Master The Art of Email

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Being aware of the subtext of the messages we send can make all the difference in how well they are received.

Email has proven itself as the “killer app” of the Internet Age. It has reshaped how organizations work and how people work together. It also has created a whole new set of communication.

By its nature, email is a direct, one-way communication medium. As such, it has become a fundamental tool for business. Like any tool, it can be used to build something up or tear it down. For executives and managers, e-mail can foster and sustain interpersonal relationships between boss and employee, or it can undermine well-intentioned efforts. The difference often depends on the subtleties of subtext.

Keeping employees motivated, especially high-potentials, has never been more critical to organizational performance.

Click for key identifiers...

Don’t Send Mixed Messages

The unwritten nuances of email have become all too important as employees and managers alike are deluged with upwards of 100 new messages a day. Just to keep pace, people have taken to sorting, sifting and skimming emails. Key identifiers such as the priority setting, who the sender is, and the time the email was sent all convey unwritten clues about the importance of the message. The problem is, the clues often send mixed messages.

Vault.com, a leading web site for “insider” company information and career management services, recently surveyed over 1,000 employees about how e-mail affects productivity, communication, and quality of life at work. While 70 percent said that e-mail has improved/increased communication with the boss, more than half also said that tone of messages are often misunderstood.

One common email practice is particularly at risk for sending the wrong signal – sending emails after hours or during the weekend.

Busy bosses often find themselves traveling or booked into meetings all day with little access to the computer. So, in the evening they play catch up, sending messages and responding to emails that they received during the day.

What’s the problem of this practice? While some would argue that it’s an effective time management strategy, sending an email dated “Saturday, 3:23am” can be de-motivating to employees. The unwritten subtext is that the boss is working nights and weekends, and anyone who aspires to climb the corporate ladder must do so as well.

Keeping employees motivated, especially high-potentials, has never been more critical to organizational performance. Burn-out rates are at an all time high as companies strive to do more with fewer people. Maintaining an atmosphere that encourages a healthy work/life balance is paramount, but talking the talk is not enough. Managers as organizational leaders need to demonstrate what it means to have balance. They also need to appreciate and respect employees’ need for balance.

So what can managers with precious little time do? Optimize their email technology. Instead of hitting the “send” button at midnight, save emails to the “draft” folder and send them en masse in the morning. This seemingly simple act can dramatically alter the subtext of your message and improve the likelihood that it will be received as intended.

There is a powerful tension in our relationship to technology. It is enabler that allows us to push the limits and accomplish far more than we could otherwise achieve. At the same time, the risk for abuse is great. To be effective, managers must understand the strengths and limitations of the technology, be aware of the subtext of their actions, and demonstrate the behaviors they want others in their organizations to model.

Here are some additional Insights to help in Mastering the Art of Email…

Medium vs. Message. Before sending off an email, make sure that electrons are the right medium. As a direct, one-way communication, email is well suited for providing direction or instruction, soliciting feedback or sharing information. It is not intended to be a conversation medium and will never replace face-to-face communication. As an example, there is story of a Silicon Valley engineering firm that loved email so much it decided to handle all communications electronically, reserving in-person meetings for only when something went wrong. After only 60 days they went back to holding weekly meetings. The reason: morale plummeted. People only got together when they needed to argue about problems. The more technology mediates relationships, the more important face-to-face contact becomes.
The Devil is in the Details. It may seem obvious, but it can’t be said enough – spell check everything; use proper grammar; don’t shout by using all caps; don’t use slang abbreviations; extend common courtesies; and proof read all messages before sending. Remember, the behavior you demonstrate is the behavior you can expect.

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