Comments on: TMN’s 9 Laws for Work Email

By: Espresso English

Espresso English — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:26:00 +0000

Use focused, descriptive titles.

Example: Don’t title your e-mail “Meeting.”Instead, title it:”Reminder: Phone meeting this Thursday at 4 PM EST”

“Agenda for Monday’s development meeting attached”or”Response needed: Questions about direction of tomorrow’s meeting”That way, it gives me a sense of what EXACTLY the e-mail is about before I open it.

By: Craig Jarrow

Craig Jarrow — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:25:00 +0000

DJ, interesting technique. Kind of like an exec summary?

I like it.

By: Dj123

Dj123 — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 06:02:00 +0000

If you have to write a long email, and it needs to go to more than one person, write a summary at the top. This is particularly good if some of the people are management and some of the people on the email are techy people.

By: TMNinja

TMNinja — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:46:11 +0000

@hackaugment Thanks! Appreciate the kind words.

By: hackaugment

hackaugment — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:09:08 +0000

Simple rules, almost evident. Yet these are the basics and lots of people do not respect them! Nice article, straight and clear, glad I stumbled upon this nice blog!

By: Patrick Sledz

Patrick Sledz — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:38:08 +0000

Hi Jamie,

I think you are so right in having personal contact with people you work with, but I disagree on what you say. Well, I partly disagree. If you really need a quick answer, phone might be a good communication to use. Just going to somebody and asking isn't always the best thing to do. Especially not to person who will receive the question.
Therefore, If you don't need an immediate answer, I would say that you send en email. Your colleague can treat and answer the email at an appropriate time (for her/him).
When you go to someone with your question, and this person is really busy doing her/his tasks you are just an interruption. You are disturbing a high productive worker.
If I get people at my desk, and I'm really into something, I just say: Is it ok that you come back in xx minutes. I am really busy now, and if we talk later I can assure you that you will get 100% of my attention. I really want to talk to you, but I have this thing I am working on right now and it is not easy to change context (mind).
I feels unusual the first times, but after a while you'll get used to it, and your colleagues too.

By: Marc DeBower

Marc DeBower — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:13:09 +0000

Another great website is 43folders, Merlin Mann talks about productivity and emailing as well.

http://www.43folders.com/2005/09/19/writing-sensible-email-messages

By: Marc DeBower

Marc DeBower — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:13:00 +0000

Another great website is 43folders, Merlin Mann talks about productivity and emailing as well.

http://www.43folders.com/2005/09/19/writing-sensible-email-messages

By: Jamie Ross

Jamie Ross — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:56:11 +0000

And don’t use email when you could use the phone or go to see someone in person!! Not only do you lose tone of voice and non-verbal communications, you don’t get immediate feedback on what you are saying. I hope we don’t lose the art of talking face to face!

How many people have had an email just to them from the person down the hall??

By: Jamie Ross

Jamie Ross — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:56:00 +0000

How many people have had an email just to them from the person down the hall??