E-Etiquette
I’m sure you’ve heard about those companies that ban email on certain days of the week. The hope is the ban will encourage face-to-face or, at least, telephone conversations.
I don’t want to generalize too much, but depending on your age, you would either welcome that ban as relief from the seemingly never-ending messages or dread it, feeling as if you’re giving up food and water. But whichever way you might feel about ubiquitous email, doing without could help us communicate more effectively.
According to Daniel Goleman at The New York Times, researchers have discovered a flaw in our brains that affects the way we react to what we read on a computer screen. The good can sound neutral, the neutral can appear negative and the negative can seem downright hateful.
So pick one: word your emails very carefully to avoid misunderstandings OR get up from your desk and have a real conversation with your co-worker.
How do you feel about email?
