A client of mine recently forwarded me an email exchange she had with the president of a well-known, well-respected organization. The exchange started in a benign enough manner. My client had a straightforward question to ask and she posed it in a warm and respectful manner.

The response she got from this senior leader was clear and concise. And more than a bit cold, harsh and abrasive sounding.

This sort of thing happens all the time. Email can be a wonderfully convenient and expedient means of communication. It can also be the source of misunderstanding and unintended conflict. Because email doesn’t carry an audible tone, we automatically project the tone we “hear” in the written message. More often than not, we hear a colder, perhaps more hostile, tone than the sender intended.

So be careful in the way you interpret – and respond to – email messages. When uncertain about the intended tone, give the other party the benefit of the doubt. Respond more kindly and respectfully than you might wish to. Remember, the person at the other end of your email is likely reading into your tone as well.

Without a doubt, email is a nearly indispensable tool for business and personal communication. Just be sure to watch your e-tone. And don’t neglect the good, “old fashioned” phone call or visit. Live communication is considerably more reliable than email - and far less likely to lead to misunderstanding, hurt or angry feelings, and unintended conflict. 

Until next time...

Liz