This Halloween Don’t be a Ghost(er)

In a new article for CommPRO.biz, Ghosting Communicators – A Halloween Tale, I note that ghosting is both a response to email overload and an avoidance strategy. It’s not unique to communicators, but it rankles when communicators are the ghosters – because… we are supposed to be communicators! 

"Ghosting is in part a response to the overwhelming amount of communication – wanted and unwanted – we receive. But we should also be real here. There are corporate communications departments that choose to ghost reporters. And, there are individual communicators and professionals who find it easier to ghost than to engage.”

There are two (or more) sides to every issue. The ghoster and ghosted need to take a look in the mirror. When reaching out to people we have relationships with – or at least believe we do – we should ask, “Is what I am sharing or the request I am making adding value or noise?"

And, the ghoster needs to ask, "Am I treating others in the same way I would want others to treat me?"

In explanations of why people ghost, one of the common themes is ghosting is an immature response to an uncomfortable situation. It’s easier to shut down, than respond.

While we cannot even begin to respond to every email, being honest and direct with, at a minimum, those we know is invaluable because it saves time for both parties.

The most successful people I know in the industry take a minute to respond, or give a minute or more to others to help them on their paths, because it is efficient and courteous.     

This Halloween, don’t be a ghost.

Read the full article here.

Simon Erskine Locke is the founder & CEO of CommunicationsMatch^TM .

 CommunicationsMatch™ offers communications & PR agency search tools and resources that help companies find, shortlist, and engage communications, digital marketing and branding agencies, consultants and freelancers by industry and communications expertise, location and size. The site has 6,000 agency and professional profiles in areas including: crisis communications, public relations, internal communications, government affairs, investor relations, content marketing, social media, SEO, website development, photography and video. Prior to founding CommunicationsMatch, Locke held senior corporate communications roles at Prudential Financial, Morgan Stanley, and Deutsche Bank and founded communications consultancies.