I was recently asked by a friend and colleague to offer advice she might share with emerging female leaders in the public relations field.
Please see part I of my advice, which focused on interpersonal communication. Part II focuses on effective communication using email.
Use email appropriately.
- Do not email your colleagues and then go to their offices to tell them that you just emailed them. They can read, and they will see your email message when they are ready.
- If someone copies others on an email message, reply to all if appropriate. The others were copied for a reason.
- Maintain email trails. If your boss sends you a message with the subject line of “Need your ideas for the client meeting on Monday,” respond from that email message with your ideas. There is no reason for you to start a new email trail with the subject line of “Here are my ideas for the client meeting on Monday.”
Using email appropriately may be the least challenging aspect of your job. Therefore, if you cannot follow simple email protocol, your boss may think you cannot handle more challenging aspects of your position. Email is a wonderful communication tool, yet it is a tool that is often misused.
How do you use email effectively? How have you seen others misuse email to communicate?
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