1. Don’t send emails especially when the recipient is in your line of sight, walk over and talk.
Emails don’t connect people. Meeting and talking with people connects people. People who connect are more successful that people who don’t connect.
2. Don’t write any emails that are less than delightful or positive, call or walk over instead.
It’s very hard to communicate context via emails. This makes emails prone to misinterpretation or worst, vulnerable to RE-interpretation. Unless an email is unequivocally positive, it’s preferable to not to leave emails out in the ether that may be held against you.
3. Don’t send a big block of text, use short paragraphs and subtitles.
None of us have time to read anymore, make it easier for recipients to scan through.
4. When writing a bulk mail, an email about a complex subject or when writing to senior managers – write, save and read again later before sending.
It’s often hard to pick up our own writing mistakes when the idea is still fresh in our minds. Reading the draft email later allows you to pick up on typos better.
5. Do not write emails that you are not comfortable about having everyone read.
It’s safe to assume that there’s no such thing as private emails.
6. Use proper words and save the short forms for personal chats.
Call me a traditionalist but I think it’s good to insist on some standards.
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Additional Resource : “The power of mindful e-mailing” by Jennifer Ebermann
“Email Etiquette 101″ by Michael Hyatt
Photo credits to : Tama Leaver
Live Life Engaged.
Good points.
Appreciate the encouragement!