What does being connected mean to you?

Getting constant text messages, calls on your mobile phone, lots of emails in your in box and more?

A recent survey conducted by the Queensland University of Technology shows that one in five surveyed had behaviours that indicated behaviour that pointed to phone addiction. Some respondents reported going without food, clothes and study books to buy phone credit driven by a fear of being "left out of the loop".

Even more scary was the group surveyed spent on average more than one hour making calls and sending text messages every day, while heavy users reported paying as much as $5,200 on their monthly bill.

Recently I visited a prospective client and in the hour that I spent with him he took over 10 phone calls (I gave up counting after 10) all of which interrupted our discussions. We focused, between one of the breaks, on the reason he believed that he had to take those calls at that specific time. Why couldn't he divert his mobile phone to the office at best or switch it off to voice mail at worst when in a one to one situation?

"I might miss a ‘deal' and that person may go to the competition"

The impression I received loud and clear was that his being with me "to resolve my (his) overload issues and refocus my (his) effectiveness in the business" came second to the possibility of "the next deal"

What this fellow didn't realise that business was going down the drain because that was the impression he gave everyone ... that the "next big deal" was more important than them.

In recounting this conversation with a Canadian based business owner this man gave me his method of handling incoming calls that puts him in charge of his time and enables him to connect with the issue at hand.

His mobile phone message is ... "Leave a message and I'll get back to you within 2 hours"
His staff answer people who call to speak to him ... "he'll call back within two hours is there any message you'd like me to give him before he calls back"

Yes his phone bill is higher than it might otherwise be, but when his clients meet with him they get his undivided attention for 2 hours.

Who would you rather deal with?
What is your personal communication strategy?