How to Communicate Calmly Using Email
- 1). Make the tone in your messages conversational but professional. Do your best to keep your emotions out of the email -- don't write it when you are angry or hurt, or you will be tempted to vent instead of effectively communicating your frustrations. Wait until you have calmed down to reread and then send the message. Never "shout" -- that is, write in all capital letters -- in an email. This can be considered very offensive.
- 2). Be clear and concise about the information you are relaying. Tell the recipient what she needs to know and provide as much as detail as necessary -- a good guideline is imagining how you would say something to a person if you were face to face with them. Beyond that, don't keep elaborating or you run the risk of repeating yourself or veering off topic.
- 3). Stick to one topic in your message. If a situation is already tense, you could make it worse by bringing up unrelated grievances or subjects that have nothing to do with the conversation. It's better to send a short email that says all you need it to say than to write a longer one filled with information that isn't important.
- 4). Refrain from using sarcasm. It doesn't help when an argument is occurring in person -- and dropping in a snide remark instead of sticking to the facts can further irritate a reader. It's best to avoid humor as well since it doesn't always translate in an email, and the recipient could be upset that you are making jokes about a serious matter, even if you're doing it in an attempt to lighten things up.
- 5). Volunteer to be a part of the solution. Make suggestions or indicate that you are open to hearing other people's ideas on how to resolve the problem. Take responsibility for whatever actions on your part created the situation in a professional, non-demeaning way -- a simple statement like, "I apologize for any inconvenience that my failure to meet the deadline caused you" is effective.
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