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I received an email yesterday from someone who was sitting about 15 feet from my office. My answer to the question in the email required a yes or no answer. After I sent my reply I wondered why they didn’t just walk over and ask me, or easier yet, just pick up the phone. It took about 10 minutes for them to write the email, send it, have me read it and send a reply. It would have taken 15 seconds or less if they had picked up the phone.
No one can argue that e-mail is a bad thing. It would be detrimental to my current success if I didn’t have it. But should it replace an actual conversation? When should you pick up the phone and call? I guess that depends on each situation and if you really want to talk to the person or not.
It seems like we are becoming a society of non-communicators. Text messaging is replacing phone calls. Online social networks are replacing happy hour. Blogging is replacing coffee pot rants… It’s just easier, I guess. But when did the easy way become the best way?
My Grandfather never sent an e-mail and is one of the most successful people I know of. He never had a cell phone either. How many of us feel like we couldn’t live without our cell phones. I had lunch with a colleague the other day and he never put his iPhone down. Neither did I, but you see where I’m going.
We are afraid that if we are not constantly connected we are going to miss something. We aren’t! If its important, they will leave a message. The next time you are about to send an e-mail to a client, consider calling them instead. They might actually like to hear from you.
