Wilbers: Email

The problem with e-mail communication is that it is easily misunderstood. Its most attractive attributes ? speed and convenience ? are linked to its chief drawbacks. Operating within its culture of quickness and immediacy, writers tend to fire off hastily composed messages that are disorganized, incomplete, and ambiguous.

Imagine, for example, that you have received an e-mail message from your boss requesting you to present a proposal at next week’s staff meeting. You don’t mind the assignment, but you’re preoccupied with other matters at the moment, so you respond by simply typing “Fine? and hitting the Send button.

On opening your message, your boss sees your one-word response and interprets your tone as sarcastic, as in “Fine. Just what I wanted. Another assignment. As if I don’t already have enough work to do.?

The reason for the miscommunication? In your haste to respond promptly, you responded briefly, relying on your intended tone to convey your meaning. It’s a common error.

By its nature e-mail communication encourages a personal, informal style of writing, a feature most people view as attractive. Writers get into trouble, however, when they assume that readers can actually hear the inflection of their voices. Although e-mail may be more like oral communication than traditional forms of written communication, it’s still writing, not speaking.

To guard against this type of misunderstanding, take this simple precaution: Include a goodwill statement in every message you send.

Rather than “Fine,? write “Fine. Happy to do it.? Rather than write “Please come prepared to discuss the report,? add another sentence: “As always, I value your experience and insight.?

Rather than “Well, you did it again. Would you mind adapting your presentation for our board?? write “Well, you did it again. Great job! Would you mind adapting . . .?

A goodwill statement is like an insurance policy. It protects you from being misunderstood. Including it reduces the risk of miscommunication when you are writing quickly.

Here are some additional tips to help you use e-mail effectively:

Include a purpose statement. Although not always necessary in a rapid exchange between two writers, a purpose statement orients your reader to your message. If you find yourself beginning a message with one point in mind then adding three other points, go back to the top and add an introductory statement such as “I have four questions for you.?

Write in short paragraphs. Nearly everything you write can be divided into three parts: introduction, body, closing; or ? to use the three-step memo approach ? purpose, background, proposed action. To communicate in chunks of unbroken text is discourteous to your reader.

Stick to the point. When you ramble or express yourself incompletely, you increase the chances of being misunderstood. It’s fine to be informal and playful, but always write with a sense of purpose.

Don’t write in anger. It’s a lose-lose endeavor. You risk appearing foolish, and you are likely to elicit an angry response from your reader. Don’t let the ease of using e-mail tempt you to fire off a hot one.

Don’t write anything you don’t want the whole world to see. E-mail is notorious for the speed and ease with which confidential information can be disseminated ? often to just the wrong people. Remember, in online communication there’s no such thing as privacy.

Proofread your writing. Although occasional typographical errors might be tolerated by your reader, always read over what you have written at least once to check for clarity and accuracy.

In today’s frantic workplace, where nano-seconds seem like hours, speed is a virtue, but sometimes slowing down a little is the surest way to reach your destination.

I love technology. I love all the wonderful things it does for to us. I also hate technology. Or, more accurately, I hate the way some people misuse technology.

Take the cell phone, for example. What a marvelous invention, one that offers such remarkable convenience. But what is it about that handy little device that encourages an I’m-the-only-one-who-counts attitude?

When I go to the theater and see a sign asking patrons to turn off their electronic devices, I am appreciative of the effort to protect my enjoyment of the performance, but I am disheartened that such an effort is necessary. Aren’t certain expectations obvious?

To me, letting your phone ring in a public gathering is like belching at a restaurant. It might feel good to the individual, but the rest of us don’t care to hear it.

I wonder if the same only-I-matter attitude accounts for the problems we are encountering with e-mail ? another wonderful invention whose value is increasingly undermined by thoughtlessness.

Here’s how you can help preserve the efficiency of e-mail and avoid contributing to message overload:

Read your text before sending it. Remember the four Cs of effective e-mail communication: Check for clarity, conciseness, completeness, and correctness. Get it right the first time so that you don’t have to resend it.

Think before your send. Before clicking “Send,? pretend you are leaving home on a long trip, and ask yourself, “Now, what have I forgotten??

Don’t forget to attach the attachment. Forgetting to do this is one of the more common reasons for having to resend a message.

Don’t send attachments to people who don’t know you. Because attachments may contain viruses, some people won’t open them. Increase the chances your text will be read by presenting it within the body of your e-mail message.

Consider scheduling meetings by phone. E-mail is terrific for reaching multiple readers, but certain types of transactions are better done the old way. A phone call or two can take the place of a four- or five-message exchange, especially if the meeting involves only a few people and if schedules are tight.

Follow company policy regarding personal communication. The less you pester others, the less you yourself will be pestered.

Don’t forward jokes unless you are certain your recipients want to receive them. Some great jokes have been sent to me by e-mail, but like most e-mail users I usually don’t have time to read them.

Don’t play “keep the message out of my inbox.? Don’t respond to a reasonable request with a contrived question or problem as a ploy to avoid doing some work.

Delay responding if you are annoyed or angry. Take time to cool down. Don’t be the person who starts a long series of angry exchanges.

Know when to talk in person. Don’t use e-mail to avoid face-to-face communication, to communicate bad news, or to address a delicate situation. Let people feel your presence, especially if they need reassurance.

Consider sending a handwritten thank-you note. The less convenient your means of expression is to you, the more significant your message will be to your recipient.

Don’t respond to every e-mail message. Don’t thank someone for thanking you. Don’t respond to every FYI message you receive. Let some things go unanswered.

Respond in proportion to the importance of the query. If someone asks a simple question, try to respond with a simple answer. In fairness to yourself, don’t spend hours responding to a hastily composed query.

Don’t save yourself time at your reader’s expense. It’s your responsibility ? not your recipient’s ? to determine if your message is relevant to the recipient.Use Cc: sparingly. Don’t use Reply All unless every recipient needs to hear your response. Cull your distribution list before sending a message.

In other words, remember the Golden Rule of e-mail communication: Put your reader’s convenience before your own.