How many times have you responded to an email in a salty mood, and thought you were successful in hiding your frustration? Your mood can easily come through in your written communication as it does in person. A missing word, can come across as curt, and too many as patronizing. The one great advantage you have with email vs. face to face, is time – time to let the mood pass and see things more objectively; time to be more mindful in choosing your words and your tone. This is a plus, so use it to your advantage. Here are a few tips that will help to keep the peace with your colleagues.
If you’re angry, feeling snarky, in a bitchy mood , finish the draft and let it sit for 24 hours if possible, then review and edit. It will be a much different tone. You don’ want to send something you will regret and unable to take back, worse off to save face you might try to tell the recipient that they are taking the email in the wrong context – that only makes you look bad twice.
Once you’ve gotten past your frustration you should also consider the words you use. Keeping your audience in mind is important – personal, colleague, potential client or acquaintance. Slang, and short form text keeps things light and fun, it’s all right for personal communication but keep it out of your business emails. Sometimes you develop an ease with a colleague where you have a fun and light way of communicating, and that works sometimes, but you should try to write in standard English. After all, it’s your workplace and it will forever be on the company server readily accessible by the powers that be.
