LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE- AN ANALYSIS

LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE- AN ANALYSIS

DO NOT LET AN EMAIL DERAIL YOU

Introduction to Case

Every technology that enters our everyday life patterns transmit to us, some potential benefits and drawbacks. While we continue taking benefits from these incredible gadgets and gizmos, we thoroughly ignore the other side of the story where, if abused, these technologies can play havoc with our lives. They could not just ruin our social, professional, and personal life but also can impede in our path to success in life. Their side effects can be long lasting and hazardous, causing irreparable damage to ourselves. We believe that no man-made technology can be perfect, but then again it is the human intellect that is supposed to exceed the limitations of the information fed into these machines. Despite their potential to threaten our life's progress, we should use it in a manner that is most desirable and least destructive. Only then can we gain from them, convenience, ease of use, time savings.

Take the example of an E-mail (Electronic Mail) for instance. While millions of thousands of E-mails are exchanged around the world every day, one cannot ignore the damages that can be caused by a little misunderstanding or misinterpretation of such a technology product. An E-mail lacks non-verbal clues that make it vulnerable to be misinterpreted. No matter how many emoticons you add or sugary words you try putting up, sometimes nothing works and your mere gestures of concern, sincerity or casual attitude is taken in wrong sense. However, this normally goes unnoticed by the sender. It appears so instant, easy and accessible that we proceed with sending hundreds of E-mails without giving it a slight thought. It was just after the experience that we begin to ponder over if our mistakes could be avoided. But then it is too late to mend and we end up facing the consequences. I could not imagine what an apparently-harmless E-mail can do to ruin my career and workplace prestige. To me it never appeared that an email could bury the trust of my peers and supervisors that I took many years to establish and that I cherished all my life. Trust was so easily lost, I could not foresee. I had never given it a thought as to how dangerous an E-mail can be, to your career especially professional life where you are supposed to act respectfully. It is just one small stone that creates ripples in a steady river, disturbing its flow. Similarly, our life can be influenced most significantly just by the misuse or overlooking of minute details like the use of an E-mail as a medium. Though different individuals think differently, yet many times their perceptions about such things are same. While one should definitely do what is easy and convenient, but at the same time we cannot ignore the beliefs and values of those around us. They may not think the way we do. They may not perceive our gesture in a way that is universally ...