Remember the good old days before email where you had to actually get to the office to know you were going to have a bad day?
When the office was a physical place where people worked during defined hours and not just a place to gather to discuss the latest rounds of email?
When we lost the strings of memos and meetings we also lost the boundaries that put necesary limits on time and interpretation.
The business world has evolved into two camps. Those who communicate easily, quickly and freely on email... and those who read nuance into every typo and declaration. And there is generally an even, explosive mix of each type on every project.
Email is my best friend and fiercest foe. I am online at least half the traditional work day and complusively before I go to bed at night and when I first get up in the morning. Those bookend times are supposed to be for the personal email exchanges that matter to me, but guilt and curiosity always win the battle to wait on the business emails.
Email gives me a direct pipeline to my daughters and friends scattered through the time zones. It allows me to contribute to volunteer discussions without carving out the time for a meeting. It's a godsend with vendors who appreciate the quick, simple exchange of details recorded and retrievable. Or at least that's the gross rationalization.
The more I cocoon myself behind the screen, the higher the wall of words grows.
I'm currently waiting on an answer on a technical issue, officially late for the office one minute ago. I've already been working for two hours this morning sitting right here. They know I'm going to be late.
I sent them an email.



Copyright 2005 Judi Griggs