My question is how many of those cited benefits are actually benefits. For example, it may be very convenient for you to scoot across your cube to ask questions of your co-worker, but is it convenient for him or her? Are you making sure that you're not interrupting anything important (and remembering that asking for interruption is an interruption in itself)? Overhearing and acting on conversations might be nice, but it might be equally troublesome, especially where one might be seen as meddling.
I'm not minimizing the importance of communication, but I'm wondering whether the benefits you've cited are actually worth the costs to yourself and others.
I'm not minimizing the importance of communication, but I'm wondering whether the benefits you've cited are actually worth the costs to yourself and others.