Rethink Speed at Work: Chronemic Design & the Power of Unhurried Communication episode artwork

EPISODE · May 19, 2026 · 41 MIN

Rethink Speed at Work: Chronemic Design & the Power of Unhurried Communication

from Business Talk · host Business Talk

Dr. Dawna Ballard, Professor of Organizational Communication and Technology in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, discusses her book Time by Design: How Communicating Slow Allows Us to Go Fast, exploring how individuals, teams, and organizations can intentionally communicate more slowly to achieve faster and more meaningful outcomes, and how time itself can be thoughtfully designed to enhance the way we work and collaborate. In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Dawna Ballard introduces the concept of chronemic design, the intentional shaping of time through communication practices, and challenges the widely held belief that speed and slowness are opposites. Drawing on her research in organizational communication, she explains that human communication, unlike machine-based processes, operates non-linearly: investing time upfront in building what she calls "relational infrastructure" is precisely what enables teams and organizations to move faster when it matters most. Her research across diverse settings, from multidisciplinary child advocacy teams to clinician-patient interactions in healthcare, consistently demonstrates that those who show up consistently, communicate unhurriedly, and build relationships before urgency strikes are the ones who respond most effectively when it does. Whether applied to Agile project management, healthcare delivery, or everyday team collaboration, Dr. Ballard's framework offers a powerful reframe: rather than managing time as a resource to be optimized, we can design time intentionally, making slowness not a liability, but the very foundation of sustainable and meaningful speed. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Dawna Ballard shared key insights from her book, “Time by Design: How Communicating Slow Allows Us to Go Fast”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.

Dr. Dawna Ballard, Professor of Organizational Communication and Technology in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, discusses her book Time by Design: How Communicating Slow Allows Us to Go Fast, exploring how individuals, teams, and organizations can intentionally communicate more slowly to achieve faster and more meaningful outcomes, and how time itself can be thoughtfully designed to enhance the way we work and collaborate. In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Dawna Ballard introduces the concept of chronemic design, the intentional shaping of time through communication practices, and challenges the widely held belief that speed and slowness are opposites. Drawing on her research in organizational communication, she explains that human communication, unlike machine-based processes, operates non-linearly: investing time upfront in building what she calls "relational infrastructure" is precisely what enables teams and organizations to move faster when it matters most. Her research across diverse settings, from multidisciplinary child advocacy teams to clinician-patient interactions in healthcare, consistently demonstrates that those who show up consistently, communicate unhurriedly, and build relationships before urgency strikes are the ones who respond most effectively when it does. Whether applied to Agile project management, healthcare delivery, or everyday team collaboration, Dr. Ballard's framework offers a powerful reframe: rather than managing time as a resource to be optimized, we can design time intentionally, making slowness not a liability, but the very foundation of sustainable and meaningful speed. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Dawna Ballard shared key insights from her book, “Time by Design: How Communicating Slow Allows Us to Go Fast”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.

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Rethink Speed at Work: Chronemic Design & the Power of Unhurried Communication

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This episode was published on May 19, 2026.

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Dr. Dawna Ballard, Professor of Organizational Communication and Technology in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, discusses her book Time by Design: How Communicating Slow Allows Us to Go Fast, exploring...

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