Tuesday, October 13, 2009

We each communicate differently

I have noticed that some people check their personal emails as often as several times a day, while others let a week go by without checking it. The latter will check their snail mail more often than email. Some people would rather make a phone call than send an email, while others do most of their communicating by email or SMS. These different attitudes to communication go unsaid. So we can get frustrated when a friend or colleague does not respond in the way we expect or prefer. We ourselves are often not aware that our own styles may be different than others'. Understanding this is important as we are unlikely to change that of others.

1 comment:

Jonathan said...

I keep two different e-mail programs open throughout most of every day, constantly checking my personal and work e-mail. "Several times a day" is a considerable understatement. But yes, I appreciate that some people check e-mail only occasionally, and I don't expect quick replies.

For that matter, although I usually receive messages soon after they were sent, I don't feel obliged to reply immediately. E-mail is not instant messaging. It's "read at your convenience, reply at your convenience", and I like that.