在商界,,與面對面交流甚至打電話相比,,電子郵件溝通造成誤解的概率要更高,。不幸的是,電子郵件還是專業(yè)人士交流的主要工具之一,。有時,,它會導致嚴重的問題和困惑,而這本是可以避免的,。 盡管面對面交流或打電話都是更好的選擇,,但有時卻并不現(xiàn)實。電子郵件往往更快,,也不容易打擾他人,。那么,既然所有人都同意電子郵件是商業(yè)溝通的一種可行方式,,我們就應當注意培養(yǎng)自己發(fā)郵件的技巧,。 用電子郵件溝通的危險 在深入探討怎樣減少犯錯,掌握發(fā)郵件的藝術之前,,我們先簡單看看職場中電子郵件帶來的四大危險和風險,,了解一下這種媒介的棘手之處,。 ? 語意不明,。電子郵件通訊的最大危險在于語意不明。收件人無從得知發(fā)件人的語調(diào)變化和肢體表達,。這使得識別諷刺,、興奮和其他可能的情感變得極為困難。 ? 充滿錯誤,。我們在寫郵件時常常會分心,。當你同時忙著處理小智能手機和小屏幕上的工作時,發(fā)出的郵件很可能錯漏百出,。這會讓郵件顯得很不專業(yè),,容易造成誤解。 ? 拖延決定,。盡管電子郵件會立刻發(fā)到收件人的郵箱中,,但這并不意味著收件人會馬上點開它。郵件往往得在幾個小時之后才被看到,,某些情況下這已經(jīng)太晚了,。 ? 丟失信息。我們永遠不知道電子郵件去了哪里,,它們可能會丟失,,有時候還確實丟失了。本應被送到的郵件如果沒有進入收件人的郵箱,,有時會導致嚴重的后果,。 如果你已經(jīng)在商界混跡數(shù)年,,上述危險你可能都至少經(jīng)歷過一次。這只證明一點:提高交流能力是如今職場的重中之重,。 提高郵件效果的建議和方案 那么,,我們怎樣才能把這些風險降到最低,讓郵件更加有效呢,?以下是一些建議: ? 給郵件起一個引人注目的標題,。郵件的標題十分重要。如果你希望自己的郵件被更快打開,,就必須在這方面做得更有策略一些,。一個辦法是以號召的口吻來寫標題。與其用“約翰遜項目”作為標題,,不如試試“請在下午3點前批準約翰遜項目”,。 ? 增加提示。所有郵件平臺都有一項服務,,讓你在發(fā)送郵件前確認一遍,。這個簡單的彈出窗口可以讓你避免很多麻煩,迫使你迅速檢查一遍你寫的內(nèi)容,。 ? 簡明扼要,。冗長的郵件效果不好。人們通常只會快速瀏覽郵件,,尋找重要信息,,為什么不用他們希望的格式呢?以一個簡單的介紹開頭,,然后列出關鍵點,。 ? 避免機密。Emily Post Institute的主任彼得·波斯特表示,,你應當避免在郵件中討論機密信息,,即使你認為只有你和收件人才能看到郵件。萬一郵件發(fā)錯了人,,你就要面對嚴重的后果了,。 ? 不要夾帶情緒。一封憤怒的郵件比一個憤怒的電話更加糟糕,。因為郵件是永久的,。一旦你按下發(fā)送鍵,這封郵件就可以被分享,、打印并永久儲存,。如果你發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的郵件很情緒化,就從桌子邊站起來,,在大廳里走一會再回來,。這個簡單的休息方法很多時候會讓你重新評估后果,。 ? 重視簽名。你的郵件簽名十分重要,。The Book Bank Foundation的麗莎·蔡司·帕特森表示:“有件事我一直在跟客戶說,,就是在郵件簽名中附上自己所有的聯(lián)系方式,以及頭銜,、公司名,、社交媒體和網(wǎng)站,這樣人們就能對他們和他們的公司有一個整體的了解,?!?/p> 按照這些簡單的建議,你可以徹底改變發(fā)郵件的方式,。這些建議不會完全讓你規(guī)避風險,,不過它們絕對可以幫助你改善溝通方式,避免尷尬的失態(tài),,降低你把事情弄糟的概率,。(財富中文網(wǎng)) 譯者:嚴匡正 |
Compared to face-to-face communication or even telephone calls, emails are prone to a high rate of miscommunication in the business world. Unfortunately, email also happens to be one of the primary forms of communication among professionals. This sometimes leads to serious issues and confusion that could otherwise be avoided. While it’s almost always better to have a conversation in person or over the phone, it’s not always practical. Emails are generally quicker and less intrusive. So, if everyone is in agreement that email is a viable form of business communication, then we have to turn our attention towards how we can become better at the art of emailing. The Dangers of Email Communication Before delving into some of the ways you can become better at reducing errors and mastering email, let’s briefly look at four of the biggest dangers and risks of email in the workplace to get an idea of just how tricky of a medium it can be. ? Lost in translation. The number one danger of email communication is a lack of translation. When the recipient doesn’t have the luxury of hearing inflection or watching body expressions, it’s extremely challenging to discern the difference between sarcasm, excitement, and other possible emotions. ? Filled with errors. When we write emails, we’re often distracted. And when you combine multitasking with small smartphones and tiny screens, the chances of sending emails with typos and errors are incredibly high. This results in unprofessional and misconstrued emails. ? Delayed decisions. While an email may show up in the recipient’s inbox immediately, this doesn’t mean they’ll open it right away. Emails often don’t get viewed until hours later, which may be too late in some situations. ? Lost messages. While we’ll never know where they go–emails can and do get lost on occasion. When an email that’s supposed to get sent doesn’t arrive in the recipient’s inbox, sometimes there can be serious consequences If you’ve been in the business world for a few years, you’ve likely experienced all of these dangers at least once. This simply proves that the need to become better at communicating is an extremely important one in today’s professional landscape. Tips and Solutions for More Effective Emailing So, how can we minimize these risks and increase the efficacy of email? Here are a handful of tips: ? Write a compelling subject line. The subject line of your email is very important. If you want your emails to be opened quicker, then you must be strategic in your approach. One idea is to actually write the subject in a call-to-action format. So instead of using a title like “Johnson Project,” use a subject like “Approve the Johnson Project by 3 pm.” ? Enable prompts. Every email platform has an option that you can enable that will actually prompt you to review any message before sending. This simple pop-up window can save you a lot of trouble and forces you to quickly review what you wrote. ? Get to the point. Long-winded emails aren’t very effective. People typically end up scanning emails for the important information anyway, so why not give it to them in a format they want. Start with a very brief intro and then provide bullet points. ? Be cautious with confidential info. You should always refrain from discussing confidential information in an email–even if you think the email is just between you and the recipient, says Peter Post, director of the Emily Post Institute. Should the email end up in the wrong hands, you could face serious repercussions. ? Never email angry. An angry email is so much worse than an angry phone call. The reason is that email is permanent. Once you hit the send button, that email can be shared, printed, and saved indefinitely. If you ever find yourself about to send an emotional email, stand up from your desk, walk down the hall, and come back. Many times, this simple break will force you to reevaluate. ? Maximize your signature. Your email signature is very important. Lisa Chase Patterson of The Book Bank Foundation says, “One thing I always tell clients is to include all of their contact information in their signature, as well as their title, company name, social media and websites, so that people have access to a total view of them and their company.” By following these simple suggestions, you can completely transform your approach to email. These tips won’t completely eliminate risks, but they can certainly help you improve your communication, avoid embarrassing gaffes, and decrease your chances of messing up. |