You are probably reading this blog rather than read one of the 180 emails sitting in your Inbox. As a general rule, people have become sugglish with regards to email communication. We waste people's time and send messages that are elusive and non specific.
In a quote from my book, "Winning Strategies for Women":
"Communication plays such a vital role in your success...jobs have been earned and lost over communication. Messages can be well received or poorly received based on how well we communicate. Email has given us abilities to easily spread a message across a very wide audience in sub-second response time. This is an area that you could benefit from immediately if you make significant changes.
Email can be both a valuable tool and a very harsh weapon. It is like a knife, knives can be used to chop tomatoes or to kill a man. "
Are you making co-workers and superiors lives more difficult with the way that you communicate over email or are you making their lives simpler?
Try this simple tip: EMAIL PRIORITY SYSTEM
It is hard to know which emails to read and which ones to file. Do they expect an immediate answer or are they just cc'ing you? Try starting each email out in the subject line with a priority ranking. This will help advise your audience on what your expectations are.
Priority 1: Urgent. Needs attention preferably today. Affects deliverables and company commitments
Priority 2: Important. Regarding client commitment or need in operations, but would still be viable if you got to these requests in 1-3 days
Priority 3: Standard. Upcoming scheduling event that is 7 days out or more. If you didn't get to this one for 7 days, you would still be OK.
Priority 4: No rush. OK if you never read it. This is a FYI or a cc on an email that was meant for someone else to respond to.
At the bottom of your signature in email, you can reinforce your priority ranking system by having this after your name and title:
Please use the following priority system when emailing me, thank you.
Priority 1: Urgent. Requesting same day attention
Priority 2: Important. Requesting 1-3 day response
Priority 3: 4 -21 day response
Priority 4: No response or decision necessary. FYI or cc
Try it. Let me know how it works for you. Once in place, you will be able to sort your email by 'Subject line' and they will automatically sort into the Priority 1,2,3,4 rankings. You will be able to easily sort through email.
Begin sending emails back to your staff,suboordinates, and co-workers with replys like, "this is an example of an email that I do not need to be copied on. Please only forward me issues at which point you need to escalate. Thank you".
Teach your staff how you like them to communicate. It is just as much your fault as theirs when your inbox is too full.