Which 1 is the Culprit? TMI (Too Much Information) or TOI (Type of Information)?

What About Information? 

Information is everywhere: ∼6 × 10⁸⁰ bits of information in the observable universe. That would be 6 times 71 million zeroes bits, if you can fathom that.

Out of this, the senses pluck and send 11,000,000 bits per second to the brain. And, guess how many bits are conscious. Fifty. That’s right, we are consciously aware of only fifty bits out of all that.

Obviously, we humans can’t handle too much. And yet, we heap more and more information on ourselves and each other every day, too much of it drivel.

Why, we may ask? Is it just because we can? Well, yes of course, technological advancements, digitalization and online content, and the open access to user-generated content and social media have all contributed to the explosion of information available and accessible to us all of the time.

But it is not only because we can. It is also because we feel we have to, related to a list of fears starting with FO, for Fear of, including but not limited to: 

FOMO: Fear of Missing Out

FOBO: Fear of Better Options 

Even… 

FOGO, or a Fear of Going Out, let’s say pandemic or crime related, that now has us on our screens ad nauseam, down the rabbit hole we go.

The above FOs are only a few of the many fears and anxieties feeding our information craze. Not the least of these would have to be Ernest Becker’s fear of the inevitable demise we as human beings all face. 

On a more positive note, isn’t it also the case that our information-rich society fuels learning, innovation, and global connectivity. These can be mighty good things for us, as long as we remain in charge of them instead of them in charge of us, as the AI gurus are now warning.

This brings us to the pros and cons of information—and communication—or the “process by which information is exchanged between individuals.”

Pros of Communication

1. Information Exchange: Communication allows for the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and information between individuals or groups, facilitating learning, growth, and understanding.

2. Building Relationships: Effective communication forms the foundation for healthy and meaningful relationships, fostering trust, empathy, and connection with others. 

3. Collaboration and Teamwork: Communication is essential for successful collaboration and teamwork. It enables individuals to share their perspectives, coordinate efforts, and work towards common goals. 

4. Conflict Resolution: Open and effective communication plays a vital role in resolving conflicts and misunderstandings. It allows for the expression of concerns, active listening, and finding mutually agreeable solutions. 

5. Personal and Professional Development: Engaging in communication activities, such as public speaking, presentations, or networking, helps individuals develop their interpersonal, leadership, and negotiation skills, contributing to personal and professional growth.

And, just so you know, we have been doing this thing called ‘talking’ for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years. From my book, Getting to G.R.E.A.T.:

How else could our ancestors negotiate who got to eat how much and which cut of the

meat from the hunt? How else would they have been able to make deals, detect cheaters, alert each other to danger, and the like?

Why couldn’t they just do it with the wave of a hand or a point of the finger—“Berries over here, ferocious beast over there”? Because finger-pointing wouldn’t work in the dark, for one thing, and even if it was light out, they’d have to be looking at each other all the time, just in case someone decided to “say” something with their finger—instead of either resting their eyes or using them to scan outward for food, danger, sex opportunities, and the like.

Something else was needed, so evolution came up with the idea of using the human tongue for communication…. By putting the tongue to work, hands could do all kinds of useful things, like carrying babies, tools, and other objects, so our early ancestors could move more easily to safer environments, where more food and water could be found (pp.73-74).

Speaks for itself, so to speak. Now for some of the Cons. 

Cons of Communication

1. Misunderstandings and Misinterpretations: Communication can be prone to misunderstandings and misinterpretations due to factors such as differences in language, cultural backgrounds, or non-verbal cues, leading to confusion or conflict.

2. Information Overload: With the vast amount of information available, communication channels can become overwhelming, resulting in information overload and difficulty in filtering out relevant and accurate information.

3. Barriers to Effective Communication: Various barriers, such as language barriers, noise, distractions, or poor listening skills, can hinder effective communication, leading to misunderstandings, ineffective collaborations, and strained relationships.

4. Emotional Impact: Communication can evoke strong emotions and trigger conflicts, especially in sensitive or challenging discussions. Emotional responses, such as anger, frustration, or hurt feelings, can hinder constructive communication. 

5. Communication Breakdowns: Ineffective communication can result in communication breakdowns, where messages are not properly conveyed or received, leading to misunderstandings, decreased productivity, and damaged relationships.

Here is another, I believe deserving of more attention than it gets.

Information Burdening 

The Harvard Business Review reported on a Gartner study of 1000 employees and managers. And what they found was the following:

Information volume, as it turns out, is only a partial driver of information overload. Rather, the real culprit is the information itself — and specifically the degree to which the accessing and interpreting of the information imposes extra “work” on its recipient. This is what we call information burden.

Information burden is defined as a set of information that is:

• Duplicative: 57% of employees and managers say they often receive multiple communications about the same or similar topics at the same time.
• Irrelevant: 47% say that the company communications they receive are unrelated to their day-to-day responsibilities.
• Effort Intensive: 38% say they have to do extra work to keep up with the amount of information they receive at their organization.
• Inconsistent: 33% say that the company communications they receive are often inconsistent or internally conflicting.

In other words, many employees and managers are suffering from and complaining about company communications; including such issues as duplication, irrelevance, the need for extra effort to manage the information and inconsistencies.

At work and at home, what if we all try a little harder not to Information burden each other. And, here it is from the ancients, the simple idea that communications should pass the test of ‘true, kind, necessary, and beneficial’ if they are to exist at all.

Practice, Practice, Practice…and see what happens. And for help with this or something else, Contact Me at weissmadelaine@gmail.com

Warmly,

Madelaine

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