According to a recent study at MIT perhaps more than we might think in the connected virtual world we live in. They found that it's possible to predict which executives will win a business competition solely on the basis of the social signals they send.
Are you someone that prefers to meet people face to face than do all of your dealings by phone and/or virtually?
Previously you might have thought this was a time consuming process and colleagues may even have commented that this was not a productive use of time.
Well now you have research to back you up. See the link to the Harvard Business Review article here.
But be careful you want to be sure that this is time well spent. Before you jump in the car or book that flight ask yourself these three questions;
1. What else do I have right now that needs attention, action or delivery? What is most important? Is this part of my personal brand plan?
2. How is this meeting face to face going to enhance the relationship? What am I going to gain from this?
3. How can I maximise the time? Who else could I be meeting or connecting with?
Then go ahead and make your face time work for you.
Just my toonies worth.
I think that meeting with someone face to face is a must do when you want to ask someone to help you, or to get involved in a project. It is much easier to answer questions or concerns in person. You also have the luxury of reading their body language to determine if they are really interested in what you have to offer or just being polite. Email and telephone does not give you the complete picture.
Thank you for the comments Monica. I tend to agree, in person you get much more of a feel for the person and situation.