It’s strange, we get training in all sorts of things but when it comes to the one area that causes us as much if not more hassle than anything else, namely email, we are left to get on with it ourselves. We need to know how to effectively manage email communications.
Managing expectations is the first thing. Due to the instant nature of email too many people expect an answer by return and can’t understand why they don’t get it. Ironically they are often the same people who fail to deal with messages or respond late.
I reply to emails when I am able and when I can give them the correct amount of consideration. This can often be outside of business hours or after a couple of days and so I want to manage the expectations of the sender. That’s why all of my emails have the following message after the signature.
Please Note Before Replying:
I work flexibly in order to try to be as effective as possible and so I am emailing now. In order to respect your working practices I do not expect a response outside your own normal working hours.
The purpose of this message is two fold. It says I do not expect a reply at some stupid hour and I respect your time. It also implies “you may well not get a reply until a little later but when you do the reply will be effective so don’t expect a response by return because I’m probably not around and / or your email needs some thought.”
Once people have received this message a couple of times they seem to understand.
This gives me the opportunity to check each email, delete it, archive it, reply to it or put it on hold until I can deal with it properly. That way my inbox is empty at the end of every day and I can prioritise. If I can’t reply to an email effectively within 24 hours I send an email saying I can’t, why I can’t and when I will. This takes the pressure off.
Often when I begin effectiveness training with individuals and organisation email is the starting point. The simple changes above combined with some organisation can free up huge amounts of time and avoid large amounts of frustration.
We need to learn how to effectively deal with email communications.
If you want to look at this further we have both manufacturing and service simulations to enable everyone to be more effective then please contact us for details – https://www.wellsassoc.co.uk/contact/
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