Also a recently-minted ‘acceptable’ way to downsize a work force.
Claiming a time saving with ‘direct interaction’ doesn’t recognize all the same OLD factors of meeting scheduling that apply.
If Mr Dell CEO is only using email to communicate with his team(s), then he’s not the right guy for the job.
Mr Dell CEO is trying to get people to return to the office, not end email. Having a decades long career I have lived through this evolution. The value of personal interaction adds to business’ innovation, productivity, and culture cannot be overstated. Too many people hide behind email and IM, and since they never met the people with whom they are supposed to be working, it de-personalizes the necessary human relationship. When it is geographically impossible to “walk to your colleague’s office”, picking up the phone is a lot more efficient than typing out an email. And it really helps to have met and spent time with your colleagues in person somewhere along the way. But travel is now only for the big wigs.
I won’t blame workers for the problem that Mr Dell is trying to solve in his own company. His management created this culture, not really managing how their teams can effectively work with one another. His company’s, his industry’s products have played a key part in this behavioral, cultural phenomenon. Glad he recognizes his company needs to change.
We know that from time to time there are some personal and ad hominem attacks on FR. I’ve been recipient of a few, and hopefully I have not done any, though maybe a few times my writing may have been interpreted that way though it was not intended. If we all were able to meet in person, I would wager that there would be almost no caustic, vituperative or insulting attacks. Mr Dell needs sees a problem and I am sure he does more human interaction than typing emails.