Becoming Our Best
THE E-MAIL QUANDARY
For some time now I have been watching the evening news and reading in the newspapers about difficulties people have experienced because of e-mails they wrote which were later publicized. This situation seems to result from the writer’s thought that e-mail is just another form of personal conversation which doesn’t require proper spelling, punctuation or concern about who might hear or read it later.
But there is a big difference. I believe that nearly every e-mail we write is stored in a computer somewhere, and each of them could be accessed and publicized to the whole world. Just imagine having all your private e-mail conversations, shown verbatim on the evening news or in a newspaper. That’s scary!
So what might we do to use e-mail more safely, securely and effectively? Here are a few ideas:
• Remember when writing your e-mail that it may be someday be read by family, friends, co-workers and enemies.
• Use accepted standards of sentence structure and spelling so that you look as intelligent as you are.
• Re-read what you have written from the viewpoint of someone who doesn’t understand very well. Then re-write for complete clarity.
• Check one final time for spelling and punctuation.
E-mail is now an integral part of our business and personal lives. It is an excellent tool for instant communication, and for a legal record of our agreements. Use it wisely and it will be a great friend. Use it unwisely and beware of the negative consequences.
Author: Bruce Johnsen Management Consultant:
824 Munras Ave Suite G
Monterey, CA 93940
831-373-5969
bruce@brucejohnsen.com
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