If you need an answer for something, never rely on email. It is great for "please review the attached doc and get back to me by Friday" (if followed up with a phone call before Friday) or "FYI" stuff. But it isn't a substitute for a phone call (which may still be shunted to voice mail), or a physical visit if the person is close enough.
Amen! The original blog entry is
really about communication. Waiting for an email response is a poor use of the sender's time. People don't need to be married to the communications culture of the organization (e.g., use email for everything). I once had my performance appraisal emailed to me. I read this morning that 500 Radio Shack employees were sent an email advising them that they were laid off.
Most people have forgotten the art of human communication. Humans of all types are at the other end of an email, voice call or face-to-face. Use what makes sense and you'll not need to wait for a response.
