This article is based on a post in The Savage Truth. I have summarised the article (entitled "Are you an E-mail E-diot?") but acknowledge the source as Greg Savage.
Written by Greg Savage, The Savage Truth is a resource of insights and ideas for anyone interested in recruitment and staffing. Greg Savage is a sought-after speaker and presenter, as well as consultant and advisor to the industry. He has founded several highly successful recruitment companies and worked in recruitment all over the world. To contact Greg please email: greg@gregsavage.com.au
I have been attending Greg’s events for years and appreciate that much of what he says adds value to sectors well beyond recruiting. Being a bit anal when it comes to the use of email and “proper” language more specifically, a recent article really got my attention.It seems the more ways they invent for us to communicate, the worse we become at it.
Email is pretty old-school these days (and I believe smart companies will replace it, internally at least, with a social communications chat-type format), but I am still constantly amazed and frustrated by the sloppy way many people use it.
Most days I get 100 plus emails, and even discounting the ‘spammy’ ones, about half of those need not have come to me at all.
Meet 5 “E-mail E-diots” that need to learn the error of their ways. I am pretty sure you know them already!
“The CC King”
This is the guy who copies in everyone, on everything. No matter how trivial, we all get the email. Or maybe it’s not trivial, but it’s just nothing to do with us. We still get the email. Why does he do it? Maybe to ‘cover all bases’, to show how busy or smart he is, or just a bad habit. Who knows? But please, just stop doing it! Think about the recipients you add before you press send. Do they need to know? Will they care? Are you just annoying people?
“Mr. Always-Reply”
These guys are irritating. It’s like they have to have the last word. Via email. Even if the matter is resolved, they will still send one more email. Maybe just with a few words, saying nothing or repeating what has already been confirmed. Or you send out a group email with a piece of standard information. No reply needed. But they reply anyway, often repeating what was in your email, or just offering gratuitous, irrelevant comment on what you said!
“The Reply-All Princess”
You send an email to a group of people. Some reply if it affects them. She replies to everyone telling them it does not affect her! Then another ‘Reply-all’ loony copies everyone in on his inane reply, which might be about going to the pub on Friday. Then she copies all 50 people in, confirming a time for the rendezvous. Then he presses ‘Reply-all’ asking if she can make it half an hour later …FFS!
“The CC-Clown”
This person does not understand confidentiality. There is a BCC option in email, which goes unused by the Clown, and every single email address of 30 strangers is circulated for the world to see. And then the spam begins. Keep my address private… please!
“The SMS’er”
SMS lingo is irritating when used in a SMS message. Used in an email, it’s bordering on a crime. Please don’t email me saying CUL8R, and if you dare LOL me I will scream.
So what do you think? Any email habits that drive you crazy? Please share in the comments section, and help me fight the good fight against the army of email E-diots clogging up our inboxes.