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Saw this drivel on Harvard Business Review today about “compassionate email cultures” — I thought we killed email? Isn’t that why Salesforce bought Slack? — and I almost took a giant dump on my laptop, which paradoxically might have increased the value of what I normally do with my laptop.
First off, the author gets on the cross about Inbox Zero within 2–3 lines, which makes me gag. I’ve had Inbox Zero for the better part of 12 years. It’s not that hard. Use folders wisely. Thank u, next.
Then they lay out some “rules” for email etiquette, including →
- Curate and focus your recipient list before you hit send. Does everyone really need to be on the thread? Remove anyone unnecessary; they can always be added later.
- Write succinctly and in an organized fashion. The content of every message should be clear and specific: What’s the question, the request you need approved, or the information you need to deliver?
- Apply situational awareness. Ask yourself: Does this conversation really need to happen over email? Could it be a phone or video call instead? Many messages can be deferred until the next casual conversation or routine scheduled meeting.
LOL. ROFL. I just died a little bit.