Effective Email Communication

Email communication is an essential component of every business communication system. This subject is near and dear to my heart as it is one of the areas I struggled most with when I first became a supervisor.

The Struggle

When I started in supervision, I was a night shift supervisor working the graveyard shift. I was expected to make decisions with no support from crucial decisions makers. Frequently my choices would be criticized and scrutinized with little to no direct input on my part.

It was easy to feel defensive under these circumstances. I thought that I had to defend every decision that I made. Because of this, I thought I had to point out the mistakes of others that caused me to have to make the decisions that I made.

Due to these circumstances, I made ineffective use of my email communication. I attacked, placed blame, and was defensive. It never occurred to me that my communication style was weak or that it would have any effect on my career.

This way of communicating was a mistake. The consequences were that I was passed over for promotions and I had gained a reputation for being an unreasonable and undisciplined supervisor.

As soon as I saw the negative consequences of my communication style, I began to make changes in how I used email to communicate.

The Goal of This Post

Improperly used email communication is not an uncommon problem. Many new supervisors and managers fall into the same trap. In our training, there is little time put into discussing the skills of using email composition, and no classes are covering this subject.

In this post, I want to discuss the common errors made in email communication. Then I want to give you some strategies for using email more effectively to communicate problems in a way that builds relationships, instead of damaging them.

Common Mistakes

For new supervisors and managers, the biggest obstacle is confidence. Due to the newness of the position, there is an element of insecurity. In our communications, this comes across as defensiveness and finger-pointing.

Some common mistakes new managers and supervisor make is to copy too many people in on an email, blind copying people, presenting opinion over fact, attacking people instead of addressing problems, placing blame instead of offering solutions, and communicating in an unclear or unconcise manner.

Let’s look at each one of these problems in a little more detail and discuss some strategies for avoiding these common problems.

Including Too Many People

In our defensiveness, we often want to include everyone of importance to show them that we can make a right decision and to point out the fault of others.

When deciding whom to include in the email consider the following:

Who needs this information? Include only the people who are affected by the information you are trying to communicate. Do not include people just to let them know that something happened. If it doesn’t directly impact them, or they do not require the information as part of their job, do not include them.

What am I trying to communicate? The purpose of the message will determine who needs to receive it. If you are describing a decision that you made, so others understand the circumstances, then you may want to include your boss. However, if you are trying to bring to light a minor error that needs to be corrected then add the person involved in the error so that it gets fixed.

Blind Copying People

I can think of no circumstance where blind copying people would be necessary. There may be circumstances that I am not aware of, but in everyday communication, it is unwise to use this tactic.

The blind copy is a sneaky and underhanded way to include somebody in information and keep it hidden from others. Sooner or later people find out that you are doing this, and it will damage relationships.

Be honest and upfront in your communications. If you do not want others to know whom you are including, then reconsider whether you are communicating for the right reasons.

Presenting Opinion Over Fact

The purpose of every email communication should be to give facts that help the organization. Opinion can be used to support points, but it should never be the dominant subject of the email.

Avoid using your opinion to support your position. State facts in a clear and non-judgmental manner. Don’t place blame. State what happened, what was incorrect, and what was done to correct it.

The use of opinion to state why one decision was made rather than another can be appropriate but do it in a way that is not pointing fingers at people. Present facts not blame.

Always ensure that your communication is dealing with problems and not blaming people.

Attacking People Instead of Addressing Problems

So, this leads us directly to the next problem of avoiding facts - attacking people instead of issues.

Personalities often come to light when problems arise. Rivalries become amplified, and managers get territorial. It is easy to let emotions come out in our communication.

Always avoid personal attacks. Stay focused on the problems instead of people. Never allow your prejudices to enable you to become focused on individual personalities.

Stick to the facts related to the problem. Avoid assigning blame. Always focus on solutions to problems. If you do this, you won’t go wrong.

Placing Blame Instead of Offering Solutions

Closely related to the last two problems is the placing of blame. It is so easy to want to assign blame when communicating a problem. You must avoid this. Regardless of who is or isn’t to blame the focus must be on resolving the issues.

By placing blame, you make yourself look bad. You will gain a reputation as someone who is pointing the finger and throwing others under the bus to make yourself look good. Even if this isn’t your purpose, it doesn’t matter. Perception is stronger than intent.

Facts should always be the basis for the discovery of solutions. Avoid talking about people or personalities in your email communication. If there are facts related to these issues, talk about it face to face with your manager. Don’t put it in an email.

Communicating in an Unclear or Unconcise Manner

When your communication is unclear and does not have a clear message it causes confusion and will lead people to avoid reading your emails. Because of the immediacy of email communication, it is easy to type up a letter and hit send. We don’t take the time to think about the message we are trying to communicate or take the time to proofread our message.

Because of this, the message we are communicating can come out an unclear and people may be confused by our messaging.

Consider these points before constructing your email:

• What message am I trying to convey?
• Who is my audience?
• What outcome am I hoping to achieve through my message?
• How much detail is required to communicate my message?

Finally, after you finish typing your message read it through to make sure that you point is clear and that you have communicated all relevant information. If the communication is essential to ask someone you trust to read through it before you send it.

Conclusion

Our emails communicate more than the messages and information that we put into them. They say something about us as managers, supervisors, and human beings. It reflects our attitudes, prejudices, and judgments. It is a direct reflection of our emotional intelligence and confidence in our position.

Misusing email communication can have adverse effects on your work relationships and your career. Effective communication using technology will help you have a positive impact on your organization and relations.

By following these simple strategies, you will be able to construct effective communications that will lead to positive solutions and maintain positive work relationships.