3 ms·

> while he was Dean, had his email on three day delay. I'm a professor. I can't help but think that this is a terrible idea. As Dean, it is your job to enable

> while he was Dean, had his email on three day delay. I'm a professor. I can't help but think that this is a terrible idea. As Dean, it is your job to enable the faculty members and department chairs who report to you. To figure out what obstacles they face, and remove them when possible. To figure out who is doing good work -- especially of the sort that goes unnoticed. To sort through requests for money and other resources, and to figure out who will put these resources to good use. In other words, the same as any manager at any organization.

bregma 6y ago
If it's important enough to not tolerate a 72-hour delay, email is a completely inappropriate medium through which it should be communicated. A competent worker would certainly be aware of that. The medium is part of the message. Avoid sending the wrong message.
- ggrrhh_ta 6y ago
  What would the proper way be?
  - mschuster91 6y ago
    If it's urgent, drop a call.
    - ghaff 6y ago
      Of course, plenty of people here would toss a fit if someone were to call their phone. It's also worth noting that your perceived crisis may not be my crisis.
  - bregma 6y ago
    There is a clear heirarchy of media ordered by immediacy. - face-to-face - phone call - text messaging (through whatever: SMS, IRC, message flavour of the month...) - email - longhand on stationery Note that immediacy and importance are orthogonal.
- cujo 6y ago
  If you don't want to use email, fine. But this is work, not your personal jollies. I'm sure this guy would have pitched a fit if the people below him decided not to see him in person until they ran 3 laps around the building, or whatever ridiculous requirement they dreamt up.
rimliu 6y ago
There is no contradiction there. You still will be solving problems and enabling, just with some low-pass filter in front. Which is (mostly) good. Less noice, higher the quality.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

bregma 6y ago

If it's important enough to not tolerate a 72-hour delay, email is a completely inappropriate medium through which it should be communicated. A competent worker would certainly be aware of that. The medium is part of the message. Avoid sending the wrong message.

ggrrhh_ta 6y ago
What would the proper way be?
- mschuster91 6y ago
  If it's urgent, drop a call.
  - ghaff 6y ago
    Of course, plenty of people here would toss a fit if someone were to call their phone. It's also worth noting that your perceived crisis may not be my crisis.
- bregma 6y ago
  There is a clear heirarchy of media ordered by immediacy. - face-to-face - phone call - text messaging (through whatever: SMS, IRC, message flavour of the month...) - email - longhand on stationery Note that immediacy and importance are orthogonal.
cujo 6y ago
If you don't want to use email, fine. But this is work, not your personal jollies. I'm sure this guy would have pitched a fit if the people below him decided not to see him in person until they ran 3 laps around the building, or whatever ridiculous requirement they dreamt up.

rimliu 6y ago

There is no contradiction there. You still will be solving problems and enabling, just with some low-pass filter in front. Which is (mostly) good. Less noice, higher the quality.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]