New Rule: After Three E-Mails, We Talk

I’m not a huge fan of his show, but Bill Maher does make me think, especially when he lists his new rules.

While I don’t concur with all of Maher’s suggestions, I love the concept of codifying new—and better—behavior in light of new events, knowledge, and trends.

I’m not exactly ambivalent about why so much business communication sucks: we use far too much jargon and send way too many e-mails. Over the past few years, I’ve developed my own new rule:

After three e-mails, we talk.*

It’s in every message I send. Here’s my current e-mail signature:

I abide by this rule and am not shy about invoking it. It has saved me a great deal of time and frustration. To be fair, though, not everyone likes it. I invoked it a few months ago and a perennially “busy” friend of mine promptly responded with, “I hate you.”

I’d love to see the rule adopted in every organization in the world. Sure, I can imagine legitimate exceptions, but it’s time to change the default means of communication from e-mail to something else—or somethings else.

Yes, there is life beyond e-mail.

* Either in person, on the phone, or via Skype.

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