9/11 Legacy: Better Communication
We began communicating better right after 9/11 starting with impromptu memorials like this one in Greenwich Village, NY
Since 9/11 ten years ago, much has been said about the role that lack of communication played in the tragic event.
Our various national security offices failed to connect the dots among various pieces of intelligence that may have led to foiling the evil plot. Simply they didn’t speak to one another.
On the ground on that day that changed our lives forever, first responders did not have equipment adequate to communicate moment-by-moment events to each other. This led to unnecessary further loss of life.
I recall the frustration and fear that came from the inability to confirm whether friends in the city were safe or lost. Cell phone communication with New York was lost.
Today we hear of credible – though unconfirmed — terrorist threats that enable us to thwart attacks. When we see something, we’re encouraged to say something – and we do.
New York Mayor Bloomberg spoke today of the advances in equipment and technology now available to our first responders when they go into harms way.
When cell service is down because of man-made or natural disasters – like the recent hurricane – we can turn to Twitter, Facebook and other social media to keep abreast of news and stay in touch with loved ones.
I received a group email today from Scott Heiferman, CEO of MeetUp, the offline networking group he co-founded as a direct result of his experience of community and personal communication in his New York neighborhood in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. He chose today to tell the story.
Although ten years after 9/11, we are paradoxically divided as a nation, its encouraging that we are more earnest communicators. We share our thoughts on blogs and elsewhere online. We get offline to gather in person at meet-ups, tweet-ups and town meetings to voice our views.
Maybe the goal of the decade to come should be to hone our listening skills and try to recapture the commonality we felt as a country right after that fateful and dreadful shared experience.
The image of the Greenwich Village 9/11 Memorial is from Paull Young under Creative Commons license.
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Unfortunately listening has become an issue thanks to our quest to stay so connected with all our gizmos, we have become disconnected because we are not listening properly. I wish we would all step back and learn how to communicate more effectively, quality over quantity.
Jim Matorin
September 12, 2011
Thanks, Jim. I know you’re passionate about the role of listening – and rightly so. Maybe listening better is the key to delivering content of better quality.
Ellie Becker E.R. Becker Company, Inc. 203-852-8077 – O 203-858-4147 – C Blog – http://www.newprwordsandmusic.com Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/elliebpr
Ellie Becker
September 12, 2011