Better To Be Seen Than Heard

Thirty years ago, I worked in a corporate administrative role that required daily phone contact with dozens of outside contacts around the country.  Most of the time, these conversations were cordial and professional.  Rarely but occasionally, these conversations were the opposite of cordial and professional.

Always, however, these conversations were better if I had met in-person with the individual on the other side of the phone.  Back in the day, travel was the only way to accomplish this (although now one could get halfway there courtesy of technology via Skype or FaceTime), but the relationship was consistently better if that occurred.  Once you looked another person in the eye and interacted with them, the relationship would improve, at least to some degree.

I was reminded of this again this week, after sending emails to my national elected representatives.  Knowing I would only get a form letter in return (maybe), I didn’t spend a lot of time on my email.  I quickly offered my opinions and my support or disagreement, and got out.  And in return, I got my form letters.   I suspect the same would have happened had I called.

With thousands of constituents, I understand that a personal reply from a congressperson is improbable, even from a staffer.   But it’s also too easy to be dismissive of faceless words and voices.  Thirty years ago, that was mostly done using a phone, but today, it can be done by email, text, and a variety of faceless social media.

I’m still convinced that the impact of whatever as individual wanted to say is more meaningful if delivered in person – even in the current political climate.  Each year I visit the Iowa Capitol building to visit my state reps.  There’s no doubt this carries more weight with them than an email, because I personify an actual constituent / voter.   [Note:  I did get personal emails back from my local/state elected officials in reply to my own.]

I’ve never attended a local meeting of a national elected representative; there are usually opportunities to do so, I’ve simply never had the passion for an issue to do that.  Maybe it’s time, because after all these years and technology substitutes, it's still better to be seen than it is to be heard.