Agree, but willingness to answer also has context. I'm almost always willing to answer simple questions such as "Where can I find XYZ?" I have to be in proper mental state to answer more complex questions such as "Can we discuss the large and complex proposal I sent via email yesterday?"
This is all amplified when you have virtual teams. Those more complex conversations are more manageable when you are face to face. People can express how busy they are and how focused they are. IM doesn't have that luxury.
"Can I ask you a question?", in my personal experience, is usually a trap. If it was an easy question, the other person would have just asked it. Therefore, it's probably going to be a complex question that will take time and focus.
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Agree, but willingness to answer also has context. I'm almost always willing to answer simple questions such as "Where can I find XYZ?" I have to be in proper mental state to answer more complex questions such as "Can we discuss the large and complex proposal I sent via email yesterday?"
This is all amplified when you have virtual teams. Those more complex conversations are more manageable when you are face to face. People can express how busy they are and how focused they are. IM doesn't have that luxury.
"Can I ask you a question?", in my personal experience, is usually a trap. If it was an easy question, the other person would have just asked it. Therefore, it's probably going to be a complex question that will take time and focus.