Hang Up the Email. Pick Up the Phone
We are all guilty of sending off email after email when a face-to-face or phone conversation would save time while having greater influence. Think about how many times you hit "reply" today. Now, calculate how much time was wasted going back and forth trying to explain what you meant to say in your prior email message.
The numbers are staggering. Independent research by Atos Origin revealed that the average employee spends 40 percent of their workweek dealing with internal emails that add no value to the business. In short, your colleagues only start working on anything of value beginning on Wednesday each week.
Another McKinsey Global Institute study states the average worker spends two-and-a-half hours writing emails every day. More than a quarter of most employees' time is wasted sending, receiving, sorting through emails instead of doing their jobs. That means every year workers spend 81 workdays hunched over their computers, often emailing other people in the same office.
By comparison, employees spent just 6.4 hours per week—14 percent of their time—"communicating and collaborating internally."
We are slaves to our inbox. Checking emails 24/7 has become a habit, making face-to-face or phone conversations a lost art.
Email Is Essential, Yet Overused
Don't get me wrong. Email is an essential tool for communicating quick messages that need documentation. The question is: do we put enough thought into what is the best communication medium for influencing action?
Research consistently shows that phone calls are significantly more effective than email for complex discussions, sensitive topics, urgent matters. When you need immediate feedback, when tone matters, when relationships are at stake, the phone wins every time.
When Email Becomes Your Enemy
Email lacks the nuances of tone, body language, immediate clarification. Misunderstandings arise easily. Important messages get buried in overflowing inboxes. Complex issues that could be resolved in a five-minute phone call turn into endless email threads that frustrate everyone involved.
Studies reveal that people are overconfident in their ability to accurately convey emotions through email. What you think sounds professional might come across as cold. Something you intend as helpful might read as condescending. The phone eliminates these dangerous assumptions.
Our Approach to Cutting Through the Clutter
Our strategy for navigating through the chaos of our clients' busy lives is straightforward:
When in doubt, invite a face-to-face or phone conversation. If we question at all how our client may receive our email message, we pick up the phone while talking live.
If we haven't received a response from our client after sending two emails, it's time to pick up the phone. Three emails in a row without response isn't persistence—it's digital harassment.
Think Before You Select "Send"
Take this quick three-question test to prevent becoming a victim of miscommunication while jeopardizing your relationships:
Ask your listeners: "What is the best way to communicate?" Don't assume email is always the answer. Some people prefer phone calls, text messages, face-to-face meetings. Respect their communication preferences.
Which communication medium will have the greatest influence on your listeners? Email for documentation. Phone calls for persuasion, relationship building, complex problem-solving.
Once in writing, always in writing. If your email message were posted on the home page of a major news site, would it build or damage your reputation? Phone conversations offer privacy, nuance, the ability to clarify immediately.
The Human Connection Advantage
The phone brings back the human element that email strips away. You hear hesitation, excitement, confusion, agreement in someone's voice and can adjust your approach in real-time.
Research from the University of Michigan found a 40% decrease in empathy among populations that increased their technology use. We're losing our ability to connect because we're hiding behind screens instead of engaging through voice.
When to Choose the Phone
Pick up the phone for:
Urgent matters that need immediate response
Sensitive topics where tone matters
Complex issues requiring back-and-forth discussion
Relationship-building conversations
Apologies that need sincerity
Brainstorming sessions that benefit from spontaneous ideas
Email for:
Simple information sharing
Documentation that needs a paper trail
Messages to multiple recipients
Non-urgent requests
Stop Making Excuses, Start Making Calls
The phone isn't outdated—it's underutilized. While everyone else hides behind email, you can stand out by picking up the phone. Your colleagues will appreciate the directness. Clients will value the personal attention. Your projects will move faster.
If you ever struggle with the "right" answer to these communication questions, ask for constructive feedback from a peer you trust. The goal isn't perfection—it's connection.
Time to put down the keyboard and pick up the phone. Your relationships depend on it.
