Communication: \kə-myü-nə-kā-shən\ - a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system

I think that we’ve all heard how email communications are a poor substitute for speaking on the phone, and that most of us believe that since the aspect of understanding someone’s emotions or sense of humor is just so tough.

However, I’m not here to complain about misunderstandings that email creates (deal with people). I’m here to talk about how the one thing that email does well (allow us to put facts & information into other peoples hands quickly) gets completely screwed up by those people who fail to utilize the tool properly (similar to those people who leave voicemails that only say “call me”).

Maybe it’s just me, but as I try to communicate with others I find it imperative to convey the message whether I’m on the phone, leaving them a voicemail or sending them an email. So I’m constantly asking or answering questions during this process and it baffles me how when I receive a reply none of the questions have been answered (much less addressed). Of course in typical insult to injury style this non-message is followed by the request to speak at some unidentified future time and date (since they didn’t bother to provide those details either), and the result is scheduling a meeting to schedule a meeting to discuss the actual topic, when it could have been resolved with a little information exchange days ago.

While I understand some topics need not be shared via voice/email (“you’re fired” comes to mind) remember that by providing some information it allows the other person to act and move forward so that when you do actually connect the process can be resolved more quickly (and easily).