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Do you wish there were days when your employees were doing a better job of communicating with you, each other and your customers?

Communication plays a big role in our business success. Whether it’s asking customers the right questions or effectively getting our point across in a meeting, or even posting to social media, very often our success depends on how well we’re communicating with others.

In my opinion, email can be a tool that is often misused or even abused, causing mayhem in the workplace. I once was asked by an organization to train their employees on proper communications, especially email, because as one of the managers stated: “there are too many wars going on via email.”

So here’s my simple advice on using email as an effective communications tool:

1. Is email the right tool for this communication? Email is very effective for simple requests, confirming meetings, and following up with information after a phone call or meeting.
2. If you can’t explain whatever you’re emailing about in 3 or 4 sentences, you probably need to pick up the phone or walk down the hall to talk to the recipient.
3. Read your email before pressing send. Check your spelling, grammar and most importantly, the tone of your message. Is there any chance it could be incorrectly interpreted by the recipient?
4. Think about whether it’s really necessary to “reply all” on a message. Very often, the answer is no.
5. Finally, think about “why” you are sending the email and whether an electronic communication is the best way to convey information. Let’s be honest; sometimes people use email to avoid a much-needed personal conversation.

Could your organization use some help on effective business communications? I’d love to hear from you.

-Sue Voyles