I meet a number of people, often highly successful in their careers for whom email is a default mode of building a relationship with a potential business partner or investor. Why? If that individual receives say 150 emails per day, why compete for their precious time. Assuming you have a “warm” relationship or one that you can quickly create, why not pick up the phone? Sometimes I wonder whether people are so fearful of rejection or “disturbing” someone (code for their own guilt, fear or perception that they are not a peer), they want to convince themselves a non-response is the fault of the other party, not their own insecurity or stupidity.

A form of excessive powerlessness where you have voluntarily delegated so much power, control and influence over routine events within your control that you are unable to move forward with quality and speed (pay bills, make investments, create plans). You are a “hostage” to others’ needs and whims.