Face to Face

I recently found that an old acquaintance had found a new job in a company which is setting up a location in Krakow. We met to discuss training needs for the company, and she told me all about her new job. She explained to me that the top management of the company flew in almost weekly to meet the new hires and see how the team were progressing with the new office. Each time they arrived in Krakow, they met everybody who had started work since they had last been in town, and got to know them. They were able to have regular progress meetings with their managers in person while they were in Krakow, too, and were on site to give advice, support, or help adjust targets when needed.

This reminded me of a contrasting e-mail I once received from a friend of mine who works in a Shared Services Centre in Dublin. She said that she didn't know if she was doing a good job, as she hadn't seen her direct supervisor in weeks, but because of that, she presumed her work was satisfactory. In the same conversation., she told me she was looking for a new job. She didn't say if the two facts were connected, but I am pretty sure they are.

Human beings are social animals. We need to interact (despite what we might tell others!). Besides, there is so much more that we can convey with a facial expression, tone of voice, a light gesture of the hand, that it's no surprise that we generally prefer to talk to people face-to-face than on the phone or by e-mail.

If you have a message to give, try to consider delivering it face-to-face, in person, wherever possible. I like talking to people. I'm sure you do, too, and so probably do your colleagues!