| In most of the seminars I conduct for
| |
| | Reprimands come across much more harshly
|
| corporations and associations, I reserve
| |
| | in print than when spoken. Often this
|
| time to talk about e-mail. Why? Because
| |
| | leads to a war of "nastygrams" (a
|
| e-mail has become one of our most
| |
| | delightful term borrowed from a public
|
| prominent means of internal and external
| |
| | relations expert).
|
| communication. And guess what. . .our
| |
| | Unfortunately, for some managers e-mail
|
| system did not come with a list of
| |
| | has created a new channel for "zapping"
|
| etiquette guidelines. So I offer these
| |
| | employees. Supervisors write what they
|
| twelve tips:
| |
| | don't have the courage to say in person.
|
| E-MAIL IS NOT CONFIDENTIAL
| |
| | The cure: Reserve negative appraisals for
|
| "But," you protest, "I erased if after I
| |
| | face-to-face dialogue.
|
| read it or sent it." Yet a computer
| |
| | E-MAIL SHOULD NOT REPLACE CONVERSATION
|
| eraser is not like a pencil eraser.
| |
| | When e-mail first entered the workplace,
|
| Those words haven't disappeared entirely.
| |
| | this was my biggest fear. Those staff
|
| Just ask Bill Gates. He thought that
| |
| | members who had become invisible by
|
| e-mails about his rival Netscape were
| |
| | taking refuge in endless meetings added
|
| gone--until government researchers found
| |
| | to their inaccessibility by resorting to
|
| them and used them in an antitrust case.
| |
| | e-mail entirely.
|
| My advice: "Put nothing in e-mail that
| |
| | In one large company, the CEO noticed the
|
| you wouldn't put on an Interstate highway
| |
| | trend. Wisely, he sent a notice (by
|
| billboard."
| |
| | e-mail, I suppose) that beginning the
|
| E-MAIL ISN'T ALWAYS DELIVERED
| |
| | next day no one could send internal
|
| "Bill," somebody says by phone, "guess
| |
| | e-mails between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
|
| you got my e-mail last week." I say that
| |
| | If they had something to say during that
|
| I didn't. "Now wait. . .it shows up on
| |
| | span, they would go find the target
|
| my SENT list." Even so, those words
| |
| | person and tell him or her.
|
| never landed on my screen. For your most
| |
| | BE DOUBLE-SURE YOU SEND THE E-MAIL TO THE
|
| vital messages, then, request
| |
| | RIGHT PERSON
|
| confirmation of receipt.
| |
| | I failed on this once, so I know the
|
| HAVE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT
| |
| | unhappy consequences. Strange, but when
|
| REPLIES
| |
| | you are writing about someone, they're on
|
| Because some associates answer our
| |
| | your mind so much that you can
|
| e-mails within five minutes, we get
| |
| | inadvertently address the e-mail to them.
|
| spoiled. As a result, when others go a
| |
| | As a safeguard, check the recipient's
|
| day or two without writing back, we feel
| |
| | name just before you hit the SEND button.
|
| snubbed. Remember, though, that people
| |
| | TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES ON E-MAIL POLICIES
|
| attend meetings, have appointments,
| |
| | It's weird that only one-third of
|
| travel and take days off. Anticipate the
| |
| | American corporations do that. Then they
|
| resulting delays.
| |
| | wonder why employees play Solitaire, shop
|
| KEEP THE LANGUAGE INFORMAL
| |
| | and send lists of jokes. Prevent these
|
| A few months ago I mailed an article to
| |
| | time-wasters by giving training classes
|
| an editor. In the old style of
| |
| | and distributing written guidelines. I
|
| corresponding, he would have sent a five
| |
| | can help you with both of these
|
| paragraph letter to respond. Using
| |
| | safeguards.
|
| e-mail instead, he replied: "Got
| |
| | AVOID SPAMMING
|
| everything fine." What an appealing
| |
| | Spamming means sending unsolicited,
|
| economy of words!
| |
| | annoying e-mails. I am sure you don't
|
| A warning: No sloppiness is allowed. We
| |
| | want to do that. You can get permanently
|
| need to spell correctly and use
| |
| | blacklisted by clients and prospects if
|
| acceptable grammar. As the editor
| |
| | you e-mail them without permission.
|
| illustrated in responding to me, complete
| |
| | USE YOUR SIGNATURE TO MAXIMUM ADVANTAGE
|
| sentences are not required, though.
| |
| | For example, mine provides contact
|
| Agreed?
| |
| | information, along with links to my blog
|
| BE CAREFUL WITH HUMOR OR AVOID IT
| |
| | and Web site. Luckily, I have a system
|
| ENTIRELY
| |
| | --Eudora Pro-- that allows me to use the
|
| With e-mail, we don't have the advantage
| |
| | formal signature or exclude it.
|
| of facial expression, tone of voice or a
| |
| | SELECT YOUR E-MAIL TITLE CAREFULLY
|
| friendly pat on the back. In person, you
| |
| | The title is the "teaser" that can
|
| can get a laugh from "Betty, when are you
| |
| | increase your chances of readership.
|
| going to learn to type with both hands?"
| |
| | Avoid "cutesy" titles that smack of
|
| In print, beware the reaction.
| |
| | advertising. Keep your title brief enough
|
| Even the smiley-face sign may not prompt
| |
| | to fit the title line.
|
| the lighthearted mood you are trying to
| |
| | Try these dozen guidelines for using
|
| create. So when in doubt, leave the
| |
| | e-mail. Share them with your staff and
|
| humor out.
| |
| | employees. Soon your workplace
|
| REPRIMANDS DON'T BELONG ON E-MAIL
| |
| | communication will improve noticeably.
|
