Have any of you encountered someone who doesn't include enough information in their email. I get 5-6 emails a day from the CEO of my company at all hours. Some simply read "best digital presentation for (insert product line that we have did one custom job for 3 years go)" I started at this company 6 months ago. I have no idea what your talking about. Furthermore, wtf is a digital presentation. You want another PowerPoint made? You want the links to our website? It is extremely infuriating and I dread these because after going around to all he marketing dept gals I inevitably have to find a nice way to ask WTF?! And inevitably get him coming in my office and saying "Why don't you know what I'm talking about?!" Just write what you want from me! My email address is not a notepad for you drunken ideas nor can I read your mind.
That is very very frustrating. Is it possible to make a guess and write him back, every time, saying "It sounds like you want me to watch that presentation. Is that it?"
or "it sounds like you're impressed by that. Is that it?" and then he says "Why don't you know what I'm talking about?"
"It sounds like my guess was wrong. Is that it?"
I actually have a whole list of sentence starters for these conversations: http://www.lilblume.ca/activelistening.htm whoops - that's for seeming empathic. but you get the idea. There's a similar one for seeming nondefenisve.
Good advice about length. Sometimes I write lengthy emails to friends, several topics, lots of info. I usually get only a short response ro just one point in the email. If my goal is 'therapy' with the email (and sometimes it is) then no problem. But if I'm looking for a response, I try to remember to keep it very focused. If I want a response, I'll close with a question. And connected to the idea of focus, if I have more than 2 questions I will number the questions, though this can fell aggressive so caution is warranted. Thanks for the post! Mike
Great post Saydrah.
I agree with the author and mk.
Sometimes Hubski gets a little like that.
People who get a lot of email will rarely read past the first three sentences. This article on the topic from The New Yorker is well worth reading:
linked text |they can fire information back and forth without having to provide a context or a conclusion|
IMO he left out: Consider your audience. These rules should differ depending upon who you are emailing, and matter most when you don't have a strong relationship with the person. One great thing about email is that when two people are familiar with each other, or in the midst of working on something, they can fire information back and forth without having to provide a context or a conclusion. Email serves multiple purposes. It can work well as a telegraph, or a thoughtful letter. The important thing is knowing which you are composing and why.