Special offer

Keyboard Courage

By
Real Estate Appraiser with Reliable Appraisal

Email has undoubtedly improved our quality of life when it comes to business and personal communications.  I understand that today there are more than 25 million workers connected by email servers. 

The informality of the email is certainly a trade off for convenience. With email technology comes a certain level of risk.  One of the things we all need to be careful with is how the recipients of our emails distinguish between the Intent and the Effect of our communication. 

  Sometimes the intentions of our communication can be honorable but the effect disastrous.  We need to be conscientious of how we bold, italicize and underline in the words we wish to type.   I guess as humans we are wired for one-on-one personal communication. I am not certain we are fully programmed for change just yet!

Then there is what I would call Keyboard Courage.  I can almost hear Andy Rooney asking "Have you ever notice how people gain courage when they are behind the keyboard"?

I am sure we all have at one time or another been a recipient of an email when someone had increased courage, almost a super-natural strength, when communicating via email.... 

A a rule of thumb performance or other touchy issues should be handle in person, not from behind the terminal.

Has this happened to you?

 

-Meg

 

Roger Stensland
Keller Williams Realty Puget Sound - Maple Valley, WA
Let's Move!
Keyboards are like vehicles.  They are as safe or as dangerous as the person who drives them.
Apr 06, 2007 07:57 AM
Carole Cohen
Howard Hanna Cleveland City Office - Cleveland, OH
Realtor, ePRO

Thoughtful post Meg. Email is convenient, I agree; and for normal dialogue or correspondence, perfect, because it is non-intrusive. We live in such a fast world, and being able to think through an email dialogue is easier than feeling you have to have words spoken every second in a conversation...does that make sense? But there are times when a phone call is much better.  And there are times when even that is not good enough but it should be in person. Depends on the issue.

If I relate this to real estate, I would take issues I really want my sellers to think about directly to them for an in person conversation. Somehow to me it leaves less room for misunderstanding. JMHO

I've heard that now people break up relationships via email. Imagine that!

Apr 07, 2007 06:42 AM
Danny Smith
DISCOVER TEXAS HOMES - Round Rock, TX

Meg, I totally agree with your comments! But on the other side of your thoughts...people on the other end of a email need to realize this as well and give some slack. In other words have thicker skin than usual or take things with a grain of salt.

Apr 07, 2007 06:57 AM
Matt Pendleton
Realty ONE Group - Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas Real Estate
Yes, I had a deal get quite nasty when the other agent and I were communicating primarily through e-mail.  I think that things got way out of hand.  I don't think it would have gotten anywhere near as bad if we had been talking on the phone.
Apr 07, 2007 09:42 AM
Meg Stewart
Reliable Appraisal - Frisco, TX
Appraiser-Frisco, Texas

Danny..  I agreed whole heartedly..   As I mentioned in my blog, we are not fully programmed yet, but being aware to be less sensitive is a great start...

Sometimes there are two may "lines to read between".  Sure seems easier to look into someones eyes.  However, virtual businesses and a quick pace prevent us at times....

Happy Easter!

 

-Meg

 

 

 

Apr 08, 2007 01:58 AM
David A. Podgursky PA
THE PODGURSKY GROUP @ Re/Max Direct - Boynton Beach, FL
THE PODGURSKY GROUP - Make the Right Move!
most definitely... and people read "Tone" into comments, emails etc whether they are there or not so you have to be especially good about speaking nicely and using emoticons
Apr 08, 2007 02:45 AM
Tricia Jumonville
Bradfield Properties - Georgetown, TX
Texas REALTOR , Agent With Horse Sense

In communications with other agents via email, I try very hard to be even more professional, because, hey, there's a "paper" trail!  ;-) 

So while I absolutely agree that the relative anonymity of email communications can lead one to be a bit more "out there" than one would otherwise be, it can also have the opposite effect, depending on context.

Apr 08, 2007 04:09 AM
Bob Sloop, Consultant, Indianapolis, IN
RS Mortgage Consulting - Indianapolis, IN
I agree with you totally Meg, I personally try to be careful how I come accross from behind the keyboard.  Thank goodness no one can hear me scream, LOL  Good informational post.  As always.
Apr 09, 2007 01:30 PM
Meg Stewart
Reliable Appraisal - Frisco, TX
Appraiser-Frisco, Texas

Thanks David, Tricia , and Bob for your comments.  

-Meg

 

 

Apr 09, 2007 02:38 PM
Carolyn Clark
CarolynOnTheWeb.com - Dallas, TX

As a self-proclaimed email junkie and email marketing guru, I must agree!  It is often difficult (for some-wink!) to express their ideas and objectives via keyboard.  While email is, in my opionion, the greatest thing since the wheel, I often find myself thinking "Sheesh, this person was NOT paying attention in English Lit class!"

Great post Megan!  Hope to see you at the next AMP event in Dallas.  :)

Apr 10, 2007 02:16 AM
Jason Sardi
Auto & Home & Life Insurance throughout North Carolina - Charlotte, NC
Your Agent for Life

Hello Meg,

    This has happened to me on a few instances.  For lack of a better term, there is a fine art to doing business through the email medium.  I agree with you that the majority of people should handle things in person.

Jun 09, 2007 01:28 PM
Meg Stewart
Reliable Appraisal - Frisco, TX
Appraiser-Frisco, Texas
Jason.  Thanks for your comments.  I truly believe email should not be used when emotions are in the way...   Have a nice weekend...
Jun 09, 2007 01:53 PM
Dominick Gaccino
Dominick gaccino - Peekskill, NY

i think "computer muscles" happen all the time online

 

why i have no idea but they do

 

people threaten others and so on

 

silly children

Jun 10, 2007 03:37 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
Email is quick and timeless and efficient communication. Writing a letter and mailing it means more. A phone conversation many times is better than email. Face to face communication is the best. But keyboarding can cover more ground and get to you and many more a lot faster.
Oct 30, 2007 04:03 PM
Vicente A. Martinez
Prudential Douglas Elliman Licensed Real Estate Salesperson - Woodhaven, NY
Realtor, Brooklyn - Long Island - Queens Homes
Meg, I agree with you 100%. Some people get real gutsy behind the keyboard. Best of luck and keep doing what you do.
Oct 30, 2007 04:09 PM
K C
Independent Leadership & Financial Fitness Consultant - Pleasant Grove, UT
AMEN SISTER!!!  I know plenty of examples of how people react online vs real life.  It's almost like they act in their cars...
Oct 30, 2007 04:36 PM
Meg Stewart
Reliable Appraisal - Frisco, TX
Appraiser-Frisco, Texas

Thanks for you comments.  Wow, you pulled this Blog from the back of the rack!

 

Have a nice day!

 

-Meg

Oct 30, 2007 11:01 PM
Jim Willis
Rose and Womble Realty - Virginia Beach, VA
Knows Virginia Beach Area Real Estate
Just became a Blogger on www.activerain.com ; a newbie. Your absolutely right. It's too easy for some people to "hit hard" when their emailing and not in front of the recipient. I'm glad i found your Post. Thanks.
Oct 31, 2007 05:52 AM
Stephen Joos & Chris Brubaker- HouseFront
HouseFront - Denver, CO
Good call, people use email as an escape from having to deal with real situations if you ask me.  Email is a great thing and makes business go so much faster, but at the same time it is misused a lot.  Great post.
Oct 31, 2007 09:33 AM
Chip Holmes
Eagle Home Appraisal - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson NV Real Estate Appraiser
I save so much time with emails instead of playing the phone tag game. I just try to smile with my writing a little and it seems to have a pretty good effect.
Nov 01, 2007 11:02 PM