I believe every human resources department should be required to educate employees on the appropriate use of email. I don’t recall ever being taught how to appropriately write a professional email, I learned through experience. Consider this my personal checklist, or what I consider before hitting the “send” button.
- Don’t let anger fog your response. Before responding to a contentious email, script the reply you “really” want to send in Word or Google Docs. Once done, delete the message. Wait 90 minutes, allowing yourself time to calm down, then write your response with a clear head.
- CAPS are for heads, not your email. When I want to emphasize my point, I’m sure to use italics or an exclamation point, but never ALL CAPS. Historically, all caps indicate that you are yelling. All caps can easily be misinterpreted.
- Don’t be a tattletale. If someone has done you wrong, be sure to always provide that person the opportunity to right their wrong first, before shooting off an angry email to their boss.
- Do I need to wash your mouth out with soap? It should be clear to most adults, but clearly many didn’t get the message. Check your language before sending that email. Your buddy may get the joke, but when he forwards it to the office, not everyone may think it is so funny.
- Every email has a shelf life. Before you send that email, ask yourself, will this email represent me well in the future? If it’s mission critical, you may be better served sharing the message in person or over the phone.
- Email is not a control freak’s friend. Once you hit the send button, you give up control of your message. Be aware that people will pull quotes and use your words freely without seeking your permission.
- Inquiring minds don’t need to know. If your email starts out with “Did you hear about …” quickly hit the delete button.
- Don’t be snarky. I’ve found that sarcasm can be needed comic relief in stressful situations, but it usually requires facial expressions to pull it off. Don’t try it with email.
- But, what? There’s nothing worse than a backhanded compliment. You know, when someone tries to cushion the blow of a criticism or bad news with flowery language, just before they punch you in the gut. “You’ve been a huge asset to our company, but due to cut backs …”
- More to come …
Do you have any checklist items to add?
