Send me a memo on it; or better yet, don't

Memos are a simple and effective form of communication in the health care system. Memos can strengthen group performance and praise individual behavior. However, all too frequently memos can be time-consuming, inefficient, and even harmful to effective interpersonal communication. The prudent manager should guard against a memo that is too long, will be taken offensively, will be perceived as negative, or is written when the manager is angry. In the long run, verbal communication is usually more effective than a memo delivered in haste.