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E-mail Battles, Pick Up The Phone!
We have a rule in our office, if you cannot solve it by the third e-mail then pick up the phone. There are too many e-mail battles that just waste time, string on for way too long, and really are not productive in the end. Avoid these nebulous communication tracks with a simple phone call.
The e-mail cyclone.
E-mail doesn’t allow you to hear tone or see body language. It’s tempting to be emotional about wording, jump to conclusions about intent, or even build up expectations about how you see the conversation going. A chain of e-mail messages can easily turn into an unwanted unnecessary battle when the person you’re writing to receives your message in a different psychological climate.
Colorful and bold messages.
There are a plethora of features available for us to construct messages these days. Remember, there are also a variety of devices we retrieve these messages from. In short, pretty backgrounds, pictures, and fancy fonts may be lost and cause confusion for your recipient. Keep your messages detailed and direct. Using bold faced fonts and italics may be misunderstood and cause the recipient frustrations.
Tips for good composure.
Recognize that the receiver of your message may not be in the same mood or emotional state as you when you compose a message. Try to imagine how the person receiving the e-mail may interpret it. When we read an e-mail, it is tempting to piece together the intent and tone. If a message is to ambiguous, a reader may automatically read it in the most negative light.
Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone.
Sometimes e-mail is just not going to work. After a handful of exchanges consider picking up the phone to discuss the topic, allow your recipient to hear your tone, and work through the issue at hand.