Comments on: Email: A Multiplier of Misunderstandings?

By: Jennifer K.

Jennifer K. — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:35:19 +0000

I agree with y’all. LaTonya’s point about reducing anxiety for the sender of the message is well taken. It is just when a loaded or unclear message reaches my side of the court is it okay to give you a call?

By: LeRoy Katz

LeRoy Katz — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:19:57 +0000

I’ve stopped doing the e-mail tennis matches. Once I see more than 2 e-mails about the same issue, I pick up the phone to figure out what is going on. What I’ve found is that resolution to most issues can be had with a short “live” conversation rather than the seemingly endless e-mail strings. My concern is that people are hiding behind e-mail because it is “easier”. My guess is that my own personal frustration with the e-mail games is that, as an extrovert, I prefer to talk to a “voice” rather than an electronic transmission. When I am out of the office without access to e-mail and I am copied on a bunch of e-mails with the same subject, I delete, without reading, all but the latest.

By: Marty Mercer

Marty Mercer — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:44:39 +0000

I have started doing both. Calling people, talking to them if I catch them, leaving a vm if I don’t. Then, I immediately send an email saying that I left them a vm. That way I cover my bases in terms of their preferred style of communication, and I have a voice message into them. More often than not, that person calls me back and we talk v2v. So, I say, double team them to speed up the communication cycle and improve the accuracy!

By: LaTonya Mays

LaTonya Mays — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:51:45 +0000

Being an introvert, I find that email helps us state our points easier, without all the expressions that sometimes bring anxiety.

By: Tricia Molloy

Tricia Molloy — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:41:39 +0000

Congratulations on your new blog, Jennifer! I just subscribed to it and look forward to reading more of your wisdom. I can relate to that email tennis match and find that when I do pick up the phone to resolve an issue it usually reminds the other person that this is always an option. When it comes to technology, it’s good to remember the benefits and drawbacks of each option.