Easton Ellsworth from BusinessBlogwire of Know More Media wrote recently about why it is sometimes important to make a phone call. This reminded me of my hierarchy of communication.
There are three basic types of communications I'm considering: email, telephone and face-to-face meetings. Each method of communication is the right way to communicate different sorts of messages.
In general, the more important the message the more one needs to move toward more personal forms of communication. A corollary standard would be that the more emotional the message, the more personal the communication should be. Consider the following analysis:
Email: Email is optimal for communicating simple facts, including contact information, meeting dates and times, providing introductions to new subjects, people or opportunities. The primary advantage of email is that it is asynchronous, meaning that the parties can conduct a dialogue without both being available for the discussion at the same time. The primary disadvantage of email is that it is nearly impossible to communicate real emotion in an email--at least without writing a novel.
Telephone: Using the phone is a great way to follow up on information introduced in an email, for providing a deeper understanding of complex information or for assessing views or opinions on important matters. It is not a good forum for negotiating because subtle cues about emotion can be lost without being able to see and read the body language of the other person on the line. The primary advantages of telephone communications are the big increase in emotional information communicated using an inexpensive vehicle. Virtually all telephone calls start with small talk as a means of building rapport, which is something email cannot accomplish effectively. The disadvantage is that the communication must be synchronous; the ease of placing the call often means that calls arrive at inopportune times, meaning that the person you call may not be happy you called at the moment you did--even if she says she is available.
Face-to-Face: A real meeting is the best way to communicate complex information, allowing for you to pick up on body language and to follow along with visual aids--formal or informal. One of the remarkable things I learned about face-to-face meetings years ago is there is an almost magical element: even people who may be prone to yell over the phone or send flaming emails generally behave in a face-to-face meeting. While this isn't true 100% of the time, it is generally true. This allows you to accomplish the most difficult tasks more rapidly than by any other means. For instance, if you want to negotiate the sales price of your business, this is best accomplished face-to-face. It is an important and emotional subject, best handled face-to-face where you can read body language as well as the tone in the voice.
I believe in the above principles with real conviction. That said, I really don't like using the phone. As a result, I tend to use both email and face-to-face meetings too much. This means that I tend to miss opportunities to move a process along on the phone by using email and I waste time by taking meetings to accomplish what I could as easily do by phone.
What do you think?
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