Memos, Email and Minuets

8/11/2019 Memos, Email and Minuets

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Routine Memos,

E-mails and Minutes


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Procedure and Information Memos

These routine messages usually flow

downward; they deliver information and

describe procedures.

Tone is important; managers seek

employee participation andcooperation.


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Characteristics of Successful

Memos and E-Mail Messages

Headings: To, From, Date, Subject

Single topic Conversational tone-Informal

Conciseness

Visual signallingHighlightingNumbersBullets


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Memo Heading

To_____________

From___________

Date___________

Subject_________

Date:_____________

To:_______________

From:_____________

Subject:__________

Date:_____________

To:_______________

From:_____________

Through:__________

Subject :__________


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Subject Line

Summarize the main idea.

Budget Meeting June 3, 10 a.m.

1. Required

2. Brief

3. Does not need to be whole sentence

4. Omit articles

5. Does not need period


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Opening

Start directly; restate and amplify the main idea.

Indirect (ineffective) opening:

This is to inform you that we must complete

the annual operating budgets shortly. Overthe past two months many supervisors have

met to discuss their departmental needs.

Direct (effective) opening:

All faculty and coordinators will meet June 3

at 10 a.m. to work out the exam policy for

their departments.


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Body

Explain and discuss the topic.

Use graphic highlighting to facilitate reading,

comprehension, and retention.

Consider columns, headings, enumerations,

bulleted lists, and so forth.


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Closing

Request action, including an end date.

Summarize the message, or

Provide a closing thought.


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Writing Plan for Memos

Closing

Requests action

Summarizes message or

Ends with a concluding statement


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Ineffective Memo

TO: All Employees

FROM: Robert Mendes

DATE: January 26, 2004

SUBJECT: Retirement Series

TO: All EmployeesFROM: Robert Mendes, Employee

Benefits Manager

DATE: January 26, 2004

SUBJECT: Retirement Planning

Series Begins March 8, 2004

Effective memo


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Ineffective Memo

We are aware that many employees do not have

sufficient data that relates to the prospect of their

retirement. Many employees who are approaching

retirement age have come to this office with specific

questions about their retirement. It would be mucheasier for us to answer all these questions at once,

and that is what we will try to do.


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Ineffective Memo

We would like to answer your questions at a

series of retirement planning sessions in the

company conference room. The first

meeting is March 8. We will start at

4 p.m., which means that the company is

giving you one hour of released time to

attend this important session. We will meet

from 4 to 6 p.m. when we will stop for

dinner. We will begin again at 7 p.m. and

finish at 8 p.m.


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Ineffective Memo

We have arranged for three speakers. They

are: our company benefits supervisor, afinancial planner, and a psychologist who

treats retirees who have mental problems.

The three sessions are planned for:March 8, April 4, and May 1.


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Improved Memo

Employees who are thinking about retirement are invited to

attend a series of retirement planning sessions beginning

March 8.

Because many employees are approaching

retirement age and because they have

questions about specific retirementproblems, we have arranged this series.


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Improved Memo

The speakers include our company benefits

supervisor, a financial planner, and a psychologist who workswith retirees.

The company is providing released time sothat interested employees may attend this

important series in the company conference

room. Three sessions are planned: March 8,

April 4, and May 1. They will last from 4 to 8

p.m. with a one-hour dinner break at 6 p.m.


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Improved Memo

To begin planning your successful and

rewarding retirement, attend the first

session March 8. Call me at Ext. 345 before

March 1 to let me know if you will attend.


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Writing

E-mails


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Communicating in the New

World of E-Mail

To succeed, you must be able to: Express yourself concisely and quickly.

Compose at the keyboard. Understand ethics, courtesy, and privacy issuesrelating to e-mail.

Develop confidence in using e-mail systems.

Think globally.

Use time management in prioritizing e-mail messages.

Write in an error-free style.


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Avoid email when

Discussing confidential or sensitive matters

Writing about something that may be

misinterpreted Anger or disappointment may color the tone of

your message

Immediate or quick attention is needed; e.g., a

spontaneous meeting You have to be absolutely sure your message was

received; e.g., policy change


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Composing email messages

Headings Subjects

Salutation

Body

Closing


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Composing email messages

Match your conversational style

Use one mail for one message. It makes replying,

sorting, and filing much easier. Keep messages short; computer screens are hard to

read

Use paragraphs and white space to help the reader

Type in sentence case. All uppercase is hard to readand equates to yelling


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Composing email messages Avoid unusual formats, rich text, HTML (see the

next slide)

Use good business writing guidelines fororganization, grammar, spelling, punctuation.Email creates an image about who you are

Proofread and edit all messages

Keep your readers email skills in mind.Unfortunately, not all readers know they can

change their views, open a message, or that thescroll bar helps to read long message.


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Openings and closings

Match the tone of your message just as youwould in a letter

Maintain professionalism If in doubt, use a more formal approach

Hello vs. Hey

Dear Mr. Soandso vs. no salutation Thanks

Sincerely


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Common courtesy

Use please and thank you liberally Do not expect immediate answers

Copy only those who reallyneed to know

Do not forward mail that might embarrass the

original sender Do not overuse abbreviations, emoticons, quotes,

capital letters, punctuation

Do not use reply all unless reallynecessary

Dont send or forward junk mail


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Email is not private or secure

Do not send confidential information Do not send credit card, social security,

purchase order, and similar numbers

Do not send any message that you wouldntwant appearing on the front page of anewspaper

Be aware that deleted messages may resideon the server for long time


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Replying to others

Respond in a timely fashion Use reply all judiciously

Respond only if needed

Maintain conversation threads by using reply

instead of making a new message

Use quotes (>) to indicate specific material fromthe previous message

Quote from the last mail > agree to hire a temp? Your answer to the question: Yes, I do.


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Attachments

Attachments can be: documents, spreadsheets,text files, images, Acrobat PDF files, WAV files,data files

Different platforms/systems may show different

format results The receiver of the message must own the

software required to open an attachment

Attachments on forwarded messages may not

stay attached Be careful of file sizes; use zip files for extra large

attachments


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Managing your mail

Avoid printing emails unnecessarily. Set upan electronic filing system

Delete read mail regularly from the in box

to improve system efficiency Delete unnecessary sent mail

Use appropriate views to help keep your mailprivate in open office situations


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Smart E-Mail Practices

Get the address right.

Avoid misleading subject lines.

Be concise.

Do not send anything you wouldnt wantpublished.

Do not use e-mail to avoid contact.

Never respond when you are angry.


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Smart E-Mail Practices

Care about correctness.

Resist humour and tongue-in-cheek

comments.

Use design elements to improve readability of

longer messages.

Consider cultural differences.

Protect against e-mail break-ins.


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Writing MINUTES


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What are minutes?

short notes taken to provide a record of a

conference or a meeting

permanent and formal record of what happened

summary of discussion and action items


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What do minutes contain?

key points of discussions

actions to be taken

assignments given

deadlines


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Minutes help you check:

if you have stuck to what has been decided

if you have completed your tasks in due time

if you have taken proper actions

if you have progressed with your task

if your participation has been active

which ideas you have contributed


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Minutes help to find out:

what was discussed in a meeting

who was involved in the discussion

if the meeting was efficient, and progress achieved

responsibilities for implementing certain actions

deadlines


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Writing Minutes of Meetings About minutes

Can be defined as a written record of thebusiness transacted at a meeting.

z May well have some legal and authoritative force.

z Must summarize the major contributions to thediscussion in such a way that each speakersinteractions are recorded

z Must be clear about what the speaker meant,not just what the individual said

z The process of minutes writing is a process ofinterpretation, not just repetition


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Writing Minutes of Meetings (contd)

Elements to be included in a minutes:

1. Heading(including where and when the meeting washeld)

2. Present(who was there)3. Apologies of Absence

4. Minutes of the previous meeting(note any correctionsand state the minutes were accepted as a true recordof the meeting [with the above corrections, where

applicable])5. Statements of what actually occurredat the meeting

6. Any Other Business(AOB)

7. Who was the chairpersonand who the secretary

8. The time the meeting adjournedand when the next

meeting is to take place


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Writing Minutes of Meetings (contd)

Types of minutes writing:

Narrative minutesA summary of the discussion leading up to a decision.

Useful for meetings that a more detailed record of the discussion

preferable.Resolution minutes

Actual resolutions are emphasized, but only give briefdetails of the discussion itself.

Opinions stated, conflicts among members and

disagreements are treated off-record.Action minutes

Record the decision made on the issue and the action (what)to be taken (by whom) and (when).


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Distribution of Meeting Minutes

Send the minutes the next day

Copy all relevant individuals

Make sure the chair person approves the

minutes Update the status of issues

Provide updated minutes to meeting

attendants prior to follow up meetings


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THE END

Documents

Memos, Email and Minuets