Effective Communication

Making Sure Your Messages are Understood and Acted Upon

A word about communication

We hear a lot about it from our managers since day 1 at work.

They seem touched a lot by this matter. Even overreacting sometimes.

So what’s the catch?

What is the catch?

For youIt get's your stuff done (sometimes even by others )It get's stuff done the way YOU see it It get's you respected by others (when properly done and

based on the competency) When its verbal it can save you from reading senseless

pages of nagging and Ping-Pong in the e-mail

What is the catch?

For your managerHe can better understand what happened (amazing, yes?! ).He can be sure that situation is under your control (or

maybe you need help)He can collect valuable data that will help build better career

path for you.Managers work a lot with information. So the better

information quality he gets – the more grateful he is

What is the catch?

For your colleagues and team-matesPeople always respect the ones who are good in

explanations.Also they respect ones that have a weighted professional

opinion and can protect it.People get along better with ones they respect. It’s much

easier to respect person which is easy to speak with.Foreign colleagues build their image of us by the way we

communicate.○ As well as we do.

Bottom line Communication is essential tool in our job. Good skills at it are giving all involved people

(including yourself) a pleasure to work with… and makes you a clever, professional, on point and trustworthy person

Communication skills have big influence on your image and why not, may influence your performance review and salary revise.

A newspaper headline has two functions: It grabs your attentionIt tells you what the article is about.

Email subject lines need to do exactly the same thing!

For a message that needs a response, you might want to include a call to action, such as "Please reply by November 7".

Subject Lines are Headlines.

Examples

Bad Example

Subject: Meeting

Hi Jim,

I just wanted to remind you about the meeting we have scheduled next week. Do let me know if you have any questions!

Best wishes,

Mark

Examples

Good Example

Subject: Reminder of 10am Meeting Sched. 10/05 on PASS Process.

Hi Jim,

I just wanted to remind you about the meeting we have scheduled for Monday, October 5, at 10:00am. It's being held in conference room A, and we'll be discussing the new PASS Process.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch.

Best Wishes,

Mark

Using EOM Headlines

When you have a very short message to convey, you can use the EOM, or End Of Message, technique.

This is possible when you can put all the relevant information in the subject line, followed by the letters "EOM".

This lets the recipient know that he or she doesn't even have to open the email; all the information is right there.

The subject line is the message!

Example

Subject: 10/5 Meeting, 10am, Conf. Rm. A, On PASS Procedure <EOM>

Make One Point per Email

One of the advantages of email compared with traditional letters is that it doesn't cost any more to

send several emails than it does to send one.

So,

if you need to communicate with someone about a number of different things, consider writing a separate email on each subject.

If you do want to put several points in an email - perhaps because they relate to the same project - consider presenting each point in a separate, numbered paragraph.

Examples

Bad Example

Subject: Revisions For Sales Report

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for sending in that report last week. I read through it yesterday and feel that you need more specific information regarding our sales figures in Chapter 2. I also felt that the tone could be a bit more formal.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I've scheduled a meeting with the PR department for this Friday, regarding the new ad campaign.

Thanks!

Monica

Examples

Good Example 1

Subject: Revisions For Sales Report

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for sending in that report last week. I read through it yesterday and feel that you need more specific information regarding our sales

figures in Chapter 2. I also felt that the tone could be a bit more formal. The report is

going to be read by our Executive Team, and needs to reflect our professionalism.

Thanks for your hard work on this!

Monica

Examples

Good Example 2

Subject: Friday 10/9, 11am Meeting w/PR Dept

Hi Jackie,

I wanted to let you know that I've scheduled a meeting with the PR department for this Friday, 10/9, regarding the new ad campaign.

It's at 11:00am, and will be in the small conference room. Please let me know if you can make that time.

Thanks!

Monica

Examples

Good Example 3

Subject: 3 Day Return badge on stage

Victor and Vasyl – I have several questions for you, and I’m hoping you’d be able to answer based on the code that you’ve implemented on TM+ badge on the EDP header.

1. What is the behavior if both the 3-day return and Resale are enabled for an event?

2. If one of the badges trump the other, how does it know which one takes precedence?

3. What would happen if the event is not enabled with Resale, and 3-day return policy is programmed for the event?

Thanks,

Suzanne

Specify the Response You Want

Make sure to include any call to action you want, such as answer on question, prepare some report, do some investigation, a phone call or follow-up appointment.

Make sure you include your contact information, including your name, title, Skype, alternative email and phone numbers.

Do this even with internal messages.

Remember, the easier you make it for someone else to respond, the more likely they are to do so!

Examples

Bad Example 1

Subject: Proposal

Lynn,

Did you get my proposal last week? I haven't heard back and wanted to make sure.

Can you please call me so we can discuss?

Thanks!

Peter

Examples

Good Example 1

Subject: Checking On Reliable Landscapes Proposal

Dear Lynn,

I just wanted to check that you have received the landscaping proposal I emailed to you last week. I haven't heard back and wanted to make sure it went through.

Can you please call me by Thursday so we can discuss? This is when our discount offer expires, and I want to make sure you don't miss it!

The quickest way to contact me is by cell phone.

Thanks!

Peter Schuell, Owner

Reliable Landscaping, Inc.

555.135.4598 (office)

555.135.2929 (cell)

Examples

Bad Example 2

Subject: Issue on QA10

Team,

I found some strange behavior. Please see the screenshot attached below.

Thanks!

Peter

Examples

Good Example 2

Subject: Footer unexpected behavior during checkout on QA10

Hi Team,

During primary tickets checkout I have observed unexpected behavior of the footer links. Can someone please take a look at it and let me know whether we need to log bug on it?

For details please see the screenshot attached below.

Thanks!

Peter, eComm QA

Be a Good Correspondent

Make sure that you go through your inbox regularly and respond as appropriate.

This is a simple act of courtesy and will also serve to encourage others to reply to your emails in a timely manner.

If a detailed response is required to an email, and you don't have the time to pull together the information straight away or sender request some actions from your side (e.g. defect investigation) Send a holding reply saying that you have received the

message Indicate when you will respond fully

Be a Good Correspondent

How frequently you should check your mail? This will depend on the nature of your work, but try to avoid interrupting a task you're working on to check your mail, simply because you wonder if something interesting has come in.

Always set your Out of Office agent when you're going to be away from your email for a day or more, whether on leave or because you're at meetings.

Tips and Tricks

1. Remember to KISS (Keep it simple, stupid)

2. Skip the Whole Story – Stick to the Facts.

3. Summarize all the most important in the beginning

4. Text Message Trick (SMS)

5. Avoid Excessive Compliments

6. Format your message so that it is easy to read.

7. Put important information in bold

8. Break your text into paragraphs

9. Limit abbreviations

10. Use a simple font and layout

Tips and Tricks

1. Don't include your entire team or your boss on every e-mail you send. Be selective.

2. Don't send large attachments unless absolutely necessary

3. Don't send e-mail when you're emotional.

4. Don’t write ALL IN CAPS.

5. Don't try to be funny, especially to a mixed audience.

6. Check your grammar and punctuation.

7. Check also for tone, attitude, nuance, and other subtleties.

Questions?