Writing fast email

The shortest email I ever got from work has 0 word in it, zero. Some automated report went out, and was immediately forwarded to my inbox. Took the person less than 10 seconds to hit send, check off one thing on his/her mind, great productivity on his/her part.

To me it was a waste of opportunity, to practice effective communication, to connect with the receiver. Otherwise, it could have been automated, or rules and workflows can be set around it.

From Stephen Covey, the author of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, "with people, slow is fast and fast is slow." In other words, be efficient with things, but be effective with people. Spend the time making sure the message is heard, and you will end up saving time in the end.

Did you give the other person enough info to complete the task? What do you need? How urgent? What is "done" to you? Think about the feeling of the receiver. Is he/she empowered to do the work, or confused and frustrated with ambiguity?

The greatest gift you can give in communication is clarity. There's one person whose majority of emails I got from were either "fyi" or "could you reply", and they are a vast improment over the 0 word email. I feel included, I feel needed. I know how far back the email thread I need to read.

Next time you send an email, remember with people, slow is fast and fast is slow.