Run your email through some cheese cloth
Cheese cloth is a gauze-like material which allows unneeded moisture to escape leaving solid cheese behind. Ok that sounds gross doesn't it? Here's the analogy. Most emails, in their original form contain useless words, phrases, sentences and emotions which should be discarded.
Email, while convenient and useful, can leave a lot to chance. Emails do not include voice inflections, used when speaking, to emphasize words and phrases. They lack the volleys of send and receive which happen instantly in interpersonal communication. Unless there is a response, which is not guaranteed, there is no way of knowing whether the message was truly received and understood. Here is my tip. Write your email freely, without constraint. Then wrap it in some cheese cloth and let the junk seep out. Here are some elements of your email which ought to pass through the fibers of your cheese cloth.
Nothing contentious. Picking a fight, admonishing someone or arguing ought to be the first thing which gets filtered out. Sending a caustic email will not result in an effective and healthy resolution. All it will do is send a receiver into a tail spin. Have you ever been up all night after receiving a contentious email? I have. It's ineffective and inefficient. While scary, it is our duty as leaders to engage in hard conversations in person or at least over the phone.
No whining. People don't care if you are busy, frustrated, or your step uncle in-law lost his cat. This may sound insensitive but you are sharing burdens with people who already have their own. Are yours more important? In a sense you are creating more work for them. What are they supposed to do with "I'm really busy."? I'm all about being vulnerable and transparent but email is not the best place for it. Let your whining flow down the drain or save if for interpersonal conversations with a trusted confidant.
Filter out useless words, phrases and questions. Here are some examples.
I know you are all busy
like, um, kinda, sort of, I'm thinking, if you have time...
Didn't you see the memo?
I know you were there but...
Thoughts? (OMG, never use that one!)
The solid cheese left behind (filtered email) ought to be a clear, concise, unemotional message. Use phrases like 'bottom line up front (BLUF)' and consider bullet points to make the email easier to read. If you need acknowledgement or want something done by a certain date and time, state that very clearly. Again, write it then step back and delete all the junk and emotions. Leave an efficient and effective block of cheese behind then hit send!
I'm never too busy for a referral. Do you know a leader who needs help? Sign them up for my blog here and or make the connection, share my LinkedIn profile, and I'll do my stuff!
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell