1-minute exercise showing why conversation beats email

STOP! Before pressing reply to that email, reclaim your power with a pause! Will a conversation be more effective? If this is your 2nd email reply on this subject, chances are a conversation may be more effective. Email and worse, e-chat, can lead to miscommunication. Here is a 1-minute, 5 step exercise showing why email can fail at bringing clarity:

1. Think of a short sentence. The shorter the better. Something like ‘That’s crazy.’
2.  Say it aloud.
3.  Now say the exact same sentence again to give it an opposite meaning to the first way you said it. For example as a joke vs being angry.
4. Add some body language to compliment your meaning.
5.  Now write the sentence down. Would your colleagues (or an HR person to whom the trail is forwarded ??) get your intent if they just read the words without the tone and body language?

Try the exercise again. Try one more time.

If you do it 3 times and convince yourself that your email is equally effective feel - free to call me out. But call me to share because messaging me won’t be as effective * insert sarcastic emoji face here *

In my days lecturing on communication to MBA students, we spent a lot of time on how tone and body language can impact delivery of messages. As the exercise above shows, tone, pace, volume and body language can completely change the way a message is received (and change message intent).

While emojis and widely accepted abbreviations like ‘LOL’ attempt to humanize email and e-chat messages, in multigenerational, multi-cultural and (my phrase) multi-distracted corporate audiences, emojis won’t leave the busy receiver 100% clear about the intended message of your short sentence – ESPECIALLY if they don’t know you or worse YOU TYPE IN CAPS BECAUSE YOUR CAPS LOCK WAS ON BY ACCIDENT. ??

Miscommunication can increase if face to face (or video) conversation decreases. That’s virtual working communication 101. Thus, those sticking only to email and e-chat are missing an opportunity to deepen understanding and connection. Often a 15-minute conversation can bring greater clarity than a lengthy email chain. 

Some tips to increasing understanding as virtual working is now the norm:

• Never reply more than twice in an email chain. If two replies do not add clarity – have a meeting instead.
• KEEP YOUR CAMERA ON (when you can). The more a person can see you, the more effective communication is. I get that it’s not always possible, aim for 95% of the time ??
• Avoid reading email with ‘tone’. Yes. This is hard. But bear in mind that we are our worst critics AND everyone is under pressure – sometimes even intended tone is ‘fleeting’. Make sure you avoid negative email tone pitfalls. No one is perfect right now so be generous in your reading/ interpretation. If you suspect a tone, let it go.

Grow up. Have the darn conversation.

Try this out. I’d love your feedback below.

Happy #mojoMonday