Two times is enough! Rounds of Email Messages, That Is…
Frustrated that things are not progressing fast enough on an issue or project? Too many emails? Responses not fast enough, or worse, off the mark?
Here’s your solution: Pick up the phone!
I like to call this the two ’round rule. Once each person has sent his or her second clarifying email on the subject, it’s time to talk. Simple as that.
Let’s remember that the more email without actual conversation, the less real communication is happening. We lose up to 80% of our communicating effectiveness when we lose voice inflection and body language. So it is no surprise that the more back and forth emails, the more chance for misunderstanding or even anger to evolve.
Picking up the phone does several things:
1. It allows your tone of voice to accentuate the important points of your discussion
2. It allows more communication. We talk 4 times faster than we write, so we can convey more information in the same time that it takes to compose an email message.
3. You’ll actually accomplish something!
And I didn’t say that you had to even connect with the person, voice mail allows a better communication than an email.
So, next time you feel frustrated with email ping pong, let your fingers do the dialing!
