I have been getting lot of friction on one of the recent projects where I was collaborating with several teams. The nature of the project and the proposed solution was such – a mind shift and some of them were not ready for the change while the others could not wait to implement the change. To lead this project successfully, I needed everyone’s support and buy-in.

In this process, I sent out an email to all the stakeholders with some information seeking their response. I usually get responses to these types of emails relatively fast and a few hours later I was wondering why I only heard back from a couple of them. I checked the email I sent and I realized my mistake.

I realized that I sent out an open ended email. That is, I did not convey my expectations to them. I did not give them a specific date and time by when I need them to respond.

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It is important to communicate your expectations for others to be able to meet them.

Most of the corporate and even personal communication is by email today. Though the most commonly used mode of communication, it could also cause a lot of miscommunication. I want to share a few strategies about email that will help you avoid common email mistakes and make this an effective tool for communication.

Provide a Specific Timeline/Due Date

When You Send

When you are seeking a response to your email, as in the scenario above, set clear expectations on what you want them to do. Quantify your expectations by giving them a deadline with specific date and time.This will help them from ignoring your email and/or procrastinating to reply back.

Example

• By 4 p.m. on Friday, 1/30.

You also need to keep in mind not to give them a fake timeline – the one that is not really true. If they discover that your timeline is not real, you will lose your credibility and you may not get prompt replies when you use this strategy in future.

 When You Respond

When the sender requests for your response by a certain date and if you are not able to commit to that date, let the sender know. Also let them know the reason why you will not be able to comply with their request. Telling them why you cannot meet their date builds credibility and trust.

Example

• I am at an all-day meeting this Wednesday; I need some more time to review this proposal and will get back to you by end of day Thursday.

Provide Other Options

When You Send

Think about what you would want to know if you were the recipient of this email. Think about different scenarios that could come up with this request and give them options on what they can do in each of those cases.

Example:

• If you cannot come to the meeting, please delegate this to someone else that can represent you in the meeting.
• If you cannot attend the meeting at this time, please reply back with a couple of times that work for you.
• If you need additional information on this proposal, refer to the documents here (provide the documents or a link to where they are located).

When You Respond

In addition to providing only the information that was specifically asked, also provide them with additional information or resources that they can go to for further information or clarification.

Example

• If you need additional information on this proposal, refer to the documents here (provide the documents or a link to where they are located).
• If you would like to discuss this further, I will be available at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
• If you need specific details about this feature, you can reach out to the Sales team.

This would also helps avoid a large email threads and reduce a lot of back and forth email discussions.

Make it Optional

When you send and/or respond, you can make responding to the email optional by telling your recipients what you will do unless you hear back from them. That is you tell them that you assume that they agree with your request or email unless they specify otherwise.

Example

• I will publish this proposal unless I hear back from you by 4 p.m. on Friday, 1/30.

Note that one strategy does not fit all and at all times. You will need to also consider the culture within your organization, the nature and purpose of your email; your role and that of your recipient(s)/sender(s) and apply these with discretion.

What are your strategies for better email communication? Let us know your tips and suggestions on the email mistakes to avoid in the comments below.