Real-Time Etiquette
Along with the ease of using email, text messaging, and instant messaging has come an ever-growing informality in our correspondence. However, convenient communication does not have to be unprofessional. Here are some ways to successfully manage electronic messaging.
- Be clear. Get to the point and always proofread messages before sending them. Don’t type in all capitals (shouting), never flame (sending angry messages), and don’t send spam. Send messages only to those who need to see them.
- Be consistent. Remember to check your office email at the beginning and end of each day and at lunchtime. (Personal email should wait until you get home.) Answer messages promptly, and if you don’t have an immediate response, at least let the sender know you received the message and will respond later.
- Be aware of others around you. Don’t ignore a dinner companion or client to answer a wireless email, voice mail, or text message. And never let a phone or wireless system be heard in a public gathering. Set phones or pagers to silent mode or—better yet—turn them off completely, unless you are a doctor on call or are waiting for an urgent message. When you must answer, go to the lobby or outside so you do not disturb others.
- Don’t be cute. Emoticons (smiley faces constructed of punctuation and letters) and abbreviated text language (such as OMG!) have no place in serious business correspondence. Remember that work messages may be monitored, so never send comments you wouldn’t want a supervisor to see.
- Use an automated response when you are away. Either set an “away” message when you leave, or set your system to respond with such a message after a given period of inactivity.
Remember, even though electronic messaging is convenient, your communication should always reflect your professionalism.