How to avoid email miscommunication
Rachel Botsman
Leading expert on trust in the modern world. Author of WHAT’S MINE IS YOURS, WHO CAN YOU TRUST? And HOW TO TRUST & BE TRUSTED, writer and curator of the popular newsletter RETHINK.
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Dear Rethinkers,
Why do we misread email tone so often?
Social psychologist Justin Kruger and his colleagues at NYU conducted some fascinating research to find out why. Their findings revealed two key reasons:
Without facial expressions or vocal cues, our minds fill in the blanks — often incorrectly. Misunderstandings are especially common when trust is already wobbly, there’s a power imbalance between the sender and receiver, or the topic is not suitable for email.
RETHINK MOMENT: Before sending an important email, ask: How will this be received if opened first thing in the morning or late at night? It's a simple way to put yourself in the recipient's shoes.
Question for you: What’s an email habit you’d love to improve?
For a deeper dive into how to get better at effective email writing, read the full piece here.
Warmly,
Mathematician at DSTL
6 天前I find the read aloud function useful because it reads what I’ve actually written, not what I was thinking.
Retired
6 天前About email miscommunication, Rachel is true enough ,selfless enough and deep enough without facial expression vocalizing but not anymore and everything the whole world is changed Rachel, I need you to keep up the good work
VP Field & Events Marketing @ Medidata Solutions | B2B Marketing
6 天前Insightful. I continuosly opt for more talking or slack/text instead of email. I see email as having a negative impact on productivity and often regret when I engage in much time on email. I’ll keep working on reducing the use of email for the wise reason outline above ??.
Geldards Law Firm, Partner and Head of the Commercial Law Team
6 天前I'd add is the email the correct mode of communication? Second, once sent it is a permanent record of that communication whether it be good, bad or indifferent.
Branch Manager at IDFC Mutual Fund
6 天前Valuable learning here.... Thanks for sharing Rachel