“Executive coach” Marsha Egan has identified a new problem for America's workforce: e-mail addiction. Oh, and she’s also developed a 12-step program to cure it. And for $36, the whole program can be yours. That's three bucks a step.
“There is a crisis in corporate America, but a lot of CEOs don’t know it,” Egan reportedly said. “They haven't figured out how expensive it is.”
Just a guess, but could it be about $36 per employee?
But wait, it gets better.
On average, workers who receive an e-mail take four minutes to read it and recover from the interruption before they can resume working productively, according to Egan. Four minutes to read and “recover?” Is this woman serious? In the land of Egan, responding to an e-mail is apparently another word for recovery.
Some questions: Is e-mail addiction a self-inflicted condition or a disease? Will my health insurance cover the treatment? Once a person has licked his e-mail addiction, is he a recovering e-mail addict for the rest of his life? Is it OK for that person to use e-mail again? Should we set up clinics similar to methadone clinics for heroine addicts where e-mail junkies can stand around outside hollow-eyed, shivering, and chain smoking while waiting for a fix? Should we start a free Blackberry exchange program to prevent the spread of electronically transmitted diseases?
Of course, the first step to recovery in Egan's program is admitting you have a problem.
“Admit that e-mail is managing you,” she reportedly said. “Let go of your need to check e-mail every 10 minutes.”
Egan reportedly hosts no meetings, but is said to be planning monthly teleconferences for recovering e-mail addicts.
Message to everybody who considers sending Egan $36: You have a far more serious problem than e-mail addiction: It’s a little known condition called ThisIdiotWillBelieveAnything. And for three easy credit-card payments of $49.95 I’ll be glad to help you beat it.
