When Not to Hit 'Reply All'
By Dave Johnson | August 18, 2011
from bnet.com
Now that email has been around for 30 years or so, you’d think that common messaging activities — like using the Reply and Reply All buttons — would just be common sense. Alas, based on all the pain I see at work, in email from BNET readers, and out there on the Web in general, it’s clearly not the case. Here’s my take on when and how you should use Reply and Reply All to avoid causing problems in the office.
Use Reply All
In general, all the time. What? That’s crazy, right? Nope. Someone crafted the addressees in the email you are reading for a reason, and respect that. I’m referring, of course, to typical email threads with a small group of people — there are exceptions, and I’ll get to those in a moment. But if you click reply to a mail with a bunch of addressees on it, you identify yourself as either clumsy and thoughtless or someone who doesn’t respect the people on the CC line enough to include them in the conversation. Which of those would you like to be known as?
Use Reply
When an email has an extremely wide distribution — such as to an entire division. Don’t ever reply all to a request for information from an admin, for example. You’ll annoy hundreds of people and probably start a firestorm of “stop replying all” messages that will only make matters worse.
When you need to narrow the focus of the conversation. If there are a half-dozen people on the thread and you want to branch the subject or interject something confidential or sensitive, be highly aware of whom you are cc’ing.
Don’t Use Either
If you’re inclined to make a joke at someone’s expense, say something impolitic, or be otherwise insensitive, don’t. I’ve heard advice like “be sure to narrow the audience if you’re going to say something at the expense of someone cc’d on the mail,” but that is just dumb. Remember that email lives forever, and it can be forwarded — accidentally or intentionally — without your permission at any time. Don’t risk it.
MY THOUGHTS
Discernment - that's the key. You need to identify what's private and public. You should find out if the readers are mature enough to handle touchy subjects, if they are professional enough not to take anything personally.
The best advice - don't write anything you wouldn't want to read yourself. If it's important but subject to misunderstanding, pick up the phone or visit the other person.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
HOW TO HANDLE YOUR EMAILS
HOW TO HANDLE YOUR EMAILS
from the article 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Emailers'
By Laura Vanderkam | July 6, 2011
Email doesn’t have to consume your life. Here are 7 ideas for turning email into the tool it is, rather than the be-all and end-all of your days.
1. Lower the volume. When you email the same people too many times per day, they pay less attention. Ideally, your emails will be like eagerly awaited letters that, as a kid, you used to check the mail box for (remember that?)
2. Don’t ask to be kept “in the loop.” Trust your employees to do their jobs without your constant oversight. If you don’t think they’ll execute against goals you’ve set unless you’re cc-ed on every email, get a new team.
3. Return email in batches. Rather than answer each email as it comes in, set windows twice per day (when you’re not concentrating on more focused work) when you can crank out 10 replies at once.
4. Be clear. If something could be misconstrued or misunderstood, requiring a 20-email chain to clarify, pick up the phone or go talk in person.
5. Spell correctly. Use correct grammar. Not only does it look more professional, in this day and age you never know when emails will wind up in the newspaper or forwarded somewhere you never intended. You’ll look like a fool if you type like a tween sending texts.
6. Leave the iPhone or Blackberry at your desk sometimes. You don’t need to check email in line at the deli counter. Really. It can wait. Say hi to the person making your sandwich instead.
7. Remember, email is not your job. Like meetings and conference calls, it is a tool to do your job. If all you’re doing is filing and answering emails, you’re probably not getting anywhere. Focus on results, not your inbox, and you’ll get a lot more done.
How much time do you spend on email each day?
MY THOUGHTS
Hear! Hear! 'Email is not your job' It is your tool. By following these tips you can manage your emails, having control over them instead of the other way around. Depending on the nature of your job, I think it is best to schedule when to open and read your mails.
from the article 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Emailers'
By Laura Vanderkam | July 6, 2011
Email doesn’t have to consume your life. Here are 7 ideas for turning email into the tool it is, rather than the be-all and end-all of your days.
1. Lower the volume. When you email the same people too many times per day, they pay less attention. Ideally, your emails will be like eagerly awaited letters that, as a kid, you used to check the mail box for (remember that?)
2. Don’t ask to be kept “in the loop.” Trust your employees to do their jobs without your constant oversight. If you don’t think they’ll execute against goals you’ve set unless you’re cc-ed on every email, get a new team.
3. Return email in batches. Rather than answer each email as it comes in, set windows twice per day (when you’re not concentrating on more focused work) when you can crank out 10 replies at once.
4. Be clear. If something could be misconstrued or misunderstood, requiring a 20-email chain to clarify, pick up the phone or go talk in person.
5. Spell correctly. Use correct grammar. Not only does it look more professional, in this day and age you never know when emails will wind up in the newspaper or forwarded somewhere you never intended. You’ll look like a fool if you type like a tween sending texts.
6. Leave the iPhone or Blackberry at your desk sometimes. You don’t need to check email in line at the deli counter. Really. It can wait. Say hi to the person making your sandwich instead.
7. Remember, email is not your job. Like meetings and conference calls, it is a tool to do your job. If all you’re doing is filing and answering emails, you’re probably not getting anywhere. Focus on results, not your inbox, and you’ll get a lot more done.
How much time do you spend on email each day?
MY THOUGHTS
Hear! Hear! 'Email is not your job' It is your tool. By following these tips you can manage your emails, having control over them instead of the other way around. Depending on the nature of your job, I think it is best to schedule when to open and read your mails.
Friday, January 21, 2011
What is Business Etiquette?
What is Business Etiquette?
Initial Author: Mary White
The word etiquette refers to the norms and standards for behavior that govern socially acceptable behavior in a given situation. Business etiquette focuses on actions deemed appropriate in professional settings. By getting in the habit of behaving in a manner consistent with the principles related to good business etiquette, you'll be more likely to make an excellent impression on people you encounter on a daily basis.
Basic Business Etiquette Tips
Avoid Improper Cell Phone Usage
One of the most prevalent etiquette problems in the modern business world is related to cell phone usage. Too frequently, people breach proper business etiquette by leaving their telephones on during meetings; taking calls while in the middle of conversations with clients, co-workers, and even supervisors; carrying on loud cell phone conversations while in office building elevators; and using cell phones in additional inappropriate situations. With the widespread adoption of cell phone usage, many people have lost sight of the fact that the person who is in front of you at a given point in time deserves your full attention. Ignoring or postponing the person who is with you to take a call from someone else is rude, and conveys a general lack of respect. It's also disrespectful and inappropriate to inflict your telephone conversations on other people. If you want to make a positive impression, you should limit your cell phone conversations to times and places where they are not disruptive or intrusive to others.
Wear Appropriate Attire
Dressing in a manner appropriate for your company, position, and activities is essential at all times. As a professional, the image you convey sends a message to others about you and the organization you represent. When you dress in an appropriate manner, people are likely to form positive impressions about your abilities and the professionalism of the organization you represent. If your image is less than professional, however, people will assume the same is true about your abilities and actions.
Be On Time
Punctuality is an important component of business etiquette. Developing a pattern of being late or getting in the habit of keeping people waiting sends a very unprofessional message. Individuals who have the habit and reputation for punctuality tend to be viewed much more favorably by colleagues, customers, and clients than those who have problems with timeliness.
Watch Your Language
If you want people to view you as a professional, it's important to conduct yourself as a professional at all times. You should avoid using any form of profanity or swearing in business settings or when you are in the company of business associates in other environments. It's also vital to avoid telling off-color jokes of any type. Making inappropriate remarks or using language that is not appropriate in a professional environment sends a negative message about your judgment and professionalism.
Use a Proper Telephone Greeting
While there isn't one right way to answer your office or cell phone, there are certainly number of wrong ways to greet callers. When you answer the telephone, it's important to remember that the words you use and the attitude your tone of voice conveys can be the first impression you make on a new contact.
Sound professional, positive, and sincere when you answer the phone. Greet the caller, state the name of your company, follow with your name, and conclude by offering to help the caller.
Develop a Professional Handshake
In the business world, people often form initial impressions of other people based on their handshake. When you meet a new person, or greet a business associate in a formal setting, it's advisable to extend your hand and offer a firm handshake.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Don't lose sight of the fact that the way you conduct yourself is the foundation on which other people form their opinions of you. You can claim to be committed to customer service, but if you don't behave in a manner that conveys respect to your customers, you will not be seen as an effective service provider. You can tell your boss that you're ready for a promotion, but if you don't dress and act the part, you'll never be viewed as management material.
The way you behave sends a much stronger message than the words you speak. By adopting and following these basic business etiquette tips, you'll be on your way to making sure that your actions send the right messages to the right people all the time.
MY THOUGHTS
one of the things that can help us follow these business etiquette tips is to remember that we are not at home. at home, we may be given the freedom to be too relaxed. rowdy, even. but not at work. there are rules. and we can't just bring our own rules in.
Initial Author: Mary White
The word etiquette refers to the norms and standards for behavior that govern socially acceptable behavior in a given situation. Business etiquette focuses on actions deemed appropriate in professional settings. By getting in the habit of behaving in a manner consistent with the principles related to good business etiquette, you'll be more likely to make an excellent impression on people you encounter on a daily basis.
Basic Business Etiquette Tips
Avoid Improper Cell Phone Usage
One of the most prevalent etiquette problems in the modern business world is related to cell phone usage. Too frequently, people breach proper business etiquette by leaving their telephones on during meetings; taking calls while in the middle of conversations with clients, co-workers, and even supervisors; carrying on loud cell phone conversations while in office building elevators; and using cell phones in additional inappropriate situations. With the widespread adoption of cell phone usage, many people have lost sight of the fact that the person who is in front of you at a given point in time deserves your full attention. Ignoring or postponing the person who is with you to take a call from someone else is rude, and conveys a general lack of respect. It's also disrespectful and inappropriate to inflict your telephone conversations on other people. If you want to make a positive impression, you should limit your cell phone conversations to times and places where they are not disruptive or intrusive to others.
Wear Appropriate Attire
Dressing in a manner appropriate for your company, position, and activities is essential at all times. As a professional, the image you convey sends a message to others about you and the organization you represent. When you dress in an appropriate manner, people are likely to form positive impressions about your abilities and the professionalism of the organization you represent. If your image is less than professional, however, people will assume the same is true about your abilities and actions.
Be On Time
Punctuality is an important component of business etiquette. Developing a pattern of being late or getting in the habit of keeping people waiting sends a very unprofessional message. Individuals who have the habit and reputation for punctuality tend to be viewed much more favorably by colleagues, customers, and clients than those who have problems with timeliness.
Watch Your Language
If you want people to view you as a professional, it's important to conduct yourself as a professional at all times. You should avoid using any form of profanity or swearing in business settings or when you are in the company of business associates in other environments. It's also vital to avoid telling off-color jokes of any type. Making inappropriate remarks or using language that is not appropriate in a professional environment sends a negative message about your judgment and professionalism.
Use a Proper Telephone Greeting
While there isn't one right way to answer your office or cell phone, there are certainly number of wrong ways to greet callers. When you answer the telephone, it's important to remember that the words you use and the attitude your tone of voice conveys can be the first impression you make on a new contact.
Sound professional, positive, and sincere when you answer the phone. Greet the caller, state the name of your company, follow with your name, and conclude by offering to help the caller.
Develop a Professional Handshake
In the business world, people often form initial impressions of other people based on their handshake. When you meet a new person, or greet a business associate in a formal setting, it's advisable to extend your hand and offer a firm handshake.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Don't lose sight of the fact that the way you conduct yourself is the foundation on which other people form their opinions of you. You can claim to be committed to customer service, but if you don't behave in a manner that conveys respect to your customers, you will not be seen as an effective service provider. You can tell your boss that you're ready for a promotion, but if you don't dress and act the part, you'll never be viewed as management material.
The way you behave sends a much stronger message than the words you speak. By adopting and following these basic business etiquette tips, you'll be on your way to making sure that your actions send the right messages to the right people all the time.
MY THOUGHTS
one of the things that can help us follow these business etiquette tips is to remember that we are not at home. at home, we may be given the freedom to be too relaxed. rowdy, even. but not at work. there are rules. and we can't just bring our own rules in.
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