When You Send an Email, Does Anyone Actually Read it?

When you send an email, you expect someone is reading it right? I mean, you wouldn’t take the time and effort to create the email and share the information, update, or question unless you expected them to review and likely, respond. It seems like common sense, and yet, if you’re a leader, I’d bet there are emails in your inbox right now you’ve never opened. Why do we do that? There is a sweet spot your emails can get to that will have people excited to open them and take action on them. See two examples outside the sweet spot and learn what changes to make to have people not only crystal clear on expectations but feel valued and safe in the process on YouTube.

There are two sides to the email coin

Early in my career my boss and I were responsible for a giant monthly report that went to all of the executives. The report included pages of detailed graphs and charts about spending, revenue, production, volumes, etc. I sent it to the C-suite, department heads, and senior level managers across the company. Now, I don’t want to brag or anything, but I never heard anything more than a ‘thanks!’ back. I could have told myself it was because of my thorough reporting that there were no questions. Except, I wasn’t that naive. It was because no one read the report.

Then, we missed something. Our report didn’t account for a change in another department causing our numbers to be off. Our customer retention was actually hire than we reported which was a huge win for the group! Instead of focusing on the win, we went back and forth in a long, public email thread about our mistake. Coincidently, other department’s change was in a separate email string. Once quick attachment of more emails showed my boss was on the thread, but never read it. So, he asked that I be added to the mailing list as well. Thus, beginning years of emails in my inbox that I’d never fully read.

Why do we ignore the emails?

It is exhausting and time consuming to digest all of the information we get in a day. Not to mention if you miss a day of emails. It becomes a never-ending cycle of asking for information, being too overwhelmed to consume it, missing information you needed, and asking for information again. The stress creates passive aggressive activity and negative relationships as we connect virtually more and more.

Be honest, when was the last time you saw a question, rolled your eyes and wrote one of these phrases:

• As mentioned previously,
• To reiterate my point below,
• Please see below,
• As already discussed,
• Per my last email,

When you receive a note that starts with one of these phrases, how do you feel? Do you get a pang of embarrassment in your gut? Maybe your fingers seem to 10x their strength as you type out your defensive reply. Or do you look for a way to rephrase your position taking in account their previously mentioned point?

What would it be like to remove per my last email from your vocabulary?

What time, stress, and mental circles would you save if your emails were read, understood, and acted on as you intended the first time? You can have people read and take action on your emails the first time you write them. Meaning less time spinning in a long thread, and more time turning that analysis into celebrations with the team. You do this with the communication framework.

The communication framework is discussed prior to coaching in the Ripple Effect workshop. Participants learn how to best structure their communication for maximum influence, before the floor is open for questions. You can use coaching to fine tune your critical email before you send it to the group. One person in the last workshop needed to gain buy in from department heads, she hit send with a smile on her face knowing her message would cascade through the teams.

3 things to stop in your emails right now.

Whether you join the Ripple Effect workshop to learn how to influence through your communication or not, there are a few things you need to stop doing now that will make them more effective.

1. Stop adding fluff. The most common reason emails are ignored is because they are too long. When you include only as much as you need, people are more receptive. Meaning that you get more people doing what you asked and spend less time typing.
2. Stop sounding important. Dale Carnegie said that the best way to seem interesting is to get interested. Your credentials, status, and time you put into the work won’t persuade people to do what you want. Removing it tells people you’re humble and interested in their benefit, rather than your ego.
3. Stop using email for everything. Though talking in person or on video takes preparation, it gives personability that email just can’t. Building skills that support you in communicating in any interaction allows you the versatility to influence in email, presentations, and watercooler conversation. Meaning, you can get people to read your report, and stop in by your boss to tell him to get you off the email string without your face turning red.

Now, you want to get really ninja in your communication and influence? Replace that fluff you were adding with values that speak to exactly what they want. Then start influencing through your nonverbals so they’re on your side before you even say a word. If this is the level powerful influence you want to have without using status or position, the Ripple Effect is where you learn it. Click here to learn more.