January 25, 2007Email Abuse

Meryl,

Do you have suggestions or guidelines on when electronic communications are used too much?

Meryl Responds

I talk about it in my PowerPhrases book.

If the goal is efficiency, email is perfect. If the goal is connection, email is a poor substitute for personal contact.

As soon as some tension is experienced, pick up the phone or walk over to talk directly. If you want to create a personal connection, pick up the phone or walk over to talk directly. If you want to stand out and make an impression, pick up the phone or walk over to talk directly – or send a card.

When deciding on your medium, ask yourself whether your priority is efficiency or connection and choose accordingly.

I hope this helps – let me know if you have a more specific question.