14 dos and don’ts that can improve how you communicate via email

14 Dos and Don’ts That Can
Improve How You
Communicate via Email
David Grossman,
ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
Founder & CEO
@ThoughtPartner© 2015 The Grossman Group

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
© 2015 The Grossman Group
David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA helps leaders drive productivity and get the results
they want through authentic and courageous leadership communication, a sought-after
speaker and advisor to Fortune 500 leaders. A two-time author, David is CEO of The
Grossman Group, an award-winning Chicago-based strategic leadership development and
internal communication consultancy; clients include: DuPont Pioneer, Eastman Chemical
Company, Lockheed Martin, McDonald’s, Motel 6 and Tyco, to name a few.
A frequent media source for his expert commentary and analysis on employee and
leadership issues, David was recently featured on “NBC Nightly News,” CBS MoneyWatch,
WSJ.com, TODAY.com, in the Chicago Tribune and the LA Times.
He’s the author of the highly-acclaimed books, “You Can’t NOT Communicate: Proven
Communication Solutions That Power the Fortune 100,” and its follow-up, “You Can’t NOT
Communicate 2.” His latest book, “No Cape Needed: The Simplest, Smartest, Fastest Steps
To Improve How You Communicate By Leaps and Bounds” is out now.
@ThoughtPartner
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@ThoughtPartner
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I’ve seen countless examples of email
blunders and misuse. I think we all have.
So before you risk being in the “ignored” (or
worse, “deleted”) category, think hard about
what it will take to communicate effectively
and whether email is the best way to deliver
your message to best engage employees.
Let’s break down the “DOs” and the
“DON’Ts”…

DOsGood common practices to
keep in mind while emailing.
@ThoughtPartner
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@ThoughtPartner 5
DON’TsEmail habits to avoid
and dispose of

DO
Keep your
emails brief
@ThoughtPartner 6© 2015 The Grossman Group
If you need to cover several topics, summarize the important
points in the first paragraph and provide highlights with
subheads and brief introductions that link to attachments or
intranet pages for more information.

@ThoughtPartner 7
Don’t
Email personal
or confidential
information
Emails live on forever and can be forwarded, shared,
copied and subpoenaed. Don’t share anything in an
email that you would not want to see on the front page of
a newspaper or the Jumbotron in Times Square.

@ThoughtPartner 8
DO Share key content
in the subject line
The subject line will help recipients screen and prioritize email
in their inboxes. Specify “Action needed” or “Reply
requested” when you need an immediate response.

@ThoughtPartner 9
Don’t
Send
unnecessary
business emails
Being the source of unnecessary or excessive emails puts you at risk
of being ignored now and in the future. Don’t send something by
email unless it’s needed, especially if information is repeated in
other internal communications vehicles. (“Reply-all” messages also
fall into this category!)

@ThoughtPartner 10
DO
Target the
right people
Limit email communications to those for whom the topic is
relevant. Use group lists only if information is meaningful for the
entire group. Copy supervisors or managers on emails sent to
their employee reports so they can be ready to answer
questions as needed.

@ThoughtPartner 11
Don’t
Forward
junk mail
For example, don’t send virus warnings. Check with your
information technology department to verify any virus
warnings and let them communicate issues to the
organization.

@ThoughtPartner 12
DO
Consider
the Timing
Email is not an appropriate vehicle for something
requiring an urgent response – keep in mind the
audience and the fact that some may not check or
respond to email immediately.

@ThoughtPartner 13
Don’t
Use sarcasm,
negative
comments,
or ALL CAPS
Don’t take chances with misinterpretation – err on the side
of positive language and never send an email response
when you are upset.

@ThoughtPartner 14
DO
Be friendly
and professional
Email may be informal but should never be sloppy or
inaccurate. Use correct grammar and spelling (no texting
shortcuts) and be careful to use a pleasant tone so your
communication is not misinterpreted.

@ThoughtPartner 15
Don’t
Use email as a
replacement
for personal
contact
Never underestimate the importance of a face-to-face or
voice-to-voice conversation, especially for matters that are
personal or sensitive. Don’t use email to avoid a difficult
situation – if you have a problem with a person or must admit a
mistake, speak with the people involved directly.

@ThoughtPartner 16
DO Check it twice
Prevent most-embarrassing moments by proofreading everything
in an email, including the recipient email addresses, message
content (including previous emails you may be forwarding) and
any attachments, before you push “send.”

@ThoughtPartner 17
Don’t
Ignore your
role in email
overload
It’s easy to think email overload is caused by someone else,
but the truth is leaders are often the leading offenders of
email overload. Don’t dismiss your role in the problem.

@ThoughtPartner 18
DO
Give feedback
on poor email
communication
Let colleagues know how you feel about receiving
unwanted email and ask them to limit similar activity in the
future. If you’re able to receive personal emails at work, ask
friends to send them to your personal email account.

@ThoughtPartner 19
Don’t
Check your
email by
the minute
If you’re spending a lot of time responding to every email
that pops up into your inbox, chances are you’re getting
nothing done other than reading email.

@ThoughtPartner 20
We have a large collection of resources and solutions to
your workplace email headaches.
Visit our email research and resource center today.

Sought after speaker to leading organizations and forums:
• What to Do When You CAN’T NOT Communicate
• Turning Strategy Into Action
• Top 10 Mistakes Communicators Make
• How to Think Like a CEO
• Cutting to Win
• 21st Century Communications: Successful Strategies to
Deliver Authentic Communication
• Tackling “Email Overload” On A Global Scale
• The Power of Internal Branding: The Communicator’s Secret
Weapon
• The Power of Storytelling
• Communication Training for Leaders at all Levels
POPULAR KEYNOTES & TRAININGS INLUDE:
*All keynotes and corporate trainings are customized to meet unique business needs
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LEARN MORE
Invite David to Speak to Your
Organization or Team
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LET’S STAY
312.850.8200
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www.yourthoughtpartner.com/blogdgrossman@yourthoughtpartner.com
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IN TOUCH
23© 2015 The Grossman Group
David Grossman, Founder &
CEO, The Grossman Group

www.yourthoughtpartner.com
• Chicago-based boutique
consultancy focused on internal and
leadership communications, and
training
• The Grossman Group approach
works to inspire and engage
employees while helping
organizations promote diversity and
inclusion as part of their overall
strategic employee
communications planning.
• Strategic business partners first,
communication counselors second
About us
Your thoughtpartner. Always. We’re there for
your everyday and your defining moments.
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David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
Founder & CEO
312 N. May St. Suite 101
Chicago, Illinois 60607
312.850.8200
www.yourthoughtpartner.com/about-david
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© 2015 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
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14 dos and don’ts that can improve how you communicate via email

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14 dos and don’ts that can improve how you communicate via email