Using Email Effectively

Email is mis-used and over-used in most organizations that I have worked in. Some organizations are going so far as to ban email in the workplace. That would be unwise; email is over-used precisely because it is such a useful tool that can be adapted to almost any purpose.

The trick is to use your email effectively and efficiently. Your team's effectiveness will increase if you can create a culture where email is used appropriately.

Email rules of thumb

• Any email you write should be concise and to the point. Don't use two sentences where one will do.
• Use proper grammar, capitalization, and spelling. Errors are distractions from the purpose of the email.
• Make sure that the email's subject line is brief, but relevant to the discussion.
• If you are requesting action (such as a reply), be specific about what you need, what form you need it in, and when you need it. Email is strongest when it can be used to dispose of an issue efficiently, in one exchange.
• Be courteous, even formal. Email and humor don't go together.
• Use the bcc field if the recipients should not necessarily have each others' email addresses.
• Use web links rather than large file attachments.

Email's strengths

Email has some strengths as a tool:

• It is asynchronous. You can write the email when you have time, and the recipient can read it as he or she has time.
• It is fast. Email is delivered almost instantaneously. (That is why it has almost completely replaced the old-fashioned snailmail letter.)
• It can be directed to a specific audience. The sender can define who will receive the email. (Keep in mind that it may be forwarded by those recipients!)
• It can be used to reference other information. The email itself may act as a summary or notification about other information that may be attached as a separate document, or that may be referenced as a web link in the body of the email.

Email's weaknesses

But email also has its weaknesses:

• It may not be read immediately. The recipient may not read or even see the email right away. Unlike a phone call or in-person communication, you may not know that the recipient has received the message right away.
• It cannot carry feeling. Even if you attach cute emoticons to your message, there is no good way to convey emotional context the way that body language or tone of voice is able to do.
• Communication can drag on. If the email goes through a couple of rounds of replies, one recipient or the other may not read or reply to the message right away, lengthening out the conversation.

When to use email

With these characteristics in mind, it is important to use email in a way that leverages its strengths and avoids its weaknesses. Email should only be a part of your communications plan.

Some topics are well-suited for email. These include:

• Pointers to documentation or resources. The written record of an email allows people to reference the resources later. This sort of communication is best used with links to the resources rather than attachments, since it is nearly impossible to keep everyone up to date with the latest version of a document.
• Discussions of strategy or architecture. The asynchronous nature of email may be an advantage, as each participant is able to think things through before responding. The written record of an email trail can also be useful to trace the evolution of an idea or reference concerns that were raised in the conversation.
• Updates about the organization. Email provides a way to communicate to multiple recipients at the same time, and allows people to digest changes before responding to them.
• News updates. These can be read at a time convenient for the recipient.

When not to use email

Conversely, some types of communications should not be handled by email:

• Discussions about expectations. Unless you are trying to create a written record as part of a disciplinary process, this will come across as cold. People want to be able to ask clarifying questions in the moment and get immediate feedback. Use a phone or an in-person conversation.
• Personal matters. These are best addressed in an environment where the emotional context of the conversation can be communicated clearly.
• Bad news. People perceive email delivery of bad news as being cowardly. Schedule a meeting or conference call, or set up an in-person conversation with the affected people.
• Instruction. If you are communicating something complex, like instructions for a complicated task, do so in a way that allows for immediate questions and feedback.