Who would think that a comment by Winston Churchill in 1944 would have bearing on how we present and sell in 2016?
Among many things, Churchill was celebrated for his wit and his brilliant ability with language to inspire others, particularly through the horrors of World War II. President Kennedy, upon granting Churchill honorary American citizenship in 1963, recognized that genius when he said, “He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.”
On a somewhat less grand level, I came across a Churchill observation in Franklin and Winston by historian Jon Meacham that resonates particularly well for those of us in business who live by email and texting (in other words, most of us).
Technology vs. the Human Factor…Even Then
Much like critics of social media today, Churchill had very strong feelings about the danger of becoming too reliant on technology at the expense of face-to-face conversations. For him, the 
offending technology, the “email” of his day, was the telegraph. (Telegraphs work by transmitting electrical signals over a wire laid between stations.)
When Churchill and Roosevelt were in Quebec in 1944 at one of their many meetings, Churchill talked about the importance of personal contact with the President and how the complexity of the issues facing them made it imperative to have face-to-face meetings.
“…And the fact that we have worked so long together, and the fact that we have got to know each other so well under the hard stresses of war, makes the solution of problems so much simpler, so swift, and so easy it is.” [sic]
Meacham writes, “…[Churchill] ……understood how much easier it was for leaders to turn each other down when they were exchanging wires instead of glances across a table.
[A bit like getting a tossed off email from a prospect that says, “Sorry. We have chosen another vendor.” (!)]
Churchill added, “What an ineffectual method of conveying human thought correspondence is—telegraphed with all its rapidity, all the facilities of our—modern intercommunication. They are simply dead, blank walls compared to personal—personal contacts.”
Avoid “Dead Blank Walls”
You can make the case that geography, the frenetic pace of business today, and logistics make in-person meetings costly and harder to arrange and that email and texting are wonderful ways to cut down on both expenses and time. However–it is also true that nothing replaces face-to-face contact, not in diplomacy, not in presenting, and not in business in general.
- In face-to-face meetings, there is nuance, emotion, affect, immediacy, spontaneity, quick humor, conversation, simpatico—all of which build trust and relationships beyond the cold words of a message on a screen.
- In face-to-face meetings, you can deal in real time with the unexpected: obstacles, fresh ideas that spring up, and exciting opportunities that suddenly reveal themselves.
The Last Word
Meacham concludes, “Both Roosevelt and Churchill saw that even the most passionate words…did not have the same power to convince as many fewer words spoken within a room of human beings trained in the art of manner and devoted to the same ends.”
Churchill’s point is worth considering. Technology is cool, it is constantly changing, and it has its place. But there is something primal about the power of human connection that will always be more satisfying, more binding, and, ultimately, more profitable.
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!
P.S. If you want to escape the coarseness on both sides of the current election campaign, spend some time in the company of real leaders in the highly readable and entertaining New York Times bestseller, “Franklin and Winston” by Jon Meacham. Two men of great intellect, historical knowledge, principles, and awareness of the importance lived the truth that “words matter.” They wielded them brilliantly to inspire others at the most critical times in modern history.
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“Anne and I recently worked together on a speech I gave at a large conference. She helped me turn a series of somewhat interesting points into an expertly crafted, compelling and actionable story. Together, we built a storyline with attention-grabbing headlines. We worked and re-worked the language, making sure every word was important. Finally, Anne coached me on the delivery. The result was so exciting – I’ve never been so well received in a speech before. Thank you, Anne!” Kate Griffin, Vice President, CFED.org