From the monthly archives: January 2010
With all that tweeting, it’s easy to forget about email.
Email has become one of many communication options, but is still a primary mean leveraged by many, especially when it comes to project-oriented communication. More of us are working independently and remotely with email critical to our working relationships. I’m a believer that practice makes perfect, and it’s always good to revisit email best practice so to improve productivity, foster relationships and minimize frustration caused by miscommunication.
Don’t assume, ask. Taking a moment to ask someone how they prefer to be communicated with can go a long way. Not only does it remove any unnecessary frustration that could develop, but also shows commitment to the person, project and collective outcome.
Some questions to ask when identifying email preferences include:
- How do you prefer to communicate?
- How often do you check your email?
- Do you prefer short or long emails?
- How do you like emails presented when the information is urgent?
Know your style. While flexibility is important when working with a client, it’s equally important to know your own preferences when it comes to email communication – or communication style overall. Being able to understand what maximizes your own productivity benefits everyone. The caveat being: make sure you voice your needs as well as acknowledge the preferences of others.
Don’t get lost in translation. Take a moment and reread your emails. Simple advice, but tone, context, urgency, next steps, and so much else can get lost in translation. Email has no 140 character limitation, but that doesn’t mean we should write rambling, unchecked notes. Take the time to ensure clear, concise meaning in order to prevent any unnecessary confusion and/or delays!
TIP. In regards to deadlines, I like to maximize the subject headings. If something’s urgent, then I note it right up front. If something needs to be reviewed and returned back to you by the end of the day make a note right in the subject heading. On a particularly busy day, the subject heading is all that someone may see. Therefore, make it count.
Check in early – and often. As noted it’s critical to have an “email check-in” as early into the working relationship as possible. When starting up a new working relationship, often the top agenda item on my list is “communication preference”. Though I am always mindful that projects, preferences and relationships change. Therefore it’s worth revisiting communication preferences again, especially if you notice a shift in response or behavior.
When it’s time to ditch email. People get busy, emails get lost, or perception of expectations gets convoluted. The phone is sometimes the easiest way to clarify and get answers in order to move forward. It’s also important to know when it’s time to get off email and enlist an additional option of communication, like the phone, Skype, or (if you’re geographically close enough) grab a cup of coffee. I’ve even used Twitter to tap a hard to reach individual. All of which help get quick answers while further strengthening the relationship.
What’s the value in all this attention on email and identifying communication/email preferences. For one, it shows commitment. It let’s others know that you are paying attention and value the relationship. Two, the relationship and tasks become more productive. Email and miscommunication can cause significant delays in projects, when the reality is they don’t need to. Taking the time to develop communication expectations and norms fosters a more productive (and healthy) remote working relationship that cultivates a successful project outcome and experience for all.
[Image: 107/365 - Flickr courtesy of RXAphotos, Flickr]
Sometimes time completely escapes me – and posts or items that I had every intention of sharing completely get missed. This is one such case. A couple of months ago I wrapped up a project for an outstanding nonprofit organization, Freedom States Alliance (FSA). Like many nonprofits, they were trying to navigate social media options and establish the best way to integrate it into their organization.
The result was the realization that social media was only one component of a much larger picture, a much greater need. The question that surfaced was where does social media fit within the organization’s strategy? Was it appropriate to develop a social media strategy, if other critical strategies hadn’t yet been pursued?
Sequence of Execution. Sequence of execution is an approach to strategy development that leads organizations through a hierarchy of strategy development. The result: a more successful and sustaining implementation. Furthermore, it puts social media into context. Meaning that it ensures that any social media strategy is integrated and derives its purpose from the organizations larger mission and goals.
Sequence of strategy execution:
- Develop your organizational mission
- Develop and align your marketing communications strategy/plan
- Develop primary messaging to go across all channels
- Identify your target audience or audiences
- Develop a social media strategy that supports the mar/comm strategy
Social media strategy is a powerful opportunity for an organization, but only when it’s been implemented in the right order. I am increasingly convinced that social media is not intended to live inside a vacuum, but rather as a piece of a much larger ecosystem. How can an organization implement social media tools, like Twitter and Facebook, if they don’t have a social media, communications, or organizational strategy to drive the success use of such platforms?
The actual deliverable offered to the FSA was a comprehensive presentation that included an in-depth needs assessment, recommended actions, training documentation, and best practices in communication and more specifically social media. Most importantly, the guide started with a step-by-step review of how to best develop an appropriate and effective strategy for the organization given their intended mission, audience, and goals – and later concluded with a look at social media integration.
Recently, Colin and I transformed the outcome of that project and took this same ideology to create something that could benefit an even greater community of nonprofits. The following presentation is the marriage of that work (no pun intended), which Colin offered to Cambridge area nonprofit organizations last week.
Learn more about Cambridge Community Television (CCTV)
Additional CCTV workshops: Social Media Workshop for Cambridge Organizations
View more presentations from Cambridge Community Television
[Image: Jump on the social media bandwagon courtesy of matthamm, Flickr]
After many hours of thinking, planning and soul searching, I have made the decision to go freelance and Left Behind Bottle Caps is coming with me. I am proud to introduce a slightly updated blog and Left Behind Bottle Caps Communications.
The decision to make this blog more a professional think tank is in response to two previous posts “ambiguous clarity” and “the disruption of life, soul searching and career shifting.” The result is not only the transformation of Left Behind Bottle Caps, but also the creation of Lollipop.
Lollipop, offering sweet design treats for all, is a long overdue project that will serve as both a creative and personal playground. Due to launch in February, this new blog will serve up plenty of handmade treats, design centric elements, artist spotlights and a light-hearted space where reckless play is not only welcomed, but encouraged! Stay tuned for more on Lollipop and Left Behind Bottle Caps.
Yesterday was a big day in Massachusetts, but this isn’t a post about the outcome. Rather, it’s about a valuable reminder and lessons learned while chatting nervously on Twitter last night prior to the announcement of the election results. Choosing to respond. The typical feeling in social media these days is that responding is better [...]
Yesterday was a big day in Massachusetts, but this isn’t a post about the outcome. Rather, it’s about a valuable reminder and lessons learned while chatting nervously on Twitter last night prior to the announcement of the election results.
Choosing to respond. The typical feeling in social media these days is that responding is better than not responding. When a customer mentions your product in a negative way the web grants a unique opportunity. You can engage openly. You can listen and learn from the individual or community. The result is the overwhelming potential for a productive dialogue and outcome to the initial criticism.
Reigning in instantaneous communication. Here’s the caveat. What happens when engaging results in something that isn’t productive? The web enables instantaneous responses, but that doesn’t mean we should respond instantly. This is where I found myself – I needed a reminder of the power of pause.
Opting out of the conversation. Twitter was a flurry of activity last night. I tweeted a few items that were reflective of my nervousness and unrest. I received a response. It wasn’t particularly negative, but it was in direct contrast to my particular political pursuations – and was intended to instigate. I took a moment before responding:
- What did I want to say? Would it be valuable or purely based in feelings?
- What was the intention of the responder in writing such an aggressive statement?
- What would be the potential outcome if I responded to the statement?
In my ears rang my mother, “…if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Granted, this wasn’t simply an instance of me not having anything nice to say. I have learned the value of thinking through my responses and self censorship when appropriate (especially in the context of a digital age). This was about someone on the other end wanting to instigate an unproductive conversation. I chose not to participate.
Lessons learned: First, I need to think about which topics I want to pursue digitally. Politics is not one of them. I keep away from it at larger social gatherings and I think it’s time to follow my personal rule of thumb on that for my social networks as well.
Secondly, there are instances when silence is an appropriate solution. If the result is an unproductive conversation and/or the intention of the provoker is an online altercation, then don’t respond. Find other ways to reflect and/or to address the situation, um, like blogging about your experience for instance.
[Twitter bird logo icon illustration courtesy of matthamm, Flickr]
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