Pervasive Communicaton Environment

In the web lecture entitled Technology and Teams it is stated that we live in a “pervasive communication environment that give us multiple access points to an integrated communication structure with text audio, video, and voice capabilities.” These new technologies have opened so many windows for the world but at the same time I do not feel like they are helping in every aspect of life. Yes people do use technologies to help them achieve goals, final projects, and communicate any time they want, but what about social skills? I feel that so many people are becoming dependent on their new technologies that they are forgetting about human contact. I had a group member last semester that refused to meet with the group and insisted that email was the only way to communicate. It made me sad to see someone so turned off by physical meetings. I feel like the best contact is physical contact and the rest are great tools that should be utilized for teams that cannot meet in person because of geography or for a quick question and answer. However, I believe that teams who meet in person might be more successful because you get to know all of your team members personally and can work together more effectively. Online communications can cause confusion and people can perceive things differently, especially when it comes to emotions. Overall, I feel that all our different portals to communication are wonderful assets but we need to remember that social skills are more important in the long run.