Managing emails is a very complex problem. Even the creator of “Inbox Zero” recognized his method was adding more fuel to the fire — people were becoming more stressed about emails.
Relevant email subjects are critical but not enough.
This tip is not evolutionary but very effective. Add one single word to your email subject to drive clarity. Categorizing your message will help recipients understand what’s expected of them — and how critical (or not) is for them to reply.
Here’s how the different categories could work:
“URGENT” — Something requiring immediate action or attention. Important to note that in the corporate world there’s a tendency to categorize everything as ‘urgent.’ If the recipient doesn’t intervene, the damage could quickly escalate.
“FEEDBACK” — Items requiring input, reaction or approval to advance a project. Without this person’s feedback, the project could get stuck.
“OPPORTUNITY” — Unexpected events presenting possibilities for the other person to do something. This category includes a wide range of opportunities: training, partnerships, time-limited offers, etc.
“UPDATE” — Status report or latest information about a specific project. The frequency and depth of these updates need to be agreed upon by the team members. Some people want to know everything; others like to share just vague headlines. The team needs to establish a common practice on what and how to report. Contrary to most people's beliefs, email updates are very effective; they can minimize other productivity killers: meetings.
“FYI” — Updates that don’t require the recipient to take any action. Important to note: emails shouldn’t be used to cover your back. So, before sending these types of emails, ask yourself: Do I really need to share this information? Will it help the other party or am I just cluttering his/her inbox?
“INSPIRATION” — Material that will provide tools, information, data or experiences to help the other person do a better job both as professional or as a manager. This is content that is important but not urgent like instructional videos, TED talks, or a recent research study. Both learning and being inspired play a key role, but shouldn’t become a distraction from taking care of things that need to happen now.
Just add one of those words (in CAPS) at the beginning of the subject. It will help recipients understand why they should care about your email.
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