We all appreciate and understand the many benefits of the use of email. It’s quick, easy, the language used is informal, we can send attachments, it’s lowered mailing costs, etc. And the pitfalls? We are now more savvy and alert to the evils of spam emails and vigilant about using virus protection. However, there is another, more insidious, pitfall – the loss of human contact between a manager and their front line troops.
In our rush to embrace this time-saver, we may have forgotten the most basic of human needs – needs that Abraham Maslow thought important enough to include in his well publicized Hierarchy of Needs – the need to belong to a group and share its successes and failures, and the esteem need – needing to be recognized and acknowledged and valued.
There is no doubt that email, when used correctly, is more time efficient. However, the one question modern managers often fail to ask of themselves is “What is the best use of my time?” A manager will always find projects to fill up the day, but how effective is that manager if targets are not being met because the people who do the work are unmotivated, uninspired and lacking leadership?
For many internal communications email is ideal. An identical message can be delivered simultaneously to all staff, over long distances. Provided the message is carefully worded, there should be no misinterpretation or misinformation. Everyone is on the same page. A manager shouldn’t be wasting time visiting people and tediously passing on the same pieces of information, should they?
MBWA (Management by Wandering/Walking Around)
The 80’s management theory – MBWA or Management by Wandering/Walking Around – should be considered here. Along with other populists theories, it had its moment and departed, but let’s revisit to see what made it worth being considered as a valid management style at the time.
Tom Peters, management legend and guru to thousands of companies world-wide, believed that by physically wandering around the office or plant, managers had an opportunity to build relationships with the ground floor troops and in so doing, receive information about the business that was “unfiltered” i.e. it wasn’t being sanitized by a succession of managers as it progressed further up the chain of command.
Not only did this method of communication flush out problems and solutions, it also gave the lower echelon workers an opportunity to be heard which in turn, increased their sense of self-worth and often resulted in productivity and morale increases.
Tom Peters is still delivering this message in his presentations, albeit updated to suit the 21st century. He now talks about “Eight Courtesies” that he believes are the core of a successful business, and number 1 is:
Stay in Touch (MBWA)
Notice he didn’t say “Stay in Touch by Email.” Organisations are still hanging off his every word, just as they were in the 1980s, and he has a new management book coming out early in 2010, so his theory shouldn’t be dismissed without examination.
If, in the quest to squeeze a few more minutes of “efficiency” out of the day, a manager has withdrawn from human contact behind email software, the opportunity to “wander” around the place to find out just what is going on has been squandered.
What to do next?
No-one is suggesting the end of email as a means of communication. It’s efficient and effective. However, a manager must still regularly schedule in time for human contact, not only with employees, but with clients and other stakeholders.
It’s a fine line between unnecessarily wasting time through idle chit-chat, and prudently greasing the wheels. Use whatever efficiencies technology brings to the workplace, but never lose sight of the role of a leader, i.e. to inspire, motivate, challenge and improve. Technology will assist managers to be more effective leaders, but only if used in conjunction with interpersonal communication skills – unless of course, you decide to employ robots.
