How email-styling helps managers
My recent study1 analyzed the content of over 300 business emails submitted by 32 managers from a variety of organizations. It concluded that recognizing an employee’s email style and writing or adapting emails accordingly benefits managers in a number of ways, including: eliciting more responses and fewer reactions; showing respect to those of differing styles, for example “asking” rather than “telling” those who are less assertive, or focusing on business topics rather than personal topics with those who are less emotive etc.; communicating interpersonally, using social cues that increase the comfort level of the employees; and helping develop and strengthen professional relationships with off-site staff.
Visualizing the sender and recipient
One way to improve email communication is to first think about the person receiving or sending the correspondence. Try to visualize that person, put on their persona and hear their voice.
Writers set the stage with positive or neutral-sounding subject lines and try not to put the person immediately on the defensive.
Identifying the predominant email styles
The key for managers is to recognize each employees' e-style and then craft emails at appropriate assertive and emotive levels.
Straightforward employees often use short or no greetings or closings and get right to the point. They rarely mix professional with personal
conversation but if they do, the personal comments like “How are you and the kids?” are at the end of the email. They "tell" more than "ask".
Communicative employees will often present several topics in one email. They like to brainstorm, often write emails that are disorganized and verbose, use greetings and closings, and like emoticons and exclamation marks. They also "tell" more than "ask".
Logical employees are apt to be slow in responding, often ask for more information or clarity, usually use short or no greetings or closings other than names, prefer to speak of specifics rather than to brainstorm, and will present information in a well-organized format. They "ask" more than "tell".
Supportive employees use greetings/closings, will talk as much about you as themselves, are laid back and easy to direct and redirect, will usually "go-with-the-flow" putting other’s needs ahead of their own, and will ask questions in response to questions for example: “Where do you
want to meet?; “Where do you want to meet?” They too "ask" more than "tell".
Tips for recognizing email styles
With practice, identifying and adapting to an employee’s style can become automatic. Here are some clues:
Straightforward employees are more assertive and less emotive, so craft emails that start with the bottom line and do not refer much to people and feelings, but rather to impact, results and consequences.
Communicative employees are more assertive and more emotive; write emails with energizing words that appeal to and challenge these out-of-the-box thinkers. Use a balance of directness and friendliness.
Logical employees are less assertive and less emotive and generally require lots of facts and figures. So leave the bottom line for the end of the
email and be very precise with word choices.
Supportive colleagues are less assertive and more emotive; write emails that are friendly. Make suggestions rather than issuing directives and show your appreciation.
Email style test
Here's the same subject line written in the 4 different styles identified above – can you tell which style is being addressed in each different line? To confirm your answers send me an email – dr.firari@yahoo.com
a. Do you have time today to update the State account report?
b. Tell me what’s new and exciting about the State account.
c. Will you send current report on the State account metrics by COB?
d. Send update on State account today.
When desiring to communicate most effectively, it's not as important to correctly identify the styles of others as it is to have the knowledge that others have different styles to which you can adapt your communication.
Reference:
Email in Style: Improving Corporate Email Communications with Employees at Remote Locations: A Quantative Study. Firari, F. October 2007.