There's a character on Boston Legal named
Jerry
Espenson who suffers from Asperger's disease,
which makes him socially awkward. He might be the
last character you'd expect to lament the lack of
human contact involved in today's keyboard-happy
society.
When Jerry begs for his job back in a recent episode,
it is because he misses working at a place where
people actually look at each other, walk into each
other's offices and hash out problems face to face.
He even poses the question, "Do you know how rare
that is?"
I couldn't agree more, Jerry. I have recently observed
workplaces where:
- people who work three feet apart rarely speak
- "Hello" in the hallway is rarely returned
- people react as if their bedrooms have been
invaded when colleagues approach their offices or
cubicles
This is so sad. It also contributes to high turnover.
Look people in the eye. Return their gaze. Say "How
are you?" and mean it.
Arrange the occasional lunch with a colleague, even if
that means getting in your car or hopping in a cab, and
especially if it only means hopping up from your desk.
Business is still about relationships. And it always
will be.
