SubscribeI just got into an email war with a coworker of mine. I forwarded him a message about a customer I thought he could help me with and he writes back a message, CCing the entire galaxy about how it’s not his job to help out in this situation. His attempt was to try to make me look bad, but I think it ended up making him look worse. I thought about if I were talking face to face with this person, would he be so willing to say such things in front of my boss and his? I also recently got into a text message fight with a friend of mine. Something was said, misinterpreted and chaos ensued. You can’t detect tone over a text message or chat. Had my friend and I been talking in person, the argument may never have happened.
These events led me to realize how impersonal the world has become. Text messaging, email and chats seem to cause more problems then they solve. It allows people to dump things on your plate at work and say things that wouldn’t be said in a face to face meeting. I’m probably guilty of doing the same thing. I say things in email all the time I wouldn’t normally say in person. I’ve decided to start a new attitude when it comes to emailing, chatting and texting. I’m going to make sure I only say things that are non-confrontational that I would only say to a person face to face. I think the world will be a happier place if I help set the example.
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