Think about this the next time you send out an email: there are 294 billion messages per day, which means more than 2.8 million emails are sent every second, and some 90 trillion emails are sent per year. Around 90% of these millions and trillions of message are but spam and viruses. The genuine emails are sent by around 1.9 billion users. (Source: Radicati Group)
And yet, it only takes 1 email to ruin your day or week. One email that shouldn’t have been sent. One email that was misread or misinterpreted can ruin a relationship or keep you up at night worrying about what you said or did not say in the email.
I know I don’t have to preach to you about being appropriate when you write an email. You are professional and smart, and caring about your relationships. And yet as a coach I frequently hear about a devastating aftermath of the one sent or received email that has ruined your business day and your relationship with someone you work with or work for. I think it’s time to stop the email torture.
What I suggest to you is that you think about how you are using email and what you want to accomplish with it. Email is tremendously useful in setting appointments, exchanging information, photos, and commenting on ongoing projects. It allows for rapid information giving and receiving. It allows us to go around the world in a few seconds. What it isn’t useful for is handling sensitive and/or important topics that require your presence. By presence I am talking about you listening and exchanging ideas with another human being.
If you have something sensitive to say, give people the respect they deserve by either meeting with them or by calling them on the telephone. When you talk to someone in person there is something about being present, and even on the telephone, that can soothe hurt feelings and also give both parties an opportunity to work with each other instead of against each other.
–Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
