More Clicks than Conversations

As professionals with overflowing inboxes may attest, people are doing more typing than talking when communicating on the job. Results from a recent survey bear this out: Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of executives prefer to receive e-mail over other forms of communication, up from 34 percent a decade ago. Conversely, the preference for face-to-face meetings, paper memos and voice mail has dropped.

Two benefits of electronic communication are the immediacy and historical context it provides, including the ability to maintain a record of conversations and obtain project updates from coworkers and business colleagues. But there can be too much of a good thing when inboxes reach capacity.

Yet email is fast and sometimes not the most appropriate medium for all communications. Often tasks can be accomplished more quickly and clearly with a phone call or face to face. When people find themselves spending a lot of time searching for precisely the right words, it’s often a sign that the topic warrants an in-person discussion.

To avoid e-mail overload and ensure your messages are well-received here are five tips:

• Make it clear. State the purpose for the message upfront, followed by back-up details so the important points will show up in the recipient’s e-mail viewing pane.
• Avoid copying everyone. Only forward messages to those who are directly involved with the topic you’re addressing. Likewise, don’t “reply all” if others on the string don’t need your response.
• Keep it Brief. Don’t expect others to read a long message or e-mail chain. If it’s important for someone to have the background information, forward it, but provide a brief summary first rather than saying “see below”.
• Don’t Cry Wolf. Only mark a message “urgent” when it is truly critical for the recipient to read it immediately.
• Provide context. Describe the e-mail contents in the subject line so the recipient can prioritize messages and search for your note in the future. When appropriate, include the required action and deadline; for example, “for your approval 12/27: XYZ Budget.”

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