You are an administrative assistant who relies on email communication with your boss to get things done. But what if your boss is not responsive to your emails? How can you avoid missing deadlines, losing opportunities, or feeling frustrated? Here are some tips to help you get your boss's attention and improve your email communication.
Before you send an email to your boss, make sure you follow some basic email etiquette rules. For example, use a clear and concise subject line that summarizes the main purpose of your email. Avoid using all caps, multiple exclamation marks, or vague words like "urgent" or "important". Use a polite and professional tone, and avoid sarcasm, humor, or criticism. Proofread your email for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and use a proper salutation and signature.
Are there other means of communication to alert your boss about your mail? Maybe try a phone call or speak with them in person if you can. This will make things smoother.
Not all emails require the same level of urgency or attention from your boss. Some emails may be informational, some may be requests, and some may be action items. To help your boss sort through their inbox, you can use different strategies to prioritize your emails. For example, you can use labels, flags, or categories to mark the emails that need a response, a decision, or a confirmation. You can also use prefixes, such as [FYI], [ACTION], or [QUESTION], to indicate the type of email you are sending.
If your boss does not reply to your email within a reasonable time frame, you may need to follow up with a reminder. A reminder email is a polite and respectful way to nudge your boss to pay attention to your email and take action. However, you should not send too many reminders, as this may annoy or overwhelm your boss. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 24 hours before sending a reminder email, and to limit yourself to one or two reminders per email. You can also use a different channel, such as a phone call, a text message, or a chat app, to follow up with your boss.
I find with my bosses (I have four) when I send an email that required action in timely manner, if I add - in all caps - "TIME SENSITIVE" and then the subject they usually respond pretty quickly. I also use attention words like "FYI" or "MEETING REQUEST" or 'URGENT' - as needed. You cannot overuse the time sensitive ones - since at times it seems like everything is Urgent but I find that this simple trick helps in our offices.
Sometimes, email is not the best way to communicate with your boss, especially if you have a complex, sensitive, or urgent issue to discuss. In that case, you may want to schedule a meeting with your boss, either in person or online, to talk about your email. A meeting can help you clarify your expectations, resolve any misunderstandings, and get immediate feedback from your boss. To schedule a meeting with your boss, you can use a calendar app, such as Google Calendar or Outlook, and send an invitation with a clear agenda and a specific time slot.
Sometimes, more can be achieved face-to-face than over email. Try sending your boss (or their assistant) a 15-minute calendar invite, along with a brief agenda of what you would like to cover. Do you need your boss’s input on how to proceed with a particular client? Are you looking for your boss’s opinion on a slide deck? Giving your boss this heads up will remind them of any pending projects and will, perhaps, prompt them to read through your emails.
One of the best ways to improve your email communication with your boss is to ask for feedback. Feedback can help you understand your boss's preferences, expectations, and challenges when it comes to email. For example, you can ask your boss how often they check their email, what kind of emails they prefer to receive, and how they like to be contacted. You can also ask your boss to rate your email performance, and to give you suggestions on how to improve your email skills.
Finally, you can get your boss's attention by being proactive in your email communication. Being proactive means that you take initiative, anticipate problems, and offer solutions. For example, you can update your boss on the status of your projects, inform them of any changes or issues, and propose ideas or recommendations. You can also acknowledge your boss's feedback, thank them for their support, and express your appreciation. By being proactive, you can show your boss that you are a reliable, responsible, and valuable administrative assistant.
In some cases, I like to propose an action I’ll take if I don’t hear back. For example, if I am waiting to hear about whether a slide deck is complete so that I can print copies for a stakeholder meeting, I might email my boss: “Please review this deck and let me know if you have any notes. If I don’t hear from you by Friday, I will plan to print copies for the key stakeholder meeting scheduled on Tuesday.” A couple of caveats to keep in mind if you choose to try this method are: 1. Give your boss a reasonable amount of time to respond. (In most cases, a few days will suffice.) 2. Ensure that your boss can easily spot the response deadline and proposed action in your email. (You can bold or underline this.)
Set the requirements in advance and understand each other. Discuss and establish your own communication etiquette. A particular topic may have different levels of importance to the people involved. Therefore it is wise to have a policy in place that everyone follows, e.g. code words in the header.