E mail writing-ettiquettes_146 23
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E mail writing-ettiquettes_146 23
- 1. EEmmaaiill EEttiiqquueettttee WWoorrkksshhoopp YYoouurr kkeeyy ttoo eeffffeeccttiivvee ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn..
- 2. WWhhyy iiss eemmaaiill eettiiqquueettttee iimmppoorrttaanntt?? WWee aallll iinntteerraacctt wwiitthh tthhee pprriinntteedd wwoorrdd aass tthhoouugghh iitt hhaass aa ppeerrssoonnaalliittyy aanndd tthhaatt ppeerrssoonnaalliittyy mmaakkeess ppoossiittiivvee aanndd nneeggaattiivvee iimmpprreessssiioonnss uuppoonn uuss.. WWiitthhoouutt iimmmmeeddiiaattee ffeeeeddbbaacckk yyoouurr ddooccuummeenntt ccaann eeaassiillyy bbee mmiissiinntteerrpprreetteedd bbyy yyoouurr rreeaaddeerr,, ssoo iitt iiss ccrruucciiaall tthhaatt yyoouu ffoollllooww tthhee bbaassiicc rruulleess ooff eettiiqquueettttee ttoo ccoonnssttrruucctt aann aapppprroopprriiaattee ttoonnee..
- 3. TThhee eelleemmeennttss ooff eemmaaiill eettiiqquueettttee GGeenneerraall ffoorrmmaatt WWrriittiinngg lloonngg mmeessssaaggeess AAttttaacchhmmeennttss TThhee ccuurrssee ooff ssuurrpprriisseess FFllaammiinngg DDeelliivveerriinngg iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn DDeelliivveerriinngg bbaadd nneewwss EElleeccttrroonniicc MMaaiilliinngg LLiissttss
- 4. GGeenneerraall FFoorrmmaatt:: TThhee BBaassiiccss WWrriittee aa ssaalluuttaattiioonn ffoorr eeaacchh nneeww ssuubbjjeecctt eemmaaiill.. TTrryy ttoo kkeeeepp tthhee eemmaaiill bbrriieeff ((oonnee ssccrreeeenn lleennggtthh)).. RReettuurrnn eemmaaiillss wwiitthhiinn tthhee ssaammee ttiimmee yyoouu wwoouulldd aa pphhoonnee ccaallll.. CChheecckk ffoorr ppuunnccttuuaattiioonn,, ssppeelllliinngg,, aanndd ggrraammmmaattiiccaall eerrrroorrss UUssee ccaappss oonnllyy wwhheenn aapppprroopprriiaattee.. FFoorrmmaatt yyoouurr eemmaaiill ffoorr ppllaaiinn tteexxtt rraatthheerr tthhaann HHTTMMLL.. UUssee aa ffoonntt tthhaatt hhaass aa pprrooffeessssiioonnaall oorr nneeuuttrraall llooookk..
- 5. GGeenneerraall FFoorrmmaatt:: CChhaarraacctteerr SSppaacciinngg TTrryy ttoo kkeeeepp yyoouurr lliinnee lleennggtthh aatt 8800 cchhaarraacctteerrss oorr lleessss.. IIff yyoouurr mmeessssaaggee iiss lliikkeellyy ttoo bbee ffoorrwwaarrddeedd,, kkeeeepp iitt ttoo 6600 cchhaarraacctteerrss oorr lleessss.. SSeett yyoouurr eemmaaiill pprreeffeerreenncceess ttoo aauuttoommaattiiccaallllyy wwrraapp oouuttggooiinngg ppllaaiinn tteexxtt mmeessssaaggeess..
- 6. GGeenneerraall FFoorrmmaatt:: LLiissttss aanndd BBuulllleettss WWhheenn yyoouu aarree wwrriittiinngg ddiirreeccttiioonnss oorr wwaanntt ttoo eemmpphhaassiizzee iimmppoorrttaanntt ppooiinnttss,, nnuummbbeerr yyoouurr ddiirreeccttiioonnss oorr bbuulllleett yyoouurr mmaaiinn ppooiinnttss.. FFoorr eexxaammppllee,, 11)) PPllaaccee tthhee ppaappeerr iinn ddrraawweerr AA.. 22)) CClliicckk tthhee ggrreeeenn ““ssttaarrtt”” bbuuttttoonn.. AAnnootthheerr eexxaammppllee,, • IImmpprroovvee ccuussttoommeerr ssaattiissffaaccttiioonn.. • EEmmppoowweerr eemmppllooyyeeeess..
- 7. GGeenneerraall FFoorrmmaatt:: TToonnee • WWrriittee iinn aa ppoossiittiivvee ttoonnee ““WWhheenn yyoouu ccoommpplleettee tthhee rreeppoorrtt..”” iinnsstteeaadd ooff ““IIff yyoouu ccoommpplleettee tthhee rreeppoorrtt..”” • AAvvooiidd nneeggaattiivvee wwoorrddss tthhaatt bbeeggiinn wwiitthh ““uunn,, nnoonn,, eexx”” oorr tthhaatt eenndd wwiitthh ““lleessss”” ((uusseelleessss,, nnoonn--eexxiisstteenntt,, eexx--eemmppllooyyeeee,, uunnddeecciiddeedd)).. • UUssee ccoonnttrraaccttiioonnss ttoo aadddd aa ffrriieennddllyy ttoonnee.. ((ddoonn’’tt,, wwoonn’’tt,, ccaann’’tt))..
- 8. AAttttaacchhmmeennttss WWhheenn yyoouu aarree sseennddiinngg aann aattttaacchhmmeenntt tteellll yyoouurr rreessppoonnddeenntt wwhhaatt tthhee nnaammee ooff tthhee ffiillee iiss,, wwhhaatt pprrooggrraamm iitt iiss ssaavveedd iinn,, aanndd tthhee vveerrssiioonn ooff tthhee pprrooggrraamm.. ““TThhiiss ffiillee iiss iinn MMSSWWoorrdd 22000000 uunnddeerr tthhee nnaammee ““LLaabbFFiillee..””
- 9. WWhheenn yyoouurr mmeessssaaggee iiss lloonngg CCrreeaattee aann ““eelleevvaattoorr”” ssuummmmaarryy.. PPrroovviiddee aa ttaabbllee ooff ccoonntteennttss oonn tthhee ffiirrsstt ssccrreeeenn ooff yyoouurr eemmaaiill.. IIff yyoouu rreeqquuiirree aa rreessppoonnssee ffrroomm tthhee rreeaaddeerr tthheenn bbee ssuurree ttoo rreeqquueesstt tthhaatt rreessppoonnssee iinn tthhee ffiirrsstt ppaarraaggrraapphh ooff yyoouurr eemmaaiill.. CCrreeaattee hheeaaddiinnggss ffoorr eeaacchh mmaajjoorr sseeccttiioonn..
- 10. EElleevvaattoorr SSuummmmaarryy aanndd TTaabbllee ooff CCoonntteennttss AAnn eelleevvaattoorr ssuummmmaarryy sshhoouulldd hhaavvee aallll tthhee mmaaiinn ccoommppoonneennttss ooff tthhee eemmaaiill.. ““OOuurr pprrooffiitt mmaarrggiinn ffoorr tthhee llaasstt qquuaarrtteerr wweenntt ddoowwnn 55%%.. AAss aa rreessuulltt II aamm pprrooppoossiinngg bbuuddggeett aaddjjuussttmmeenntt ffoorr tthhee ffoolllloowwiinngg aarreeaass……”” TTaabbllee ooff ccoonntteennttss ““TThhiiss eemmaaiill ccoonnttaaiinnss AA.. BBuuddggeett pprroojjeeccttiioonnss ffoorr tthhee llaasstt qquuaarrtteerr BB.. AAccttuuaall ppeerrffoorrmmaannccee ffoorr tthhee llaasstt qquuaarrtteerr CC.. AAddjjuussttmmeenntt pprrooppoossaall DD.. PPrroojjeecctteedd pprrooffiittaabbiilliittyy””
- 11. DDeelliivveerriinngg IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn AAbboouutt MMeeeettiinnggss,, OOrriieennttaattiioonnss,, PPrroocceesssseess IInncclluuddee aann eelleevvaattoorr ssuummmmaarryy aanndd ttaabbllee ooff ccoonntteennttss wwiitthh hheeaaddiinnggss.. PPrroovviiddee aass mmuucchh iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aass ppoossssiibbllee.. OOffffeerr tthhee rreeaaddeerr aann ooppppoorrttuunniittyy ttoo rreecceeiivvee tthhee iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn vviiaa mmaaiill iiff tthhee eemmaaiill iiss ttoooo ccoonnffuussiinngg..
- 12. DDeelliivveerriinngg BBaadd NNeewwss DDeelliivveerr tthhee nneewwss uupp ffrroonntt.. AAvvooiidd bbllaammiinngg ssttaatteemmeennttss.. AAvvooiidd hheeddggiinngg wwoorrddss oorr wwoorrddss tthhaatt ssoouunndd aammbbiigguuoouuss.. MMaaiinnttaaiinn aa ppoossiittiivvee rreessoollvvee..
- 13. DDeelliivveerriinngg BBaadd NNeewwss DDeelliivveerr tthhee nneewwss uupp ffrroonntt:: ““WWee aarree uunnaabbllee ttoo oorrddeerr nneeww ccoommppuutteerrss tthhiiss qquuaarrtteerr dduuee ttoo bbuuddggeett ccuuttss..”” AAvvooiidd bbllaammiinngg:: ““II tthhiinnkk iitt wwiillll bbee hhaarrdd ttoo rreeccoovveerr ffrroomm tthhiiss,, bbuutt wwhhaatt ccaann II ddoo ttoo hheellpp??”” AAvvooiidd uussiinngg ““wweeaasseell wwoorrddss”” oorr hheeddggiinngg:: ““OOuurr pprriicciinngg ssttrruuccttuurree iiss oouuttddaatteedd..”” MMoorree eexxaammpplleess ooff hheeddggiinngg aarree:: IInntteennttss aanndd ppuurrppoosseess PPoossssiibbllyy,, mmoosstt lliikkeellyy PPeerrhhaappss,, mmaayybbee
- 14. WWrriittiinngg aa ccoommppllaaiinntt • YYoouu sshhoouulldd bbrriieeffllyy ssttaattee tthhee hhiissttoorryy ooff tthhee pprroobblleemm ttoo pprroovviiddee ccoonntteexxtt ffoorr yyoouurr rreeaaddeerr.. • EExxppllaaiinn tthhee aatttteemmppttss yyoouu mmaaddee pprreevviioouussllyy ttoo rreessoollvvee tthhee pprroobblleemm.. • SShhooww wwhhyy iitt iiss ccrriittiiccaall ffoorr tthhee pprroobblleemm ttoo bbee rreessoollvveedd bbyy yyoouurr rreeaaddeerr.. • OOffffeerr ssuuggggeessttiioonnss oonn wwaayyss yyoouu tthhiinnkk iitt ccaann bbee rreessoollvveedd oorr hhooww yyoouu aarree wwiilllliinngg ttoo hheellpp iinn tthhee mmaatttteerr..
- 15. WWrriittiinngg aa ccoommppllaaiinntt BBrriieeffllyy ssttaattee tthhee hhiissttoorryy:: ““TThhee ccuurrrreenntt wwaayy wwee cchhoooossee ooffffiicceerrss ffoorr oouurr oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn iiss nnoott ddeemmooccrraattiicc.. AAss aa rreessuulltt,, wwee hhaavvee aa ppooppuullaarriittyy ccoonntteesstt tthhaatt ddooeess nnoott aallwwaayyss ggeett uuss tthhee bbeesstt ccaannddiiddaatteess..”” SShhooww aatttteemmppttss mmaaddee bbyy yyoouu tthhuuss ffaarr ttoo rreessoollvvee tthhee iissssuuee:: ““II hhaavvee ooffffeerreedd ttwwoo aalltteerrnnaattiivveess ffoorr ooffffiicceerr sseelleeccttiioonn tthhaatt ssttiillll iinnvvoollvveess tthhee vvootteess ooff tthhee mmeemmbbeerrss bbuutt bbootthh hhaavvee bbeeeenn rreejjeecctteedd bbyy tthhee eexxeeccuuttiivvee bbooaarrdd..””
- 16. WWrriittiinngg aa ccoommppllaaiinntt SShhooww wwhhyy iitt iiss iimmppoorrttaanntt ffoorr yyoouurr rreeaaddeerr ttoo ggeett iinnvvoollvveedd:: ““TThhiiss iiss aa pprroobblleemm ffoorr ttwwoo rreeaassoonnss.. FFiirrsstt,, II aamm ccoonncceerrnneedd tthhaatt tthhee eexxeeccuuttiivvee bbooaarrdd nnoo lloonnggeerr pprrootteeccttss tthhee iinntteerreessttss ooff tthhee oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn aanndd tthhaatt tthheeiirr aaccttiioonnss aarree nnoott iinn kkeeeeppiinngg wwiitthh tthhee ccoonnssttiittuuttiioonn ooff tthhee oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn.. SSeeccoonndd,, tthheerree hhaavvee bbeeeenn aa nnuummbbeerr ooff ccoommppllaaiinnttss ffrroomm tthhee mmeemmbbeerrss wwhhoo ffeeeell tthhaatt tthheeiirr ccoonncceerrnnss aanndd pprreeffeerreenncceess aarree nnoott bbeeiinngg aaddddrreesssseedd bbyy tthhee eexxeeccuuttiivvee bbooaarrdd,, wwhhiicchh ddeeccrreeaasseess mmoorraallee aanndd pprroodduuccttiivviittyy..””
- 17. WWrriittiinngg aa ccoommppllaaiinntt AAsskk ffoorr hheellpp aanndd ooffffeerr aa rreessoolluuttiioonn:: ““PPlleeaassee lleett mmee kknnooww wwhhaatt ootthheerr ooppttiioonnss II mmaayy hhaavvee oovveerrllooookkeedd.. II aamm wwiilllliinngg ttoo mmeeeett wwiitthh tthhee ddeeppaarrttmmeenntt hheeaadd aanndd tthhee eexxeeccuuttiivvee bbooaarrdd ttoo sseeeekk oouutt aa ssoolluuttiioonn tthhaatt iiss ffaaiirr ttoo tthhee mmeemmbbeerrss aanndd iiss ggoooodd ffoorr tthhee bbuussiinneessss ooff tthhee oorrggaanniizzaattiioonn.. ””
- 18. DDoo nnoott ttaakkee yyoouurr rreeaaddeerr bbyy ssuurrpprriissee oorr pprreessss tthheemm ttoo tthhee wwaallll • DDoo nnoott wwaaiitt uunnttiill tthhee eenndd ooff tthhee ddaayy ttoo iinnttrroodduuccee aa pprroobblleemm oorr ccoonncceerrnn vviiaa mmeemmoo oorr eemmaaiill.. • AAvvooiidd wwrriittiinngg aa lliittaannyy ooff ccoonncceerrnnss tthhaatt yyoouu hhaavvee bbeeeenn hhaarrbboorriinngg ffoorr aa lloonngg ppeerriioodd ooff ttiimmee..
- 19. FFllaammiinngg iinn eemmaaiillss • FFllaammiinngg iiss aa vviirrttuuaall tteerrmm ffoorr vveennttiinngg oorr sseennddiinngg iinnffllaammmmaattoorryy mmeessssaaggeess iinn eemmaaiill.. • AAvvooiidd ffllaammiinngg bbeeccaauussee iitt tteennddss ttoo ccrreeaattee aa ggrreeaatt ddeeaall ooff ccoonnfflliicctt tthhaatt ssppiirraallss oouutt ooff ccoonnttrrooll.. • FFllaammee ffiigghhttss aarree tthhee eeqquuiivvaalleenntt ooff ffoooodd ffiigghhttss aanndd tteenndd ttoo aaffffeecctt oobbsseerrvveerrss iinn aa vveerryy nneeggaattiivvee wwaayy.. • WWhhaatt yyoouu ssaayy ccaannnnoott bbee ttaakkeenn bbaacckk;; iitt iiss iinn bbllaacckk aanndd wwhhiittee..
- 20. KKeeeepp ffllaammiinngg uunnddeerr ccoonnttrrooll • BBeeffoorree yyoouu sseenndd aann eemmaaiill mmeessssaaggee,, aasskk yyoouurrsseellff,, ““wwoouulldd II ssaayy tthhiiss ttoo tthhiiss ppeerrssoonn’’ss ffaaccee??”” • CCaallmm ddoowwnn bbeeffoorree rreessppoonnddiinngg ttoo aa mmeessssaaggee tthhaatt ooffffeennddss yyoouu.. OOnnccee yyoouu sseenndd tthhee mmeessssaaggee iitt iiss ggoonnee.. RReeaadd yyoouurr mmeessssaaggee ttwwiiccee bbeeffoorree yyoouu sseenndd iitt aanndd aassssuummee tthhaatt yyoouu mmaayy bbee mmiissiinntteerrpprreetteedd wwhheenn pprrooooffrreeaaddiinngg..
- 21. RReessppoonnddiinngg ttoo aa ffllaammee EEmmppaatthhiizzee wwiitthh tthhee sseennddeerr’’ss ffrruussttrraattiioonn aanndd tteellll tthheemm tthheeyy aarree rriigghhtt iiff tthhaatt iiss ttrruuee IIff yyoouu ffeeeell yyoouu aarree rriigghhtt,, tthhaannkk tthheemm ffoorr bbrriinnggiinngg tthhee mmaatttteerr ttoo yyoouurr aatttteennttiioonn EExxppllaaiinn wwhhaatt lleedd ttoo tthhee pprroobblleemm iinn qquueessttiioonn AAvvooiidd ggeettttiinngg bbooggggeedd ddoowwnn bbyy ddeettaaiillss aanndd mmiinnoorr aarrgguummeennttss IIff yyoouu aarree aawwaarree tthhaatt tthhee ssiittuuaattiioonn iiss iinn tthhee pprroocceessss ooff bbeeiinngg rreessoollvveedd lleett tthhee rreeaaddeerr kknnooww aatt tthhee ttoopp ooff tthhee rreessppoonnssee AAppoollooggiizzee iiff nneecceessssaarryy
- 22. WWhheenn EEmmaaiill WWoonn’’tt WWoorrkk TThheerree aarree ttiimmeess wwhheenn yyoouu nneeeedd ttoo ttaakkee yyoouurr ddiissccuussssiioonn oouutt ooff tthhee vviirrttuuaall wwoorrlldd aanndd mmaakkee aa pphhoonnee ccaallll.. IIff tthhiinnggss bbeeccoommee vveerryy hheeaatteedd,, aa lloott ooff mmiissuunnddeerrssttaannddiinngg ooccccuurrss,, oorr wwhheenn yyoouu aarree ddeelliivveerriinngg vveerryy ddeelliiccaattee nneewwss tthheenn tthhee bbeesstt wwaayy iiss ssttiillll ffaaccee-ttoo ffaaccee..
- 23. About us Federation of Medical Practitioner is a Non-Profit-Non-Governmental organization (NGO), Registered with Department of Charity Commissioner. Federation of Medical Practitioner is the representative, national voluntary organization of Medical Practitioner of Modern Scientific System of Medicine, which looks after the interest of medical practitioner as well as the well being of the community at large. Our Objective is to promote the welfare of the medical profession and the health of the public. The Federation purpose is to provide leadership within the Medical community and to promote a positive vision for Medical and its holistic approach to health and wellness. We offer help with legal and ethical problems that arise from the medical professional practice. This includes clinical negligence claims, complaints, medical council inquiries, legal and ethical dilemmas, disciplinary procedures, inquests and fatal-accident inquiries. visit us @: www.federationmp.org Contact us @: federationmp@gmail.com Be with us in twitter: https://twitter.com/federationmp Join us face to face us in facebook: http://www.facebook.com/federationmp
Hinweis der Redaktion
- This presentation was designed in response to the growing popularity of email and the subsequent need for information on how to craft appropriate email messages, send resumes and cover letters via email, communicate with colleagues and classmates, and how to participate in electronic mailing lists. Anyone who uses email (regardless of regularity or purpose) will find this workshop to be useful. Contributions from the following sources: Angell, David, and Heslop, Brent. The Elements of Email Style: Communicate Effectively via Electronic Mail. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1994. Bailey, Jr., Edward P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing. New York: University Press, 1990. Caudron, Shari. “Virtual Manners.” Workforce 79.2 (2000): 31-34.
- Email has become very prevalent in most people’s lives and many use it to cheaply and quickly communicate with friends, family, and co-workers. Although this technology is available to everyone, and most people are accustomed to using email, people still are not very savvy when it comes to understanding how email functions in a relationship both personally and professionally. How we interpret email: While most people are aware that the computer is not a person and that emails do not have a character of their own, many people still react to them as though they do. Readers assign meaning to everything that people write and tend to perceive it as concrete because it is in black and white (or whatever color you may choose). This response, coupled with a lack of nonverbal cues, poses a serious challenge for email writers. It is easy for emails to be misinterpreted because people write as though they are having a conversation; however, the receiver does not read that way. Ask the audience: How many times have you received an email and felt a little put off by the message even though it was from a good friend? Have you ever sent an email that upset or confused someone? What was it like to be in that situation and what did you do to clear up the misunderstanding? It is because of these uncomfortable situations that some ground rules on email etiquette were established and why email writers should be mindful of them.
- This slide provides an overview of the entire workshop. Workshop participants will benefit from information on the general format of email writing, content development, and tips on how to use electronic mailing lists.
- Many complain that writers of email do not take the time to be personable. One way to remedy this and extend good will toward the reader is to add a salutation for each new subject. “Dear,” “Hello,” and “Hi” are all acceptable greetings. If a writer is communicating with someone about the same subject (for example, authorization for overtime) then it is considered acceptable to just begin the email with the first sentence. Length: A number of experts have a wide range of opinions on how lengthy an email should be. Some say that it does not matter and others say that an email should be as long as the text box without scrolling. Both perspectives appear to be correct. In general emails should be short and to the point. However, many companies are moving to paperless memos and other written transactions, thereby requiring that emails be longer. This workshop is going to cover how to effectively write a long email on slide #11 titled “When Your Message is Long.” Time: It is considered rude not to respond to an email as soon as possible. Writers should strive to respond to emails as quickly as they would a phone message, which tends to be immediately. If the email requires a longer message than the writer is able to provide at that moment, it is considered proper etiquette to let the sender know that the message was received and that the writer is planning to respond as soon as time permits. Grammar and Punctuation: For the professional work world it is imperative that writers use capitalization, grammar, and other traditional ways of writing to include neutral fonts. Plain Text vs. HTML: Not all emails are formatted to read html. It is best to send everything in plain text unless the writer knows for certain that the person he or she is writing can read html.
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: This is one of many ways to organize information within an email document. It’s an effective way to make the information flow more logically and it helps the reader to know the proper order of the information in the email in a very clear and concise way. *Angell and Heslop
- Explanation: The main point of this slide is to help participates understand the importance of tone. These are ways to create a document that sounds friendly and “nonverbally” open. While it is important to follow rules of punctuation and grammar in email, using contractions can create a conversational style that isn’t intimidating. Remind students that tone is dependent on audience -- an email to a co-worker might have a substantially different tone than email to a boss. Ask them to think about situations and determine appropriate tones for them. *Angell and Heslop
- Explanation: Attachments can sometimes cause more headaches than help, and it can be difficult for the recipient(s) to figure out why they are unable to download an attachment. One way to help is to provide all of the important information about the file so that the recipient can trouble shoot to something more serious if there is a problem other than incompatibility. Also, due to viruses that spread via e-mail attachments, it’s important that the recipient know that the sender meant for an attachment to be included with the message, and what kind of attachment it is, since opening unknown attachments could cause serious damage to the recipient’s system and spread viruses further. Always check any attachments you are going to send for viruses, and never open unknown attachments!
- Mouse-click to activate text Elevator Summary: Business experts often refer to this kind of summary either as an elevator summary or an executive summary. Either terminology is correct. An elevator summary is a summary that can be given to a colleague or employer in the short time it takes to get from the ground floor to the third floor on an elevator. It has the bare essentials of the message. *Angell and Heslop Why a summary? We all know what it is like to inundated with email, so much so that is difficult to figure out what emails have priority over others. If there is a brief summary at the top readers can make a decision about whether to save the email for later or finish it at that time. The table of contents: The table of contents is a very friendly gesture toward readers when they are required to read long messages. It allows them to skip to the sections of the email that apply to them and avoid those areas that do not. Other explanations: If the reader needs to respond immediately to the email then that should be conveyed in the first paragraph; otherwise, that message may be overlooked and the writer will not receive the response as quickly as one is needed.
- Elevator summary activated by mouse-click, table of contents loads automatically Sample: This slide shows examples of the elevator summary and the table of contents. *Angell and Heslop
- Explanation: Many companies, in an effort to save on paper, are sending vital information through email about their conferences, corporate orientations, and new policies and procedures. Most likely, new employees will be easily frustrated and confused, so providing information about orientations should be detailed and organized. The more information that is included in the email the less likely the composer will have to fax or mail a document. The same is true for meetings and for policy changes.
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: There is a myth that continues to circulate that the more a person stalls in getting bad news out the better the recipient will feel about it because he or she will be prepared. THIS IS NOT TRUE. In fact, stalling or beating around the bush only leads to reader frustration and may not serve the messenger well if he or she is writing the email to their boss. It is better to deliver bad news up front in the elevator summary.
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: This slide provides examples of poor choices for prioritizing information and shows ways to construct messages that are not blaming or ambiguous. The term “weasel words” was coined by Angell and Heslop to describe words that appear cowardly, ambiguous, or indirect in an effort to ward off or stall potentially negative repercussions.
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: When writing a complaint via email the writer should provide a very clear picture for the recipient mainly because there is a tremendous amount of room for misinterpretation or misunderstanding. It is important that the writer provide a context and state clearly what the problem is and how he or she would like to see the problem resolved. Reminder: Remind the participants that if the problem is urgent, they should indicate that in their elevator summary and let the recipient know they need a response as soon as possible.
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: These are the first two steps one can take in writing a complaint. It is important for the writer to provide a context for his or her audience and to show the audience that he or she has taken all the necessary and required steps to resolve it. When a person takes the time to show that she or he is contributing to the solution the message takes on a positive tone that is generally received with greater ease and optimism by the audience.
- Explanation: Everyone does not agrees on what is considered to be a “problem.” When writers clearly state what they perceive to be troublesome it reduces the possibility of disagreement between them and their audience. Labeling something as a “problem” is not sufficient enough to motivate others to act. The problem must be clearly defined in a way that can foster solutions.
- Explanation: Most often when people receive complaints the natural reaction is to ask “so how does this involve me?” It is vital that writers prescribe courses of action to motivate their audience. First, writers should concede that they may have overlooked an option; perhaps there are other ways to resolve the problem without calling meetings and sending out intimidating memos. Second, writers should show how they are willing to participate in the solution by suggesting their willingness to meet with a third party, the party in question, or others. This shows that writers have good will toward the organization.
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: One of the quickest ways to frustrate someone is to surprise him or her by either copying a complaint to both him or her and their boss (skipping over the chain of command) or waiting until the end of the day to introduce a problem. This is likely to compromise the complaint’s effectiveness and alienate the writer from his or her audience. Once the audience is alienated, co-workers and employers may not express any empathy toward the writer, his or her concerns may not be addressed in a timely manner, the message may be ignored, or the writer may receive a flippant email. Rather than take readers by surprise writers should address concerns as soon as possible and with as much decorum and diplomacy as possible.
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: Many people become frustrated with a co-worker, boss, or office policy and have the need to vent that frustration. However, there are some serious problems with flaming and it should happen sparingly in emails. Activity: (read the following email to the audience) “I am so sick and tired of all the crap that goes on in this office. Judy is the most annoying person that I’ve ever known and she hardly ever gets her work done in a timely manner and I’m tired of watching her do nothing. Besides that, every time I try and get help Larry just acts like there isn’t a problem. I am SO CLOSE TO QUITTING! I swear that if someone says another thing to me I am out the door honestly. The procedures in here are only for certain people and the rest are favorites. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think this problem can be solved until Judy is fired.” Discussion: Have the audience think about the ramifications of sending this email. Who will be hurt? How? What could have been done by the writer earlier to avoid this build up of frustration? Might the writer have some legitimate concerns that are masked by his or her anger? What might be a better way to write about those concerns? *Angell and Heslop
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: It is easy for writers to let their guards down when communicating electronically because they are not actually getting immediate feedback. The nature of communication changes. Sometimes people tend to do and say things over email and on electronic mailing lists that they would never do in an office meeting or face to face with a co-worker. It is essential that the participants understand how unproductive flaming emails are and the snowball effect they can have in the office (because they can be forwarded or printed). Reminder: Do not use obscene or abusive language and do not flame in a public forum like a message group or electronic mailing list. *Angell and Heslop
- Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: When responding to a flame, the respondent must do his or her best to remain professional and neutral. Emails are infamous for creating misunderstandings. Try to be as clear as possible and as empathetic as possible. If none of the above tactics work then it is most appropriate to take this concern outside of the electronic sphere and into the traditional interpersonal (face to face) sphere. *Angell and Heslop
- Explanation: Not all messages are best delivered via email. There are many instances when one should stop and say, “It’s time to meet or talk in person because we’ve gotten as far as we can through email.” Generally, most people are agreeable to talking in person. Reminder: Because of the facelessness of email there are a number of misunderstandings and misperceptions that can occur.