When you want to ask your colleagues for a favor — to review your draft presentation, lend some resources to an important project, or even to support you in your local charity run — it feels most efficient to send a group email. But a new study finds that people tend to overestimate the power of their persuasiveness over text and email and underestimate how effective face-to-face requests are. Asking someone in person is far more likely to be successful. Remember that most people have an inbox full of requests from people. You don’t want your favor to get lost in that heap. Sure, going to talk to someone may be less convenient and more uncomfortable, but if you really need someone to help you out, stop by their desk or schedule a meeting. Doing so demonstrates the importance of the task and cuts through the digital clutter.

Source: Adapted from “A Face-to-Face Request Is 34 Times More Successful than an Email,” by Vanessa K. Bohns

Source: HBR Management Tips
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When You Really Need a Favor, Ask in Person