Put down the Blackberry ... and TALK

I have heard it said that technology is making the world smaller. I would agree with that - to a point. I am very thankful that I am able to stay in touch with my younger brother Aaron who lives in South Africa. Being able to chat over the Internet and share stories on Facebook helps me feel connected, almost like he is right next door.

Speaking of which, my neighbor Dave and I also chat often on the internet and share our lives on Facebook... In fact I have actually seen my brother Aaron as often as I have Dave over the last few years - about twice a year! So while technology may make South Africa as close as next door, it is at the same time making next door seem as far away as South Africa.

Technology in the workplace has a similar effect, denying opportunities to develop personal relationships. My mentor realized this, giving me simple rules for communicating:

• Don't send an email if a phone call will do
• Don't call if you can visit in person
• Only use instant messaging to see if someone is available to have a quick meeting or go to lunch

One meeting I attended served as an excellent example of why these rules are important. It was a global video conference spanning six sites and over fifty participants representing a number of different groups. About ten minutes into the meeting a very controversial non-conventional approach was brought up. The meeting became so quiet you could hear a pin drop, or as the case was, hear a Blackberry vibrate.

It wasn't more than a minute or so before I heard Blackberries going off around the table and from every other site - my own Blackberry included. It seemed like each group was rapidly texting their members to determine what position they should take. This continued for several minutes, until a managing director in London said "Pardon me. Can I please have everyone's attention. We are all together to determine the best course of action going forward. So would everyone please put their Blackberries down and talk."