Preemptive communication
We live kinda close to where the 4.4 magnitude earthquake happened this morning – close enough to have it wake us at 4 a.m., but not close enough for there to be any damages at all.
Other than lost sleep, it was no big deal, but I expected a call from my ever-loving mom who lives in Texas, so I texted her to let her know everything was fine.
She received the text before she heard news about the quake, and was extremely relieved that (1.) we were ok and (2.) she didn’t have to go through the usual freak-out she feels when she hears about something happening in Southern California.
Sometimes we think communication is about communication, regardless of when it happens. But sometimes preemptive communication can prevent a bulk of our problems by fixing them before they even arise.
In a field filled with laws and regulations, we’re wise to be cautious about how we communicate. But most of the time departments and universities err on the side of waiting to see if anyone notices before we share info. Maybe there are times when sharing proactively instead of reactively can make a world of difference.
How does your department communicate with students? Administration? Parents? The public as a whole?
