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Category Archive: Communication skills

Apr 04

What Is Feedback & How To Give It

Giving feedback is an honest two way dialogue with another person without any intent to show them down or in poor light. Feedback is not a bashing exercise!

Feedback helps people maximize their potential at different stages of life or career, it raise their awareness of strengths and areas for improvement, and helps them to identify actions to be taken for improving performance.

When to Give Feedback

Whether you’re an employee, manager, or entrepreneur, the people you work with will make mistakes at some point—and you’ll have to address them , Feedback is one of the best tools to use.

When you recognize an issue or problem, giving feedback is the clearest, quickest way to encourage a change in behavior. It can help a co-worker focus on the key areas he or she needs to work on. Plus, many people are motivated or inspired by well-delivered feedback, and will perform at a higher level because of it.

Your feedback doesn’t have to be limited to the people who report to you, either. It’s possible to give constructive suggestions to co-workers and even superiors, as long as you position it in a helpful, insightful way.

How to Give Feedback

1. Ask for Permission

You would be surprised how much of a difference this makes. A simple “Hey, do you have a minute for some quick feedback?” can help the receiver be mentally ready for it, be it positive or negative.

2. State What You Observed

Where possible, use specific examples and avoid being judgmental. “You don’t give off a lot of energy in meetings” is not as helpful as, “In the meeting with Tina yesterday, I noticed your body language was rather passive.”

3. Explain the Impact

Point out the direct impact that resulted from this behavior, and again be as specific as possible. Saying, “When you called the meeting to an end without leaving time for discussion, it made me feel like you did not value the team’s input” or “I noticed that the clients were upset” is much more effective than “When you don’t leave time for a discussion, you look like a control freak.”

Statements like “it made me feel” and “I noticed that” are more difficult to argue with, and using those phrases will keep the feedback session from devolving into a debate.

4. Pause

When you’ve said your piece, stop. And then ask for the other person’s reaction. Give them time to think through what you’ve said and react to it.

5. Suggest Concrete Next Steps

Give a small number of actionable suggestions (ideally only one or two) that the other person can take in the future, to change this behavior. They will appreciate that you’re giving them the first step to improving the situation.

What Does Good Feedback Look Like?

Try it yourself! Practice giving feedback with a partner, or record yourself and listen to the play-back. And make sure you’re avoiding these common errors that can turn feedback into fights:

Choose one issue at a time! Focusing on too many skills or behaviors at once is confusing and overwhelming, and can feel like an all-out attack.

Don’t be too critical or focus too heavily on the negative. Feedback should inspire the other person to improve, not make them wallow in where they went wrong. Giving a piece of good feedback with negative feedback makes it easier to swallow.

But don’t avoid real problems, either. If there’s an issue, don’t be afraid to state it. Avoid vagueness. Use specific examples, and connect those behaviors to the impact they have. Leave plenty of time for the recipient of your feedback to ask or answer questions and respond to what you’ve said.

 

Part of this article is written by Kathryn Minshew and is posted on dailymuse. Kathryn is The Daily Muse’s number one swashbuckler. Prior to founding the company, Kathryn worked on vaccine introduction in Rwanda and Malawi with the Clinton Health Access Initiative and previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. She’s appeared on CNN, Fast Company, PBS, Forbes’ 30-Under-30 in Media and INC’s 15 Women to Watch in Tech. When not at work, Kathryn is an avid globe-trotter and an adventurous cook. Say hi on Twitter @KMin.

Be Happy & Live Happy!

Jappreet Sethi

1 comment

Feb 03

10 Things Most Successful People Say Every Day

There are many roads to success, however there are some commonalities between what the most successful people say every day. Jeff points out what most successful people say every day.

Most Successful People 1

If you want to make a huge difference in someone’s life? Here are things you should say every day to your employees, colleagues, family members, friends, and everyone you care about:

1.       “Here’s what I’m thinking.”

You’re in charge, but that doesn’t mean you’re smarter, savvier, or more insightful than everyone else. Back up your statements and decisions. Give reasons. Justify with logic, not with position or authority.

Though taking the time to explain your decisions opens those decisions up to discussion or criticism, it also opens up your decisions to improvement.Authority can make you “right,” but collaboration makes everyone right–and makes everyone pull together.

2.       “I was wrong.”

I once came up with what I thought was an awesome plan to improve overall productivity by moving a crew to a different shift on an open production line. The inconvenience to the crew was considerable, but the payoff seemed worth it. On paper, it was perfect.

In practice, it wasn’t. So, a few weeks later, I met with the crew and said, “I know you didn’t think this would work, and you were right. I was wrong. Let’s move you back to your original shift.” I felt terrible. I felt stupid. I was sure I’d lost any respect they had for me.

It turns out I was wrong about that, too. Later one employee said, “I didn’t really know you, but the fact you were willing to admit you were wrong told me everything I needed to know.”

When you’re wrong, say you’re wrong. You won’t lose respect–you’ll gain it.

3.       “That was awesome.”

No one gets enough praise. No one. Pick someone–pick anyone–who does or did something well and say, “Wow, that was great how you…”

And feel free to go back in time. Saying “Earlier, I was thinking about how you handled that employee issue last month…” can make just as positive an impact today as it would have then. (It could even make a bigger impact, because it shows you still remember what happened last month, and you still think about it.)

Praise is a gift that costs the giver nothing but is priceless to the recipient. Start praising. The people around you will love you for it–and you’ll like yourself a little better, too.

4.       “You’re welcome.”

Think about a time you gave a gift and the recipient seemed uncomfortable or awkward. Their reaction took away a little of the fun for you, right?

The same thing can happen when you are thanked or complimented or praised. Don’t spoil the moment or the fun for the other person. The spotlight may make you feel uneasy or insecure, but all you have to do is make eye contact and say, “Thank you.” Or make eye contact and say, “You’re welcome. I was glad to do it.”

Don’t let thanks, congratulations, or praise be all about you. Make it about the other person, too.

5.       “Can you help me?”

When you need help, regardless of the type of help you need or the person you need it from, just say, sincerely and humbly, “Can you help me?”

I promise you’ll get help. And in the process you’ll show vulnerability, respect, and a willingness to listen–which, by the way, are all qualities of a great leader.

And are all qualities of a great friend.

6.       “I’m sorry.”

We all make mistakes, so we all have things we need to apologize for: words, actions, omissions, failing to step up, step in, and show support… Say you’re sorry.

But never follow an apology with a disclaimer like “But I was really mad, because…” or “But I did think you were…” or any statement that in any way places even the smallest amount of blame back on the other person.

Say you’re sorry, say why you’re sorry, and take all the blame. No less. No more. Then you both get to make the freshest of fresh starts.

7.       “Can you show me?”

Advice is temporary; knowledge is forever. Knowing what to do helps, but knowing how or why to do it means everything.

When you ask to be taught or shown, several things happen: You implicitly show you respect the person giving the advice; you show you trust his or her experience, skill, and insight; and you get to better assess the value of the advice.

Don’t just ask for input. Ask to be taught or trained or shown. Then you both win.

8.       “Let me give you a hand.”

Many people see asking for help as a sign of weakness. So, many people hesitate to ask for help.

But everyone needs help. Don’t just say, “Is there anything I can help you with?” Most people will give you a version of the reflexive “No, I’m just looking” reply to sales clerks and say, “No, I’m all right.”

Be specific. Find something you can help with. Say “I’ve got a few minutes. Can I help you finish that?” Offer in a way that feels collaborative, not patronizing or gratuitous. Model the behavior you want your employees to display. Then actually roll up your sleeves and help.

9.       Nothing.

Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing. If you’re upset, frustrated, or angry, stay quiet. You may think venting will make you feel better, but it never does.

That’s especially true where your employees are concerned. Results come and go, but feelings are forever. Criticize an employee in a group setting and it will seem like he eventually got over it, but inside, he never will.

Before you speak, spend more time considering how employees will think and feel than you do evaluating whether the decision makes objective sense. You can easily recover from a mistake made because of faulty data or inaccurate projections.

You’ll never recover from the damage you inflict on an employee‘s self-esteem. Be quiet until you know exactly what to say–and exactly what affect your words will have.

10.       “I love you.”

No, not at work unless your wife works with you !, but everywhere you mean it–and every time you feel it.

 

This article is written by Jeff Haden and is posted on Inc.com; Jeff has written more than 30 non-fiction books, including four business and Investing titles that reached #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list. @jeff_haden
 

Keep the faith!

Jappreet Sethi

3 comments

Aug 30

10 Business Clichés That Prove You’re Lazy

Recognize any of the platitudes on this list? Here’s why you should stop using them–now. Whipping out a platitude isn’t just annoying. Using some platitudes also shows you’re lazy–and not just in words but in actions:Human Resources Blog, communication tips

“Work smarter, not harder.”

What happens when you say that to me?

One: You imply I’m stupid. Two: You imply whatever I’m doing should take a lot less time and effort than it does. And three: After you say it, I kinda hate you.

If you know I could be more efficient, tell me how. If you know there’s a better way, show me how. If you think there’s a better way but don’t know what it is, say so. Admit you don’t have the answer. Then ask me to help you figure it out. And, most important, recognize that sometimes the only thing to do is to work harder. So get off your butt and help me.

“There is no I in team.”

Sure there is. There are as many I’s as team members. Those individuals, the more “individual” the better, serve to make the team stronger. The best teams are often a funky blend of the members’ individual talents, perspectives, and goals.

If you want a team to work hard and achieve more, make sure each person feels she can not only achieve the team’s goal but also one of her own goals. Spend time figuring out how each individual on the team can do both, instead of taking the lazy way out by simply repressing individuality in the pursuit of the collective.

“It just wasn’t meant to be.”

Fate had nothing to do with it. Something went wrong. Figure out what went wrong and learn from it.

“Oh, it wasn’t meant to be” is not just lazy but also places responsibility elsewhere. “Let’s figure out what we can do next time” is empowering and places the responsibility where it should be: on you.

“That’s probably not what you want to hear.”

It sucks to hear bad news, no doubt. But when you say that something isn’t what I want to hear, you shift the issue over to my side of the table. Somehow it’s become my problem.

Don’t shift. Explain why you made a decision. Explain the logic. Explain your reasoning.I still may not want to hear it, but that way the focus remains on the issue and not on me.

“Perception is reality.”

Yeah, yeah, I know: How I perceive something is my version of reality, no matter how wrong my perception may be. But if other people perceive a reality differently than you, work to change that perception. Make reality the reality. Besides, perceptions are fleeting and constantly changing. Reality lasts forever, or at least until a new reality comes along to replace it.

“We want your feedback.”

You see and hear a similar line everywhere: websites, signs, meetings.

Don’t be passive if you truly want feedback. Don’t just make it easy for people to provide. Go get it. Be active. Ask, People who really want feedback take responsibility for getting that feedback–they don’t wait to receive it

“Do it now and apologize later.”

You’re not a bold, daring risk taker; you’re lazy and self-indulgent. Good ideas are rarely stifled. People like better; if they don’t like your idea, the problem usually isn’t them: It’s you.

Don’t take the easy way out. Describe what you want to do. Prove it makes sense. Get people behind you. Then whatever you do has a much better chance of succeeding.

“Failure is not an option.”

This one is often used by a leader who gets frustrated and wants to shut down questions about a debatable decision or a seemingly impossible goal: “Listen, folks, failure is simply not an option.” (Strikes table or podium with fist.)

Failure is always a possibility. Just because you say it isn’t doesn’t make it so. Don’t reach for a platitude. Justify your decision. Answer the hard questions. If you can’t, maybe your decision isn’t so wise after all.

“Let’s not reinvent the wheel.”

Because hey, your wheel might turn out to be a better wheel, which means my wheel wasn’t so great. And we can’t have that.

“It is what it is.”

Here’s another shutdown statement. “It is what it is” really means, “I’m too lazy to try to make it different, so for gosh sakes stop talking about it.” “It is what it is” is only true if you take the easy way out by letting “it” remain “it.”

This article appeared on Inc.com and is written by Jeff Haden. Jeff Haden learned much of what he knows about business and technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry. You can follow him on twitter @jeff_haden

 
Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

The author uses life stories to demystify the day -to -day Human Resources Challenges we face at work. His HR Blog – Human Resources Blog endeavours to simplify the HR jargon.

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Aug 01

Got A New Boss Again: What To Do?

It is a well-known fact that established teams experience “transition pains” under the leadership of newly appointed managers. The stress levels go up, and both the parties use moves and countermoves to outwit each other. New managers, insecure in their roles, often seek absolute compliance to orders from their subordinates, particularly in their early days.

I’ve always found that the speed of the boss is the speed of the team – Lee Iacocca

In fact, most of the new managers struggle in their new roles initially along with their team members. Is there a way out? , yes of course if you want, you can turn it into a win – win situation for you and your manager.

Some of the common concerns of the team members are:

  • Will I get along with my new manager?
  • How do I make sure that my new manager recognizes the contributions I made before he/she arrived?
  • Will my work style clash with that of my new manager?
  • What new processes or procedures will my new manager put into place?
  • Will my performance and development suffer with this change?What changes will my new manager make to the team, my role, and my projects?
  • How can I build a positive relationship with my new manager?
  • How can I make sure my new manager recognizes my strengths?

Some of the common concerns of the newly joined managers are:

  • How can I establish my authority as manager without alienating my new team?
  • Will I get along with my new team?
  • Will my work style clash with that of my direct reports?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of my new team?
  • How can I build positive relationships with my direct reports?
  • What projects should be our top priority?
  • Who are the key players, and what are the unspoken rules of my new role?
  • What are the political “land mines” of my new job?
  • How do I quickly prove that I deserved this role?

If both sides keep on operating from fear and caution time shall pass, and one of the parties will win at the expense of other, more often than not it is the manager that wins, unless you are very strongly glued to your system, and any amount of pestering does not bother you.  And always remember the saying – If you think your boss is stupid, remember: you wouldn’t have a job if he was any smarter.

Most of the times the senior management will support the newly appointed manager. They promise him/her the autonomy & authority to shape the team. I am not sure if this is the best way, and if it works against the interest of everyone. Nevertheless, your new manager has the backing and ears of the higher ups. Make no mistakes about this and the higher ups may give you an occasional ear to let off the steam without any long-term benefits.

So it’s in your best interest to help your new manager succeed because when managers struggle, so do their team members. You don’t need to do a lot to help your manager. The challenge for both the parties is to nurture a strong sense of common commitment to shared goals – rather than one of the blind allegiance to each other’s dictates. By having an open dialogue around your concerns you can change the dynamics. Some of the things which you can do make this a win –win transition are.

  • Be adaptable
  • Be open to change
  • Give feedback on ideas
  • Help your new manager learn responsibilities of new job.
  • Help your new manager  learn teams shared objectives
  • Help your new manager  learn team’s work methods/ processes
  • Share your strengths and weaknesses.
  • Share the top challenges which you are facing
  • Share what is the support that you are expecting from your new manager.

It’s helpful if you remain open for new ideas and be adaptable. However, that’s not enough. You’ll have a bigger impact if you also provide your new manager with insight into your strengths and weaknesses & offer timely feedback. How about writing a Welcome Letter to your new manager?

Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

The author uses real life stories to demystify the day to day Human Resources Challenges we face at work. His HR Blog – Human Resources Blog endeavours to simplify the HR jargon.

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Jul 03

20 Ways to Kill Your Job Application!

We spend a great deal of time talking to recruiters, employers and human resource staff every week. I recently sent an email asking some of them what they would list as their top 3 peeves when it came to receiving resumes and short-listing candidates. You should have seen my inbox fill up with responses! Many were repeated, so I thought I would share a list of the top 20.

Straight from the mouths of the people reading your resumes:

  1. Rambling! I wish people would get to the point. I haven’t got time to read a novel.
  2. Resumes that are a straight list of duties. Tell us what you did differently, what you did well.
  3. I want people to tell me how they meet my need. If not, I move on to the next resume. Simple.
  4. People who don’t meet the criteria for the role. If you don’t have the essential skills required, then don’t apply. Essential and desirable criteria are listed for a reason.
  5. Career Objectives. OMG, these are so annoying. I don’t want to know what you want. I want to know what you can do for me!
  6. Incorrect contact details. If an email bounces or the wrong phone number has been given, I won’t search for them, I’ll just move on to the next application.
  7. Poor grammar and spelling mistakes. It amazes me how many people apply for a role where written business communication is a major component of the role and send me a resume riddled with errors. These people usually claim they pay attention to detail as well!
  8. An application addressed to someone else. Its obvious they use the same application for every job and haven’t changed the salutation. These usually hit the shredder.
  9. Clutter. Personally, I can’t stand looking at resumes that are jammed so tight and written using the smallest font to get as much information on the page as possible. They are too hard to read and very unappealing.
  10. A cover letter that repeats, verbatim, what is in the resume. Why bother? You’ve wasted my time and yours.
  11. Long resumes. Resumes longer than 3 pages lose me.
  12. When you call a candidate about a job application and they say something along the lines of “Sorry, what job is this about again?” Keep track of your applications.
  13. Resumes without dates for each position. My first thought is “What are you trying to hide?”
  14. I’m sick of reading that everyone is a team player, has attention to detail and can see the big picture. Really? Prove it.
  15. When I ask about salary expectations and get the “What is this role offering?” question in return. You should have an expectation and be prepared to discuss it.
  16. Candidates who can’t make the time for an interview. I spent close to 20mins on the phone the other day with a woman who couldn’t seem to lock in a time to meet. It interfered with soccer practice, music practice, a monthly ‘girls’ movie night, and of course, her current role. If you’re serious about job hunting – make the time to be available for the interview.
  17. Template driven resumes. One day recently I saw 4 resumes, the exact same format, and in some sections, the exact same wording! Write it yourself or get a reputable writer to do it for you.
  18. Resumes that are not in chronological order. It is too hard to follow resumes that jump all over the place.
  19. Trying to figure out locations of positions. People who have worked internationally or nationally need to include this information – I am not an atlas!
  20. Gaps in employment that haven’t been explained. I know you will have a reason for it, but try telling me, I’m not a psychic.

So there you have it …. 20 ways in which to kill your application and lose an opportunity. I hope by sharing these, you will be able to avoid some of these pitfalls in your job search.

This article is contributed by Michelle Lopez of One2One Resumes.

E: [email protected]

W: www.one2oneresumes.com.au

© Michelle Lopez, Owner/Career Consultant

Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

2 comments

Jun 10

What will your body language tell the interviewer?

 

How you present at interview is so important. But have you thought about how your body language will either support or kill your chances of securing the job?

Being given an interview is exciting and your preparation starts straight away – what you will wear, how you will get there, researching the company, study your resume and rehearse the interview questions.

Very few candidates actually stop and think about body language.

We all know that first impressions count. When you first meet your interviewer you want to be brimming with confidence: a great big smile, firm handshake and an audible “nice to meet you” whilst looking into the interviewer’s eyes. Imagine if you met an interviewer with a tiny little voice which screams “timid”, a limp handshake and someone who looked at the floor or muttered into their shoulder when they spoke … not a good impression and it wouldn’t fill you with confidence about their ability to interview you fairly.

You’ve worked hard to get to interview stage, so put some real thought and preparation into your body language. There is no better way to prepare than to practise. Stand in front of the mirror and see what you look like. Silly as it seems, it’s a great way of finding out how others see you. Video yourself (enlist the help of a friend if necessary), but you need to watch the way in which you present yourself and your message.

Body language is not just the physical aspects, it is also your voice. How do you project message? Do you have an audible voice? (notice your pitch and tone) Painful as it can be, record yourself and then listen back – a great way of modifying your voice. Sometimes when people concentrate on an answer, as happens in interviews, their voice drops down a few notches. Hearing this in yourself and being aware of it can help you overcome the problem at interview.

When I first started recruiting I was amazed at the number of people I interviewed with poor body language. I could never understand how, after working so hard for an interview, they could blow their chances in this way.

One candidate, a lovely woman with an impressive background and the skills my client sought appeared to be the ‘perfect’ candidate on paper. At interview though, she seemed to shrink into herself. Whenever I asked her about an achievement or situation she had handled she crept back in the chair, went red, cocked her head to the side and lowered her voice when answering. These were her achievements – she should have owned them, been proud of them, expanded on them and confidently spoken about them!

Other people give you gruff one-word answers or direct you back to their resume, “Well, it’s all in there if you look at page 2”. I am sure it is a symptom of nerves for most people, but irrespective of the reason, it doesn’t impress interviewers and most certainly doesn’t present you in the best light.

So, how do you make sure your body language is appropriate for an interview?

Body language don’ts

  • Don’t keep your hands in your pockets.
  • Never cross your arms – it makes you look defensive.
  • Don’t hold your handbag/briefcase or portfolio in your lap – it makes you look like you’re ready to bolt!
  • No slouching – sit up straight and tall.
  • Never look away from the interviewer when answering questions or when they are talking to you – maintain eye contact.
  • Fidgeting such as shaking your leg or tapping your foot or drumming your nails on the desk is annoying and distracting.
  • Staring at the wall or floor – nothing screams disinterest more!
  • Relax to the point of appearing blasé – leaning back in the chair in a relaxed manner more suited to the lounge at home, or resting your head on your hand with an elbow on the chair.
  • Don’t rub your nose every time you make a point – some say it is a sign of deceit.
  • Never lean on the desk and towards your interviewer – it invades their space.

Body language is relatively easy to control. Simply being mindful of it can help enormously.

Have a think about your last interview – do you recognise any of the above points?

Next time you have an interview put your best foot forward, a strong confident voice, loads of eye contact and a professional presentation, to give yourself every chance of being offered the role.

This article is contributed by Michelle Lopez of One2One Resumes.

E: [email protected]

W: www.one2oneresumes.com.au

© Michelle Lopez, Owner/Career Consultant

Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

2 comments

Mar 23

Managing e-mail Overload – 10 Tips for Success

One of the common challenge employees face is how to manage e-mails, not be managed by it. Time is a zero sum game. You can spend your precious time on an e-mail or spend it on doing something else.  As on date e-mail is the most heavily used mode of business communication. As per a research corporate e-mail users on average receive 126 e-mails per day (excluding spam) and spend more than 41% of their time managing e-mail.

Most of the corporate staff is drowning in email tsunamis; they are just overwhelmed with the load.What can you do? These ten tips will help you in managing e-mail overload.

Take time to draft the subject line in e-mail

The subject line of an e-mail should summarize the message; it has to be specific and crisp. Use the subject field to briefly summarize the content of the e-mail. This allows the recipient to prioritize e-mails and to find them later when they are archived. You can change the subject line as the subject of the e-mail thread changes.  As you send each e-mail, ask yourself, “Does the subject line accurately summarize the message?”

In today’s world most of the business people use handhelds to look at e-mail, the screens are short and 50 words subject would be a sure shot disaster to view.

Be clear and concise in e-mail

You should be clear as to why you are writing the e-mail so that the reader gets to the crux fast.

  • Give the reader the full context and main idea in the beginning of the e-mail. This allows the recipient to respond and prioritize more easily, and saves them from having to scroll through numerous previous messages.
  • Keep the message in the e-mail short and to the point.  Keep in mind the time constraints of your co-workers.
  • Limit yourself to one issue per e-mail.  This encourages each topic to be addressed separately and helps in sorting and prioritizing.
  • Avoid using irony and hints in your e-mail.  It is more difficult to discern subtleties in text.  Avoid misinterpretation by writing clearly.
  • If no reply is necessary, say so.  This eliminates confusion, saves the recipient time, and decreases overall volume of e-mail.

e-mail Layout

Reading on a screen is different form reading a print out. Try to keep the paragraphs short and do leave a space in between to increase visual clarity in an e-mail. Some pointer to keep in mind

  • Avoid using Capital letters in an e-mail, it is considered to be very rude.
  • Don’t go overboard with exclamation marks! in an e-mail , save them for an occasional congratulations
  • Try avoiding fancy and artistic fonts in e-mail, they are hard to read
  • Stick to black font color in an e-mail  – blue is the standard when you are responding to an email
  • Avoid using emoticons and abbreviations in business e-mail – reserve them for FB chat

Try to close the loop in e-mail

E-mails often have several action items and queries. Make sure you address all the items in your response. Failure to do so will result in an e-mail ping pong and it will cost you time and energy. In case you don’t have the answer, be forthright about it.

Include the Message in e-mail

While replying to the e-mail it is best to choose the Reply button, if you click the new mail option, the e-mail thread will not be included. Including the thread gives the recipient background to the email.

Read twice before sending

In most of the countries an e-mail is considered to be a piece of evidence in the court of law. Whatever you write can be held against you. Desist writing an emotionally charged e-mail. It will be on record and the other party may use it against you in the future.  If sending a stern and direct e-mail is important- a good way is to first send it yourself and then read it before sending it again to the intended recipient. This five minute activity works wonders when you are boiling in anger.

TO & CC dilemma

When you are sending an e-mail to multiple people, address your expectations and needs to each person. You should State your expectations. Be clear on what the recipient(s) is expected to do, and how and when you would like their response.

  • “To” should be used for the primary recipients.
  • “cc” (carbon copy) should be used when you want to keep someone informed regarding a particular issue, but do not require the person to act upon your e-mail. Before you cc a person, ask yourself, “Is the purpose to keep someone generally informed of what you are doing?”  If so, send a separate single status report rather than a large volume of cc e-mails.  A directed e-mail is more efficient and more likely to get attention from the recipient.
  • “bcc” (blind carbon copy) should not be used.  Information relevant to the copied person should be sent separately.

Managing Attachments in e-mail

You don’t want to send heavy attachments vide e-mail; it consumes a lot of bandwidth. While you may want to share the photos of an office party with all your colleagues, imagine if your entire office was downloading the entire 20 MB file at one time. The system can come to a grinding halt and you may miss on important emails. It’s best to use a share drive or upload it to Picasa.

In case you have an Attachment in the e-mail, Call attention to the attachment in the message, explain why you included it, and make clear what you expect the reader to do with it.

Managing e-mails

Most of the people have difficulty reigning in the impulse of constantly responding to e-mails. This perpetual multitasking reduces effectiveness, unless your role is to reply to email’s only (Helpdesk/ escalation point).

  • If possible designate an e-mail time.Check your e-mail at predetermined times and alert your co-workers as to your timing. When you do check your in-box, sort and prioritize the new e-mails, and decide if the e-mail should be handled immediately or later.
  • The “Auto-Check” function should be turned off at all times.Remove visible and audio notifications as they often prove distracting.
  • Use flags to mark e-mails to address later. Decide which colour is most important to separate the “to do” e-mails.
  • Research indicates that more than 53% of the e-mail you receive is not a high priority to you. However we still tend to read and respond to these “easy” or low priority e-mail first. These unimportant e-mail distract you and take your time and focus away from the e-mail that are really important and awaiting your immediate attention – Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize!

How to use FYI

FYI (For Your Information) should be used in the subject row when a message is forwarded to colleagues.  This makes it faster and easier to prioritize messages in the inbox and to apply rules for incoming messages.

It is in our hands to be a slave to the technology or use it to increase our productivity;an e-mail is one of such great tools. If you do not tame it early on you will spend a lifetime catching up with e-mail overload. E-mail is simultaneously the most used business application and the number one killer of productivity.The choice is in your hands.

Jappreet Sethi

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