"Got it. Thanks!"

Here is my contribution to world peace and workplace efficiency.

Send more e-mails!

No, I don't want to know what you did last weekend. But I do want more people to acknowledge receipt of key e-mails. It is the courteous thing to do. (What a quaint word "courteous" is, even though the world has more need of courtesy now than ever.)

If you receive a document you've been waiting for, let the sender know you got it - and that you appreciate it. Send a quick e-mail to say Thanks.

If someone sends you an invoice, or any other document that is is important to them, acknowledge receipt. A quick "got it, thanks" will set the sender's mind at ease.

When you receive an e-mail that requires a considered, thoughtful response - and you have no time for that just now (who does?) - do the sender a favor. Let them know you got the e-mail, and give them some idea when you will get back to them. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness and be pleased to know that you are on the case - or at least intending to be.

Feedback is an essential part of communication. In interpersonal communication we rely on continuous feedback - even if it's just a nod, a wink or a smile that says the other person understands what you're saying.

E-mail is still a dodgy technology that can't really be trusted, so it is a medium in which feedback is even more important.

Give your correspondents a break, and let them know where you're at with their e-mails. Best of all, since so few peoople do that, it will help distinguish you from the run-of-the-mill faceless hordes in their Address Books. And that's what business is all about.