Timeline for How to talk to others when they're busy?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
14 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Mar 9, 2017 at 23:05 | comment | added | Todd Wilcox | What's interesting about @SnakeDoc 's priority levels is that they are also escalating levels of "paper trail" and history. I.e., a verbal conversation is completely ephemeral and if no one takes notes, it only exists in the memories of the participants. With a phone call, there would usually be incoming/outgoing call logs. IMs are often archived (but not always), and e-mails not only create a "paper trail", but can be CC'ed and forwarded and searched and organized and referred to years later. | |
| Mar 9, 2017 at 19:26 | comment | added | Mast | In plenty of companies e-mail is not a reliable communication method, simply because the employees get swarmed with e-mails they shouldn't be getting in the first place or have a backlog so big they can't be bothered a few e-mails a month stay on the 'unread' stack permanently. | |
| Mar 9, 2017 at 18:26 | comment | added | Beofett | @Vality only if they check their voice mail more than once a week. | |
| Mar 9, 2017 at 8:59 | comment | added | Don Branson | @pharap - slack.com. | |
| Mar 9, 2017 at 8:03 | comment | added | Pharap | @DonBranson What's slack? (For those of us who don't know) | |
| Mar 9, 2017 at 0:48 | comment | added | Vality | @Beofett Sending calls to voicemail has a significant advantage in that you know for sure who it is and what they want before having to respond on the spot. Even if you intend to call back immediately. | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 23:26 | comment | added | Andy | @AndreiROM Your current workplace doesn't value productivity then, and your boss isn't being rational. | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 20:45 | comment | added | Beofett | @SnakeDoc In my experience personal preferences frequently override those priority levels. I have encountered many people who, for various reasons, seemed to not like using certain communication methods. The only way to get a response was to use their preferred method. Some people always let phone calls go to voice mail. Coworkers who travel frequently make in person communication impractical. Some people only skim their emails, while others monitor email constantly. If you expect these priorities to be universal, you're going to be frustrated. | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 20:32 | comment | added | SnakeDoc | @AndreiROM It sounds like at your organization, you've merged Instant Message and Email into one group, effectively treating your email system as an instant messaging system of sorts. This causes other problems, since now you have potentially 2 different priorities for any given communication. Some emails don't require a timely response (say, you have to generate some report and email it back tomorrow). Others require immediate response, (say, you ask someone to meet you in 5 minutes in the conference room). You can probably discern the priority level by the contents of the email sometimes. | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 20:28 | comment | added | SnakeDoc | @AndreiROM The priority levels of communication transcend organizations really, and are more universal I think. Think of a 3rd party company you're working with. If you send an email, they will respond sometime, be it in a minute, hour, day, or a few days (depending on what it is). If you call them, however, typically you expect something sooner (although they can send the call to vm). If you ran into the guy on the street though, you expect him to respond to you right then and there (some kind of response, even if it's just "hello" back). | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 20:18 | comment | added | AndreiROM | @SnakeDoc - I think that the priority level of communications really depends on the company. At my current workplace we use no internal communication app, and my boss expects you to notice emails within minutes, and react. You get used to it, and act accordingly. | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 20:04 | comment | added | SnakeDoc | There are priority levels of communications, each with their own set of expectations: 1) In person 2) Phone 3) Instant Message 4) Email. In person is the must disruptive, but also has the highest expectation of timeliness. Calling someone is less disruptive (they can ignore it), but instills a sense of urgency. Instant Messages are often asynchronous, the recipient can ignore and respond when convenient, but can also see what you need without committing to handling the situation right then. Emails have the lowest expectations of timeliness, are entirely asynchronous, and come with no urgency. | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 17:59 | comment | added | Don Branson | Email or slack. | |
| Mar 8, 2017 at 15:51 | history | answered | AndreiROM | CC BY-SA 3.0 |