"You cannot not communicate!" A few days back, I was teaching social intelligence, and I taught this in my class .. "As a preparation for the convocation every year, I have to send messages to about hundred or so high performing students to offer them an audition for selection of a valedictorian speech. The response rate is disappointing, it is mostly less than 50 percent. Most of them don’t even bother to even send a message of regret. This is not typical of graduating students; it is a common issue in the society. It is a fault in our teaching of communication skills. Many times, you send an email to someone, and there is no response. No acknowledgement, nothing. My Marketing teaching Mr. Noaman Ashraf , once said in his class, “You cannot not communicate.” And I have never forgotten his words. I teach them, I practice them, and I try and spread this message. No response...is also a response. It shows that “I don’t care.” And it kills any possible collaboration even before it starts sprouting roots. “Sometimes, I put my phone off, and I am unresponsive for a day or two.” Whether said or shown in practice, is a huge “NO” for me for any future collaboration. Can you imagine, how important responding is? Let's learn it from the Creator. In Surah Shura, He declares that He doesn’t speak to humans directly. “And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.” But at the same time, He asks us to call him for help. He assures us that He will listen, and He will answer our call in His own way. All of these words are in first person to show concern. When My servants ask you about Me, I am indeed close. I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls upon me; so they should respond to Me and believe in Me, so that they may be guided. (Albaqarah-186) Imagine that the Creator of this universe is so concerned about the one who asks Him that He assures him that He will definitely respond. And we don’t care to respond, creating a gap, that kills possible collaborations even before they start." Muhammad Yahya Noori