Managing E-mail Effectively
The larger the organisation, the more internal e-mail there is. The storage industry estimates that on average there are 60 electronic copies of every document in a company. If you find that a couple of days away from your desk means 100 or more e-mails in your inbox, you really need:
Every company needs a practical e-mail policy, and each individual needs a practical method to deal with incoming e-mails. If you cannot influence company policy, you can start with your team. Here are the basics:
- Use e-mail for sharing facts and information
- Use e-mail for setting meetings and sending agendas
- Use e-mail for minutes
If you are working on a shared document, aim to set up a central point to keep each copy of the document, rather than mailing it between you. This approach:
a) minimises the risk of several people making different amendments on different versions of the document b) reduces the number of versions available c) reduces the number of e-mails d) enables you to delete e-mails that simply request you check the shared document
Do not use e-mail to:
- Communicate bad news – do this in person if at all possible
- Give personal feedback - do this face to face
- Give advice – the person receiving the advice may not receive it in the way in which you intended
Use one e-mail for each subject and clearly label the subject line.
If you cannot keep the text to a single screen, use an attached document for the content. You can format the document so that it is relatively easy to read – long e-mails are often misread
Deleting e-mails
- The general rule is ‘be ruthless' . Unless there is real content, or a specific message (an approval of a project for example), bin it.
- Some companies have a policy of no deletions – but requests to join the team for a drink can usually be safely deleted the next day.
Filing e-mails
- Set up a system that works for you. Use the flagging tools if you need to find one e-mail in several contexts.
- File e-mails every day, or at least once a week.
- Aim never to have more than one screen worth of e-mail in your inbox.
- You can use flags to capture the ‘must do something about that' e-mails.
(I use a file for the ‘I'm sure I ought to keep it but don't know where to file it' e-mails. Every few months you can weed out the material that is no longer useful).
Reduce the incoming flow!
- Remove yourself from as many cc lists as possible
- Ask yourself how much of the incoming mail is useful to you, and ask others to stop sending you material that doesn't add value
- Ask your team to send you a one screen ‘highlights' e-mail rather than attach a detailed document that you don't really need to read
Categorise all e-mail
Ask your team to categorise e-mails along the following lines:
A: an ACTION for the receiver
B: feedback required for sender
C: Important Information
D: FYI
E: Personal
Put the letter at the start of the subject line – it helps everyone decide how/when to deal with your e-mail.
E-mail Management is Part of Time Management
Managing e-mail is about managing time! It's a question of making priorities and using a system to minimise time wasting. If you are struggling with time management, why not look at the special PHONE based TimePower Programme available exclusively from 3C.
Instead of spending a whole day on a course, you and your colleagues join a conference call. It lasts a couple of hours, and you get a fun and efficient run down of the best time management techniques, from managing the phone, email and interruptions to setting goals and balancing priorities. As one of our clients said – ‘ it has to be one of the best uses of time available' !
You also get the full colour workbook, usually reserved for delegates on the 1 day TimePower programme – it's packed with time management hints, prioritising tools and ideas to help you maintain a work-life balance that suits you.
So, take control of your inbox. Agree and share a system that works for you and your team.
If you want to know more about TimePower via phone training – just bounce back this e-mail and ask for the case study.
