Use Proper Email Netiquette to Avoid Wasting Others’ Time
by: Laura Stack, MBA, CSP
I remember opening my first email account and thinking how much fun it was to send a message to a friend. If you’re like many people, you no longer find email simple nor fun. Email messaging now exceeds telephone traffic and is the dominant form of business communication. Some workers tell me handling their emails can consume half their day. A recent Wall Street Journal report indicates that soon employees will spend three to four hours a day on email.
Don’t you wish every person who received a new email account had to agree to follow certain “rules of engagement”? I’d love to see a master protocol list to govern what you can and cannot do. Here’s what I’d include on the netiquette list:
Understand that informal doesn’t mean sloppy. If your coworkers use Blackberries or text pagers to communicate internally, use the commonly accepted abbreviated language. When communicating with external customers, however, always follow standard writing protocol. Your email message sends a message about you and your company, so normal spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules apply.
Keep messages brief and to the point. Just because your writing is correct doesn’t mean it has to be long. Make your writing as concise as possible. Nothing is more frustrating than wading through an email twice as long as needed. Get right to the point;concentrate on one subject per message as much as possible.
Use sentence case. USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING. Using all lower case letters looks lazy. For emphasis, use the asterisk to make words * really * stand out. Also, don’t use a lot of colors or graphics embedded in your message, since not everyone uses an email program that reads HTML. Without HTML capabilities, colors and graphics show up as garbled code.
Use the blind copy and courtesy copy appropriately. Don’t use the BCC feature to keep others from seeing who you copied; it shows confidence when you directly CC anyone receiving a copy. Do use BCC, however, when sending to a large distribution list, so recipients won’t have to scroll through a huge list of names. Be cautious on your use of CC; overuse simply clutters the in-boxes of your supervisors. Only copy people if they are directly involved, not to grandstand or “CYA.”
Don’t use email as an excuse NOT to communicate. Don’t forget the value of face-toface or even voice-to-voice communication. Email communication isn’t appropriate when sending confusing or emotional messages. Think of the times you’ve heard someone in the office indignantly say, “Well, I sent you email.” If you have a problem with someone, get up and walk three doors down to find that person and have a conversation. Don’t use email to avoid an uncomfortable situation or to cover up a mistake.
Remember your email isn’t private. I’ve seen people fired for using email inappropriately (like forwarding items with sexual or off-color content) or for personal use. Email is considered company property and can be retrieved, examined, and used in a court of law. Unless you are using an encryption device (hardware or software), you should assume that email over the Internet is not secure. Never put in an email mail message anything you wouldn’t put on a postcard. Remember that an email can be forwarded, so unintended audiences may see what you’ve written. Or you might inadvertently send something to the wrong party, so always keep the content professional to avoid embarrassment.
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Use Proper Email Netiquette to Avoid Wasting Others’ Time
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About The Author
(C) Copyright 2004 Laura Stack, MBA, CSP. All rights
reserved. Portions of this newsletter may be reprinted in your organization
or association newsletter, provided the following credit line is present:
"Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP, is "The Productivity Pro"® and the author of
Leave the Office Earlier. She presents keynotes and seminars on time
management, information overload, and personal productivity. Contact her at
303-471-7401 or Laura@TheProductivityPro.com."
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