e-mail ettiquette

Email communication is a critical part of our work and there is an urgent need to ensure that every email sent communicates the right things to necessary stakeholders. Hence effective communication has become the need of the hour for better results. A few practical tips to achieve this are listed below.....

• Try to keep the email brief (one screen length).
  
  
• Return emails within the same time you would a phone call.
  
  
• Avoid discussing private concerns and issues.
  
  
• Avoid using reply to all while responding to an email.
  
  
• Match the subject heading appropriately with content
  
  
• Send email only to individuals from whom you require an action.
  
  
• The individuals marked in CC list should be for information only.
  
  
• Type the message in upper/lower case not all caps.
  
  
• Break text into logical paragraphs and keep sentences short.
  
  
• Avoid blaming statements.
  
  
• Avoid ambiguous statements.
  
  
• Do not surprise the receiver by listing the concerns you have been harboring for a long period of time.
  
  
• Your message may be misunderstood, please resist the urge to send, Review the content before it is irreversible.
  
  
• There are times when you need to take your discussion out of the virtual world and make a phone call.
  
  
• If things become very heated, a lot of misunderstanding occurs, or when you are delivering very delicate news then the best way is still face-to face.