“What we’re finding is that for all the technology in the world, nothing is faster than the speed of human interaction,” wrote Dell, claiming that a “thirty second conversation can replace an email back-and-forth that goes on for hours or even days.”
I fully agree. Also, face to face conversation stops the people, who have a propensity to hit ‘reply to all’, when they send an email.
It has been shown that face-to-face communication is the most efficient and effective way to communicate.
I maintain a “Legendary Emails” folder, which contains a subfolder for “Reply All” greatest hits.
It is cathartic to re-read every now and then. Most of the senders have PhDs.
On the other hand, face to face conversation also encourages them to interrupt every time a question pops in their mind. As they open my door and ask if I’m busy (”No, I am paid to close my door and just sit here!”), I’m often thinking, “Could you have not just sent a SHORT email with the question? I could then answer when I’m available.” They never see the 15 other people who try to do this throughout the day.
But it is true, answering the email often doesn’t capture tone or other contextual cues. Follow up questions are met with more emails instead of immediate, in-person responses.
I worked in many of project war room and it’s the best way to get things done quickly and with minimal fuss.