How to avoid email miscommunications
Rethinking Email Signals: What does our manner and miscommunication really say?
Dear Rethinkers,
Firstly, a big warm welcome to lots of new subscribers. I’m pleased you’re here.
A lot of our communication is over email these days, but how often do you find yourself considering your choice of words, the tone of your message or even the most appropriate way to sign off?
Early on in my career, whilst I was living in New York, I joined a hip innovation agency where everyone who worked there used "Love xxx" as their email sign-off. I had come from a formal consulting culture where writing "All the best" was pushing it. Jumping to "Love" followed by kisses to clients felt uncomfortable.
A few weeks into the role, one of the agency partners asked me why I didn't use the standard company sign-off. "Love is one of our values," she told me, "this is part of our culture.” I had a lot of ideas and creative energy to give clients and the team, but not my love. I was worried that if I put kisses at the end of an email, a client or colleague might think I was asking them out or flirting. In hindsight, I never fitted into the culture from the start and, not surprisingly, left within a year.
I recently found my old business card from this company, and it got me thinking about how email tone, manner and miscommunication need rethinking.
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