Last week President Obama and the President of Russia signed a treaty to reduce nuclear arms.
I recently had the good fortune to go to school with my 82 year-old dad. He takes an international politics class. The professor was discussing the American-Russian relations during the Cold War.
He said a turning point in the relationship was when the hot line was installed between Washington D.C. and Moscow. It allowed the two heads of State to communicate directly with one another rather than through intermediaries.
This direct communication was an exercise in confidence building. It helped to create access and rapport between the parties.
We can learn something from the hot line. Often it is much more effective to contact someone directly to get information.
In our email centered world we frequently send emails back and forth beyond a healthy time frame. How many times has a direct phone call cleared up a misunderstanding or ambiguities caused by email? This action can also help us to build rapport and learn even more.
There is definitely a place for emails and for obtaining information through third parties. However, it is helpful to remember that direct communication can build trust, resolve many issues and remove a lot of guess work and stress.
If it worked for the Russians and Americans, perhaps it can work for you.