10 Tips to Avoid Email Mistakes at the Office  

Many a tale has been told about the pitfalls and foibles of electronic mail. From one CEO hitting a companywide reply-all response to a dirty joke to another employee who scripted a lawsuit full of incriminating evidence resulting in a $10-million settlement (both true stories), email has become a topic of the best and worst of times. True, we all appreciate the swiftness and efficiency of the modern-day letter, but many have lost caution along the way. Electronic mail is fast but impulsive, and autocorrect has reared a generation of sloppy typists. How can you steer clear of common mistakes?  Here are a few guidelines.

Stay away from uppercase letters
Upper-case text has become synonymous with yelling.  Whether your keypad is stuck on all caps or you just like the aesthetic of the font that way, just don’t do it. Emotions are hard to read when people do not communicate in person, so err on the safe side and assume people will read into anything and everything if it is not direct and simple. (Likewise, sarcasm is totally not appreciated in email, so avoid that as well.)

Grammar counts
Don’t rely solely on spell check or autocorrect. Sure, it is nice to have a set of virtual eyes proofing your writing, but too often software misinterprets meanings or replaces words based on an algorithm rather than the writer’s intention. Treat email correspondence as you would a handwritten letter. Assume it has staying power and can and will be forwarded and saved. Your email is a reflection of your work ethic and professionalism, so treat it that way.

To thank or not to thank – that is the question
This one is not so black and white. Some people seek validation for providing information or responding to a request while others hate the pile up of ineffective messages. The key is to know your audience and don’t be an “over-thanker” who replies to everything and constantly thanks you for thanking them and then comments “you’re welcome” when you respond. It is appropriate to acknowledge receipt of information so that the sender has some confirmation, but most often, it is appropriate to just let the sender know that you have what you need and will reach out should further action be needed.

Use “reply all” judiciously
As mentioned earlier, no one likes “group think,” and no one wants to be part of a CYOA (cover your own agenda) chain.  Group emails and the reply-all selection should be used only when all participants need to know the information/correspondence being shared. It should not be used to “subtly” loop in other parties or expose an activity or lack of activity. Everyone will see right through this. Resist the temptation. It will only reflect poorly on you.

The blind copy
Blind copies should only be used under the most necessary of conditions. Once someone is blind copied on a correspondence, he or she will get all replies if sent to the dreaded “reply-all” list, so proceed carefully. You can control what you send out, but not what is returned. The blind copy is truly code for “just so you know” type of communication. It is much better to update your party in person or send a separate email if you need to provide additional information. Pretty much everyone knows that a blind copy is an under-the-table move to make someone look bad or to protect yourself. Any act of aggression or defensiveness in business is a sign of weakness. Take the higher road, and you will travel much more smoothly.

The 2 a.m. message/weekend warrior communicator
No one likes to feel like that he or she must work off-hours, and when employees get messages after business hours or on weekends, they subconsciously feel obligated to mirror the behavior. Corporate culture starts at the top. One CEO would send very important communications on Sunday after 7:00 p.m. to test his senior team. He would even schedule 8:00 a.m. meetings for Monday to see if team members were working overtime like he was. Of course, the situation became dysfunctional. The company had three years of record declines and was ultimately sold. This is not to say that email caused the fall, but behaviors do have repercussions and are true reflections of leadership style and trust.

Less is more (AKA, save it for a meeting) 
Email is nice and convenient, but it can also be a sign of laziness. Email should never replace a phone call or in-person contact. It should also never be used in lieu of a meeting. Newcomers to the workforce are spoiled by the computer and are often branded as being poor communicators by upper management because of their reliance on the tool/technology.  Many executives will promote the need to “walk over” to a colleague, especially when he or she is within earshot of your desk. It is a healthier and better habit to get into in order to build connections and foster relationships. Because it is non-confrontational, email can be used to deliver long stories, excuses, and responses to bad news. These are often long explanations as to why something did or did not happen.  In addition, many people use email to elicit actions from others or to post a laundry list of things that people need to do, putting the burden on others to read through pages of information to find their names or action items. This tactic does not work. Never use email if what you really need is a meeting. If the situation impacts multiple people, and the topic requires a bit of dialogue, updates, or information, use the computer only to book a meeting time. In fact, most people will delete or scan lengthy emails for the sake of efficiency and will block your productivity along the way.

Skype
Sometimes in-person meetings are hard to coordinate and not realistic given today’s global and remote workforce. This is where Skype or other video conference communications can fill the void. If you are uncertain as to whether an email alone will be effective, schedule a group conference call or a video call. Both will go further in building relationships and saving time.

Think more, write less
Long emails do not earn extra points; in fact, they will work against you. You can develop a reputation of being an inbox burden if you constantly and exclusively rely on email to inform, update, solicit, and manage projects. This is a pitfall of many introverts but is a must to overcome. A company is made up of people and not machines, so we need to act accordingly. Indeed, many politicians, leaders, and business executives say that they rarely rely on email, and when they do, they use as few words as possible. It is not only a legal safeguard but also a good habit.

File, don’t hoard
Saving emails and using your inbox as a means to organize yourself is a time suck. You wind up re-reading messages, overwhelming yourself with visual clutter, and confusing yourself as to whether or not you addressed the issue over time. A best practice is to set up a system that allows you to check emails at scheduled times. Folders can be helpful, so create them for action items, project information sorted by topic, and general information. Ideally, the less you have in your inbox, the better.   One executive made a practice of emptying her inbox every night before she left the office – perhaps a lofty goal but a worthy one.

Some other guidelines you can follow regarding email and general correspondence include don’t type when angry; when in doubt, don’t send; and assume that more people than the intended recipient will see your message. The real key to effective email communication is to use the medium as it was intended – as a quick, efficient way to get messages, deliver information, and establish next steps. So don’t hide behind email; embrace it and learn from other people’s mistakes, not your own.