It happened. Again.

As if we all didn't receive enough emails in one day, a majorglobal market-research company sent me an email stating it would“like to recall” its most recent email message.

No reason is ever given for these “requests” for recall, ofcourse. In most cases you'll never know who's to blame for whatevergaffe said -mail surely contains, or whatever incorrect facts orwording that obviously upset someone in the company chain enoughfor the PR department to ask for you to kindly ignore it.

I'll admit that in those situations I'm always tempted torespond with an email saying, “Actually, no. You knowwhat? I deny your request. Your message is out there now.You should have thought about that before you sent it. In fact, I'mreading it aloud to the office, right now. I'm notignoring it.” (This also could do much to explain why I'msingle.)

Accidents happen, sure, but in any case, it hurts thecredibility of the sender. One reason why this seems to behappening with increasing frequency — and some of my co-workersagreed they've noticed it, too — is the increasing number of layersin the approvals process at many companies, with too manystakeholders needed to sign off on just about anything. Not onlydoes that neuter communications and action, but in many cases alsostifles opportunity and can lead to lost business. Other times,miscommunication is often due to simple lack of attention todetail. It happens to us all.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

With a new year just around the corner, it's a good time toassess your own communication skills. If you're an agent or broker,do those in your office — especially if you're the agency principal— understand just how important clear and thoughtful communicationsare, both among each other and with clients?

Are you reaching out to those clients, just to remind them thatyou're there when they need you to provide a coverage solution whenlife events occur? Or just to stay in touch with them, so that theonly time you interact with clients isn't at renewal — and you'renot just calling when it's of financial advantage to you?

Here's another one: At your place of business, are you actuallytalking with the people you work with every day?

Think about it. How many times have you silently resented itwhen a colleague stops by your desk to ask a question or even sharegood news, when you're in the middle of composing an e-mail orreading a text? When we're constantly chained to our personaldevices and besieged by the daily flood of e-mails, it's easy tostay plugged in via technology and ignore the most human ofinteractions — which, and this is important to remember, are bothfar more important in the long run and far more personallygratifying.

Team building is about trust, not texts. Talk to yourpeople.

In the meantime, don't ignore all those e-mails in yourinbox. Just the ones that tell you to.

Shawn Moynihan is editor-in-chief of National UnderwriterProperty & Casaulty.