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E-Mail Tip #7 - Accomplish your Objective

Guest post by: Robert Whipple

Article Overview: It is amazing how many e-mails miss the mark and cause reactions in the reader that the writer did not intend. How can you prevent this from happening to you. Te secret lies in clarifying your objective before you compose your notes. It takes very little time and will improve the quality of your communication immensely.

E-Mail Tip #7 - Accomplish your Objective

It seems silly to even mention this issue, except it really is a serious problem for many people. Reason: They really have not clarified their objective when starting to write an e-mail. They are reacting and crafting a note or response off the top of their head.

This practice is common, and it is the equivalent of taking off in an airplane with no flight plan. What are the chances that you will reach your destination if you have only a foggy idea where you are going? You take off and head West! Great, that's a big help. Pretty soon you will run out of gas and your chances of being near an airfield are remote.

It is especially important when writing delicate e-mails to have a firm understanding of the reaction you expect the reader to have. I recommend for particularly important notes, you actually write the objective out. It might read like this, "I want Jane to be agreeable to volunteering to head up the committee even though it will mean extra work for her. She is the right person for this job." Once you have identified the specific reaction you wish to obtain with your note, then you are in a much better position to write one that accomplishes it.

We are pretty good at guessing how other people will react to a note when we stop and really think about it. The trouble is, most of us just write the note quickly without taking the energy and time to analyze how the reader is likely to react. No wonder so many notes set off a chain reaction that leads to misunderstanding of intent or just plain rage.

You should always proofread your notes before sending them. I recommend for important notes to proofread at least twice. The first time is to be sure the note is technically as correct as possible. Sentences should make sense and flow well to a logical conclusion. Then read the note a second time trying your best to put yourself in the shoes of the reader. If you know the person well, try to envision him or her on a stressful day when pressure is high and read your note with that frame of mind. Often you will spot ways to improve the wording so it is clearer, less inflammatory, and has a higher chance of hitting the mark.

It is also a great idea to debrief any notes that create a kind of reaction you did not want. This is really a failure of communication on your part, and you can often learn the specific cause of the failure so you can avoid it in the future.

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Article Tags: clarify, communication, Email, Leadership, objective, trust



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