Re: Anonymity in Meetings LO2558

Bryan Walton (bwalton@inforamp.net)
Thu, 24 Aug 1995 15:38:00 +0500

Replying to LO2524 --

Michael McMaster(LO2520)wrote in part:
>Have you noticed there is often a change in emotion or relationship
>to something said or thought when it is said out loud to another
>human being? This quality is missing not only in anonymous situations
>but even also in most computer and remote conversations.

Barry Mallis (LO2524)wrote in part:
>I'd say that our business tools should do everything possible to connect
>us face-to-face.

It seems to me that it is the bandwidth of communication that these two
comments are exploring.

- In the written word the meaning is left entirely to the reader's
interpretation. Elegant metaphorical language is needed to convey
the emotional and sensual context. E.g "The smell of fried liver
sidles out with onions on it's breath." - Dylan Thomas
- The spoken word includes the richness of tonality and emphasis which
can give different meanings. E.g. "I WILL do this tomorrow." versus
"I will do this TOMORROW."
- The bandwith increases dramatically in face-to-face communication.
Eyes, facial expressions, hands, and body all join in to express a
fuller depth of meaning. Have you ever seen children play together
who cannot speak each other's language?

As others in this thread have illustrated, written anomynity can be very
productive in certain circumstances. It certainly reduces the bandwith
further by eliminating historical attributions about the writers. This is
reflected well in Alexia Martin's post (LO2514):

>I think we can not help but to place our filters about that person on
>their ideas. Electronic meeting support simply removes that information,
>so the IDEAS can be evaluated, not the person. It's really a neat feature.

I wonder? Can anomynity serve as a safe learning playground for developing
trust and confidence... self and others. Or, as some have suggested, does
it reinforce the lack of trust?

--
Bryan Walton Training People
Oakville, Ontario How To Deliver
e-mail: bwalton@inforamp.net Their Own Solutions
905) 338-1462