Over communication

Newspapers and media are full of the topic, communication!They say Indian boys and girls are good in technical areas but fare quite poorly in soft skills. A whole new market is evolving to make the engineering and other graduates “employable”.Soft skills trainers never had it so good. Yasaswini agrees with this diagnosis and says either Indians do not communite and come off as being very shy or they go the other extreme and become 'brash and aggressive'.
While this is so, have you come across the perils of 'over communication'?I recently had this experience.The task was simple (so I thought). Staying accomodation was to be arranged and there was this person who will hand the reservation slip to me in a pre arranged place.He also has a mobile and my mobile number is also with him.I was to call him about half an hour before reaching the spot, so that he is able to get himself into “postion”.Simple task, clearly laid out action plan.
No it did not turn out to be so simple.All due to over communication.Perhaps the problem was a few other players entered the fray.And they wanted to be hospitable!They took us to a hotel to have lunch; Since it was not part of the plan, there were many phone calls back and forth as to the venue of meeting.We had no confusion, but the people who belong to the place, did!
We did not want lunch as we were carrying aaloo parata and curd rice, lovingly prepared at home.They insisted on butter milk.Then they asked us to wait as our contact person was already coming to meet us.Why?No explanation, other than some inane reason. After 15 minutes we are told ' no he is not coming, can we proceed”?We did!All the while communication was flowing back and forth.
I remembered prashant telling me sometime back, that my colleagues talk too much. What can be said in one sentence, they say it in 10 sentences and that too phase it out over half hour. I did not realise then, but i really realised it now.
No wonder mobile companies are doing roaring business. And talktime per mobile is the highest in India.
I wish for precise, clear and lucid communication.If that is a tall order, atleast keep it simple and short!