NCET: Business. Technology. Events.

NCET produces educational and networking events to help people explore business and technology.

NCET is a member-supported non-profit that produces educational and networking events to help people explore business and technology.

  • NCET Event Calendar
  • Join NCET
  • Business Resources
    • Nevada Business Support Ecosystem Chart
    • Guide to Starting and Growing a Business in Nevada
  • About
    • Contact
    • NCET’s Board of Directors
    • NCET’s Awards
    • E-mail Policy
  • NCET Columns
  • Reno Startup Digest Calendar
  • Tech Wednesdays
  • Biz Cafe
  • Biz Bite
  • Special Events
  • Tech Awards
  • NCET Expo

4 business email etiquette tips

May 15, 2016 by Matt Brown

By Jim Annis

“As I said before, I’m sorry if this touches a nerve because I just know you people never read this column all the way to the end.” – The Annoying One

JimAnnis-RGJHow did you react? The sentence encapsulates everything that can go wrong in workplace email communication. It floors us how much energy we spend (as HR experts) daily on adjudicating the damage that poorly written or poorly thought out emails cause. Are your emails driving business to your company, or sending people running to a competitor? How do you ensure a positive outcome? Set the bar high. Establish an expectation that open, honest and appropriate communication is mandatory.

We are so email-heavy that we have to nitpick down to the detail. Our employees need to be good at email, because largely that is our product. What is the percentage of job function that email captures at your company? Here are some high level points to share with your employees at your next office meeting or training:

Bullets: Bullet points and numbered lists are easier to read, creating structure and white space. Recipients appreciate the option to comment on individual issues. Arranging bullets carefully prevents endless email chains if you ask for a specific action, versus leaving open-ended thoughts.

Language: Words like “just,” “you” (accusatory), “but” and “I said” create trouble fast. Absolutes like “never” and “always” tend to polarize. Calling out someone by name or throwing them under the bus will be counterproductive; instead, use broad language to focus on action-oriented quality improvement process. Say sorry when you mean it to ensure the genuine nature of the apology remains intact.

Edit and proofread: Check the overall structure and flow to ensure easy understanding and appropriate response. Spell- and grammar-check are essential, even for short messages.

Tone: Emotionally provoking language alters perceived meaning even if your words are “perfect.” To set the appropriate tone, ask yourself this question: Who are you in this email? Adult, parent or child? A great frame of reference is a structure created by Eric Berne called transactional analysis. This method for studying interactions between individuals asserts that a single individual can display three “states of being.” I bet you’ve been all three in one email at some point:

  • Adult: Reasonable, logical, rational, non-threatening, non-threatened
  • Parent: (Positive) Keeping safe, nurturing, calming and supportive. (Negative) Controlling, patronizing, critical and finger-pointing.
  • Child: (Positive) Curious, playful, spontaneous and creative. (Negative) Rebellious, tantrums, difficult and insecure.

If you can get to your “email adult,” smooth communication results. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Test that. Go to your sent files and analyze them. Are you wagging a parental finger? Giving marching orders? Whining that it was not your fault?

The goal is to mirror what we would like to see from others. The more polished we can be, the hope is that we will receive that level of professionalism back.

Jim Annis is president/CEO of The Applied Companies, which provide HR solutions for today’s workplace. Celeste Johnson, Applied’s COO, contributed to this article.

Filed Under: NCET Tagged With: Business, edit, email, etiquette, Jim Annis, language, Nevada, The Applied Companies, tone

  • NCET Event Calendar
  • Join NCET and Save!
  • Read Latest NCET Newsletter
  • Subscribe to NCET Newsletter
  • Sponsor an NCET Event

NCET Corporate Members

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • rss
  • youtube
  • Instagram
  • Snapchat

4th Annual State of Digital Marketing | Nov 2019

image

Click on image for more photos
Photos courtesy of Chris Thigpen - Ace Studios

Milena Regos | Nov Biz Cafe

image

Click on image for more photos
Photos courtesy of Dave Siegel at Insight Studio

Dorinda’s Chocolates | Nov Tech Wed

image

Click on image for more photos
Photos courtesy of Dave Siegel | Insight Studio Inc.

Amber Barnes | Oct Biz Bite

image

Click on image for more photos
Photos courtesy of Ace Studios

Member Login / Directory

Email Password

Executive Corporate Members

Atlantis Casino Resort Spa

Eide Bailly LLP

McDonald Carano

Prominence Health Plan


Corporate Members
BBSI
BluePeak Technology Solutions
Comstock Insurance Agencies, Inc.
Entrepreneurs' Organization Reno Tahoe
Gibson & Associaties
Holland & Hart
KPS3
Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development
PBS Reno
Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern
Reno Tahoe USA
Sierra Pacific Federal Credit Union
Zazzle

Chairman’s Circle

Randy Brown – AT&T

Gary Owens – Owens Technology

Stephanie Small – Blanchard, Krasner & French

Danny Weibel – Arrow Electronics

 

President’s Circle

Eddie Ableser – Tri-Strategies Government Relations
Tray Abney – Abney Tauchen Group
Keith Anderson – Trinity Applied Internet
Dana Bennett – Nevada Mining Association
Mikalee Byerman – Estipona Group
Travis Clark – Albright & Associates, Ltd.
Jono Devich
Brett Edmunds – Integrity1BBS
Emil Geiger – Geiger Engineering
Maria Gerlinger – CoStar Group Inc.
Bob Goff – Sierra Angels
John Graham – Northern Nevada Living
Tim Grant – Business Solution Providers
Kimberly Hulse – Employers Insurance
Wendy Hummer – EXL Media 
Ron Justin – GroupGets LLC
John Kleppe
Sena Loyd – Carson City Library
Melissa Marsh – HRinDemand
Carol Nicholson – Homewood Suites by Hilton
Ryan Oro – EdgeCore Internet Real Estate
Robert Phillips – Sierra Capital Management Group
Jeff Rizzo – The Slumber Yard
Marco Romero – Biz-Net
Steve Schroeder – Experilytics
Lea Tauchen – Abney Tauchen Group
David Taylor – Microsoft
Justin Thomsen – Slate Accounting
Kyle Whaley – Plumas Bank
Abbi Whitaker – Abbi Public Relations
Peter Williamson – ActionCOACH
Arthur Zorio – Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Copyright © 2010 - 2019 · NCET - Nevada's Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

Copyright © 2019 · Outreach Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in