Last time I provided some ideas on things you could do as
the "sender" to improve your email communications and reduce wasted
time / effort. This time, I'd like to provide a few things that you can do as
the "recipient":
1. Don't make any assumptions about the sender's
emotional state. Sometimes we assume the sender is angry with us because we
receive what reads as a "rude"
response. Many people are not great writers, and a missing word or two can change
the tone of the entire message.
2. Don't escalate a conflict by sending an emotionally
charged response. It's easy to hide behind your computer and send off an angry
message -- making the problem worse. Pick up the phone and set up a
fact-to-face meeting to resolve the conflict.
3. Ask the sender for clarification. While you can ask
for more information by replying to a message, you might get clarification
quicker over the phone or in person.
4. Use your email program's built-in tools to help
organize messages. For example, MS Outlook allows you to set up Rules to filter
incoming messages into folders and to use Automatic Formatting to have messages
from certain people or with certain words/ phrases visually stand out in your
Inbox.
5. You don't have to respond to every message right away.
Manage the expectations of those who send you messages. Turn off the email
pop-ups (Desktop Alerts in MS Outlook) that interrupt you and give you the
feeling that the newly arrived message is the most important you have to do.
