Team Jefferies,
Our lives are forever better thanks to the technological genius of emails and messaging. Perhaps no other invention has so successfully improved the quality of our lives by allowing for quick and efficient communication with an individual or a group of people. With the stroke of a finger, everyone can quickly be on the same page, fully understand a priority, avoid making a big mistake, or feel proud about a job well done.
However, all technological advances have their drawbacks. Digital communication is almost too easy. We can type something, even dictate it, or better yet, let AI figure it out, and all we need to do is push “send.”
This process can be the picture of “efficiency” when we relay simple facts, instructions or direct comments that are easily interpreted. However, it can confuse people at the wrong times, destroy relationships by omitting the human touch, or convey the impression to someone important that we are lazy, disconnected, or don’t care about them.
This is why we have offered Jefferies’ development programs in marketing, sales, communication, relationship building, negotiating, and many other critical skills. And most people have accepted.
People sometimes get frustrated by us when we tell them we usually will not read long and complex emails. Some communications (like this one!) do require a bit more length to get the message across. However, complex two-sided conversations generally require a real human connection. Ideas, feelings, strategies, concerns, bad news, big news, and unique opportunities require picking up the phone or better yet, a face-to-face interaction. A short email requesting a meeting on a topic is fine. If you find yourself writing a long email with paragraphs and expecting a lengthy and substantive response, stop typing or dictating immediately!
Our firm has a culture (we believe above all others in our industry) of valuing individuals, prioritizing clients, taking everything personally, and truly caring about our clients and each other. Our communication style and choices must reflect who we are and aspire to be. It is one of our superpowers and we cannot afford to waste it.
Jefferies is a firm built on insights and relationships. When we deliver true value adding ideas and thoughts, the magic occurs during live interaction with decision makers. That is how discussion or debate turns into an opportunity and a cohesive plan. That is how all sides feel they are heard and valued. That is how value is created and relationships are born and advanced. We are all now back in the office for this reason. We visit our clients regularly because that is what we love to do and how we build our opportunity and our business.
Let’s take advantage of the best technology to ensure we use it properly. One big goal should be to use technology to enable us to spend more time with our families and loved ones because necessary but often mindless logistics can be efficiently coordinated with a few keystrokes. Another goal is to use technology to maximize the number of quality, live conversations and face-to-face meetings with our most important constituency: our clients.
We promise no more long emails for at least a month,
Rich and Brian