Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 08:23:30 -0700 | 02 05 04 61 02061401 |
Mr. Mark Mueller
Manager
MarkMu@microsoft.com
Windows 2000 Support
Applications and Performance
Microsoft Corporation
16011 NE 36th Way
Box 97017
Redmond, WA 98073 9717
..
Subject: | Email Delivered Out of Sequence Hampers Communication |
Email for Case SRX020519601479 |
Dear Mark,
Thanks for your notice on Wednesday, June 12, 2002, of having received
re-submission of a letter to Brandon on Tuesday, June 11. Since I received your
notice just this morning on June 14, two (2) days after it was sent, this
confirms a variable lag in delivery of mail is occurring that complicates
communication. You noted in our call on June 12 that
communication is a big
challenge.
..
Part of the problem is variable delivery of the mail, when several people
are contributing, and they receive mail at different times. It is
not a big deal
when the variance is a few minutes, but hours and in this case days, cause a
big impact on teamwork productivity and morale.
..
Last night for example,
Brandon
was concerned because he did not receive
requested information, and this conveyed an incorrect impression that certain
initiatives he was pursuing on this case were not being followed by the rest of
us.
..
Turned out the information was timely submitted to Brandon, but, as with
you on June 12, and now again today with me, per above, there was a lag in delivery on some mail, while
other mail is being delivered promptly, with the result that the flow of
communication is received out of sequence. Since
sequence is a critical
part of human reasoning
(see POIMS), this significantly compounds the challenge
of communication that you mentioned occurs at Microsoft, and of course
everywhere else.
..
Drucker, for example,
says that
people have just given up on communication, because the
range of problems is overwhelming.
..
Being aware of the problem, and reacting, as Brandon did, to
inquire about things that seem out of step with plans,
helps get things done by taking complementary, rather than conflicting, action
that can help see us through, until the mail gets back to timely delivery.
..
Just want to thank everyone for sticking with this thorny issue
despite it seeming at times like the gods are against us.
Sincerely,
THE WELCH COMPANY
Rod Welch
rowelch@attglobal.net
..
Copy to:
..
..
Mark Mueller wrote:
>
> Received
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rod Welch [mailto:rowelch@attglobal.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 11:04 AM
> To: Mark Mueller
> Cc: Brenda Cannon; Brandon Robinson
> Subject: Re: Email for Case SRX020519601479
>
> Mark,
>
> Here is the link to the letter to Brandon yesterday, which we
> discussed a few minutes ago this morning....
>
> > http://www.welchco.com/02/05/04/61/02/06/1101.HTM#0001
>
> The following confirms our telecon, and illustrates one way to tackle
> the communication challenge you cited this morning....
>
> > http://www.welchco.com/sd/08/00101/02/02/06/12/082944.HTM#0001
>
> Please send me a reply to let me know you received it.
>
> Thanks for considering this.
>
> Rod
>
> PS. By copy asking Brandon and Brenda to forward to Mark, in case we
> somehow have Mark's email address incorrect in the record
>