactions as well.

Meaningful interactions are valued more among the Gen Z population than their older counterparts. Generally speaking, this means that it is typically more important for them to have deeper, intimate conversations than cursory or inflammatory discussions.

Does that mean you shouldn’t say “Hi” to the new college grad who just joined the company? Absolutely not. It means that in a relatively short amount of time expect that conversation to focus more on delving deeper into personal territory and less on local weather patterns.  

Takeaways

If the consumer market is shifting towards targeting a Gen Z demographic, with them accounting for an estimated 40% of the global customers just a few years ago, the job market is not far behind. Wouldn’t it make sense to begin incorporating their communication styles now? Not only would this impact current team communication, but it would have a significant impact on any consumer-facing deployments.

Individuals & Interactions

It’s imperative to incorporate transparency not just in our deliverables, but in our everyday conversations. While 65% of Gen Z prefer online communication to in-person conversation, we can still incorporate openness, candor, and directness through collaboration tools. When done well, these elements add authenticity to our interactions.

Whether it’s “PR style” apologies, overreaching mission statements, or insincere corporate notifications, inauthentic communications are easily noticeable now. Being authentic builds trust with your audience and adds a connection to your communication, whatever the format.

Customer Collaboration

Just like with individual interactions, customers are expecting authentic connections to their products as well. In an era of feedback fatigue, customers want to know that when they take time to submit feedback, not only was it received but they want to know if and when it will be implemented.

Observing the instant gratification expectations of Gen Z, we can anticipate that the development cycles of the past are not going to satisfy the future for long.

Incorporating quick feedback loops into our teams and organizations ensures that customers are addressed, feel acknowledged, and remain included as part of the community of users for a given product.  

Responding to Change

Change is an inescapable part of life. Nothing remains the same for long, especially in IT. While change is an understood constant in our industry, we as teams and organizations often have a difficult time adapting to it. Comfort sets in and offsets the uncertainty of change. Ideas become targets. Targets become plans. Plans become deadlines.

The concepts of meaning and purpose feel ethereal and while they may be talked about organizationally, they seldom become tangible actionable items, which ultimately leads to burnout. Statistically, Gen Z is more concerned about having fulfilling careers and making a difference in the world than making a lot of money.

Ensuring that we are focused on a distinct, clearly defined purpose promotes adaptability to changing needs. When determined to accomplish a specific goal we dedicate less time to the intricacies of detailed plans and spend more time delivering impactful change.

If you have successful communication strategies or methods for integrating purpose into your communications, share them in the comments. We’re always looking for better ways to engage with our teams, organizations, colleagues, and followers.

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This is Analysts After Dark encouraging you to stay curious and stay positive!