We are all suffering from inboxes filled with an endless river of email sludge. How can we make sure we aren’t creating more? How do we make sure we are getting our message across correctly? Did you know that 51% of employees think the tone of their emails is sometimes misunderstood? No one sees you smile as you type, after all. So today’s column is a quick list of tips to make sure you make your message heard:
• Use a descriptive subject line. Don’t just hit reply or forward and keep the subject line the same if it is more meaningful to change it.
• No scrolling: keep messages short and to the point. If you get lengthy, you reduce your chances of getting read. If it needs a lot of verbiage, perhaps a phone call is better.
• Be specific about any follow up you need. I always bullet that information, as well as any important dates.
• On the other hand, use FYI or NRN if no action is needed.
• Set expectations regarding response times, and understand time zone issues. Sending an email that is urgent at the wrong time across time zones may actually mean you won’t get a response for 3 days.
• Inform all people who need to receive the information at the same time. Be sure you don’t inform local team members before distanced ones.
• Include your contact information. Signature lines do this automatically. Set yours up with telephone and fax numbers.
• Don’t “cc” your boss on emails unless requested. Be sure to talk with her about her expectations.
• Managers - don’t ask to be “cc’d” on every email. Be honest - you aren’t going to read them all.
• Only use “Reply to All” when appropriate (not for meeting requests, requests for specific information from a large group, etc.).
• Use read receipts only when truly necessary. I always feel annoyed and spied upon when I receive these!
• If an email thread goes back and forth 3 times or more, consider picking up the phone or setting a conference call.
• If an email is extraordinarily important, follow up with a voicemail alerting the recipient of the email and its urgency.
• Large attachments sometimes get blocked. Establish a mechanism for information exchange, such as:
- Electronic newsletter
- Internal website
- Internal electronic bulletin board
- Listserv
• Be aware of and compensate for lack of body language by surfacing and dealing with conflicts quickly.
• Never send anything you don’t want everyone to read, because everyone just may get it.
• And on the other side of the coin, since tone is so often misunderstood, when you receive a questionable email, assume positive intent.
According to “Productive Behaviors of Global Business Teams” by DMH Saphiere (International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 1996), high performing teams do actually send more email. The key is to use email effectively is to establish the guidelines that are appropriate for you and your team.