"I haven't received any mail on this matter." "Put this on mail." "Mark his manager on mail" and the classic "Why did you put this on mail??"
These are some quirky lines bound to hit you at some point in your career. Pray it does in your early stages. They later they hit you, the more you are bound to be pissed and disinclined to adopt a strategy around it.
Oh wait - where is the Intro?
We are discussing about e-mail being used as a strategic attacking weapon and quite often - as a defensive shield in our corporate setup. To be an acute communicator, apply more thought in sending a mail, than you would in writing your blog post.
Yes sir. Please do. E-mail is now the new first impression device you have to reach out to business associates.
Not about etiquette
We will cover etiquette in subtleties but not in substance. There are enough google links and corporate programs covering this aspect. Let's switch over to my favourite anecdotal style.
Perception
The people settled in the industry treat an e-mail as officiating mechanism. People of my generation - used e-mails to stay in touch with people far and wide before the advent of Orkut/Face book/Twitter. I still do use the same. So it shouldn't be surprising if we shoot a mail to as a casual conversation.
But the said people of industries have been taught and will teach you that it is immature to do so. 'Ask your questions on phone/chat' they will say 'use mails only to take the matter forward on a formal note.'
The newbies will learn later that mails will be used as evidence of communication much later. Like you raise a matter with a person - they might have too many things to do and keep you on last priority. At such times - evidence of communication is required. A simple 'I told you then at that time' will not be entertained.
Once a client walked up to me to complain about my colleague who e-mailed her minutes of a casual discussion. So pissed was the said client, not only had I to hear a sermon on mail ethics - but to hush down the poor newbie who was making a despairing attempt at defending himself.
Escalation
Is someone not delivering what you require? Being a total **** block? "Mail his manager" is the salvo that comes in. But consider this one thing. There are two things that could result here - the **** block will either fear you in the future or hate you - the latter mood inviting some reversals. It's always best you have some informal relations with concerned person.
If not sot, then ensure that you draw some equity on his HOD. Either by means of your position, by whom you represent (an important client, or a governance/statutory body - in simpler terms You or your boss could get his ass whipped at some stage), you/ your boss share some cordial relationship with this person, you or your boss are favoured by yours or his key mgt(and he knows it.) etc.
Evidence
Some people leave embarrassing stuff in their mail boxes. And delete the more seemingly irrelevant and later crucial mails. Learn to save every little official mail, however insignificant it is. I am typically bored of people who send me repeated mails asking for the same thing, that too within a span of three corresponding weeks. You are forced to wonder do they suffer from acute 'Ghajini' syndrome. But often you are subjected to the same malady. And these mails help you retrace your steps on any line of thought or progress on any matter.
Please, for the love of god, be to the point
It does not matter who is the addressee of the mail. Any human will not like elaborate mails. If you have to give long instructions paste that on notepad or word and attach it to the mail. Long mails will be ignored, possibly seen as immaturity or pompousness. The addressee will miss the point about what is expected from them. Of course that could happen if you're too short as well. Chisel each word, cross check with another colleague - nothing stupid about that, then mail it. You will get the hang out of it in time. I got my mails vetted for a long time and now some seniors consult me too. Not that I am Mr. Evershine. A different perspective helps.
For the next time -
Maladies of the thumb generation..
How to be to the point.
Why should I be an editor.
I'm not a grammar Nazi, but how prudent should I be?
and more....
These are some quirky lines bound to hit you at some point in your career. Pray it does in your early stages. They later they hit you, the more you are bound to be pissed and disinclined to adopt a strategy around it.
Oh wait - where is the Intro?
We are discussing about e-mail being used as a strategic attacking weapon and quite often - as a defensive shield in our corporate setup. To be an acute communicator, apply more thought in sending a mail, than you would in writing your blog post.
Yes sir. Please do. E-mail is now the new first impression device you have to reach out to business associates.
Not about etiquette
We will cover etiquette in subtleties but not in substance. There are enough google links and corporate programs covering this aspect. Let's switch over to my favourite anecdotal style.
Perception
The people settled in the industry treat an e-mail as officiating mechanism. People of my generation - used e-mails to stay in touch with people far and wide before the advent of Orkut/Face book/Twitter. I still do use the same. So it shouldn't be surprising if we shoot a mail to as a casual conversation.
But the said people of industries have been taught and will teach you that it is immature to do so. 'Ask your questions on phone/chat' they will say 'use mails only to take the matter forward on a formal note.'
The newbies will learn later that mails will be used as evidence of communication much later. Like you raise a matter with a person - they might have too many things to do and keep you on last priority. At such times - evidence of communication is required. A simple 'I told you then at that time' will not be entertained.
Once a client walked up to me to complain about my colleague who e-mailed her minutes of a casual discussion. So pissed was the said client, not only had I to hear a sermon on mail ethics - but to hush down the poor newbie who was making a despairing attempt at defending himself.
Escalation
Is someone not delivering what you require? Being a total **** block? "Mail his manager" is the salvo that comes in. But consider this one thing. There are two things that could result here - the **** block will either fear you in the future or hate you - the latter mood inviting some reversals. It's always best you have some informal relations with concerned person.
If not sot, then ensure that you draw some equity on his HOD. Either by means of your position, by whom you represent (an important client, or a governance/statutory body - in simpler terms You or your boss could get his ass whipped at some stage), you/ your boss share some cordial relationship with this person, you or your boss are favoured by yours or his key mgt(and he knows it.) etc.
Evidence
Some people leave embarrassing stuff in their mail boxes. And delete the more seemingly irrelevant and later crucial mails. Learn to save every little official mail, however insignificant it is. I am typically bored of people who send me repeated mails asking for the same thing, that too within a span of three corresponding weeks. You are forced to wonder do they suffer from acute 'Ghajini' syndrome. But often you are subjected to the same malady. And these mails help you retrace your steps on any line of thought or progress on any matter.
Please, for the love of god, be to the point
It does not matter who is the addressee of the mail. Any human will not like elaborate mails. If you have to give long instructions paste that on notepad or word and attach it to the mail. Long mails will be ignored, possibly seen as immaturity or pompousness. The addressee will miss the point about what is expected from them. Of course that could happen if you're too short as well. Chisel each word, cross check with another colleague - nothing stupid about that, then mail it. You will get the hang out of it in time. I got my mails vetted for a long time and now some seniors consult me too. Not that I am Mr. Evershine. A different perspective helps.
For the next time -
Maladies of the thumb generation..
How to be to the point.
Why should I be an editor.
I'm not a grammar Nazi, but how prudent should I be?
and more....
1 comment:
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