Dysfunction: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

may well be the most important way you will communicate at work: handling it well matters.

Benefits of Using It is quick It can allow immediate access to your correspondent It can allow immediate information transfer It can allow you to have a “conversation” at your convenience

Drawbacks of Using It is permanent. The recipient may forward it to anyone. It is archived on a corporate or university server – for years. It can legally be used as evidence in court cases. Sending a message can take very little time; recovering your reputation can take your entire career.

5 is now routinely used in court. It is beyond Miranda rights. evidence has been used in cases involving – sexual harassment, – sex discrimination, – racial discrimination, – unlawful termination, – hazardous working conditions, – theft, anti-trust, libel, – failure to perform services – etc.

6 A sent can have a long life. that has been deleted is often recoverable, either from your own hard drive, your company back- up system, or another co-worker’s, consultant’s, or competitor’s computer. used poorly has cost companies millions and ruined lives. is often held in company archives for years.

Your effectiveness as an employee and your job security may depend largely on how you manage the volume and tone of your .

Surviving the Flood Reserve specific times for answering rather than responding haphazardly throughout the day Employ the 20 Yard Rule and the Rule of Three Hold meetings, make phone calls, or make appointments to discuss complex matters or hot-button issues Do NOT add to the flood by using Reply-All

Know that affects “climate” Be conscious of the tone your sets (collegiality vs. hostility; courteous vs. accusatory; conversational vs. formal) If you sense hostility in an , pick up the phone Be respectful, especially if you asking something of your correspondent

Curb the rage... Do not send an when you are angry Avoid ever sending an in ALL CAPS Avoid using multiple exclamation points or multiple question marks !!??!

Know your company’s rules about what can be sent in company Most companies allow 10 to 15% of to be personal How “personal” should it really be? Avoid sending out from company anything that could be construed as – Religious in nature – Political in nature – Criticism of other employees, supervisors, clients, etc.! – Humor? – Love – or hate -- notes!

Basic Professionalism Use professional (or friendly) salutations in first contacts or contacts between extended breaks Gauge the level of formality from your recipient’s response to your first very respectful contact. Establish a brief but critical context for the message and its content – in the first sentence! Craft the message so the tone and content are respectful and appropriate for your relationship (not everyone likes the smiley face) Use a respectful closing that acknowledges the recipient’s time and efforts

Help A Reader Out: Structure the Message Frontload your message - highlight “action items” Limit the length of your message – a long message may be a sign that you should pick up the phone Use paragraphing (return) to group related ideas and emphasize key points Contain your message - do not intersperse your responses Manage message strings responsibly

ing Up The Food Chain Provide an accurate, concise, specific subject heading Tweak it if you are forwarding or replying Use “urgent” responsibly Consider whether you really want to use that Rr or Cc... (e.g. ing supervisors)

How do you manage your inbox clutter? Read, take action, delete, or save? Do not delete an from a supervisor or faculty member here – save those for future reference Consider creating mailboxes for each class you have, items specific to each major work project Schedule time each week to clean up and file

To drive home these points, let’s look at a couple of examples.