Let’s Talk

You’re working along, doing your job, and ‘bing’ goes the chime for your email. What do you do? Do you panic? Do you ignore it? Do you go straight to your inbox?

Let’s talk about just a few things that can help aid in communication in the workplace, starting with emails. These are just a few tips I have picked up along the way, from my own experience and from an understanding of the brain. This is not an exhaustive list, and to be frank, it’s not supposed to be. Rules of engagement here are simple. 

1 – Set a schedule. This can be slightly fluid, but you should have a cadence that you establish for email consumption. We live in a world of instant gratification, and poor corporate culture often says that emails should be seen and responded to within the minute, or within several minutes at the latest. HOWEVER, if you set up regular times for checking your emails, then you are giving your brain and nervous system a breather. It can plan on how to respond and react because it know when you are going to check your emails. It knows that you may be slightly more anxious depending on the subject or sender, and that’s okay. The point here is to plan ahead so that you can simplify your schedule, and focus on what needs to be focused on. Your teams will get used to a regular response time based on your schedule, and the work will continue to move forward. 

2 – Question EVERYTHING. I am not about to get into a philosophical debate here on your beliefs, or mine. What I am going to do is to suggest that you take everything with an open mind, and to not assume that you understand the intention, tone or true meaning. Email is good for the writer (and reader) to be able to structure a thought in an organized manner, and mull things over. Sentences are formed, paragraphs are established, and subject matters are laid out in semi-clear ways. Email can also be great for creating a foundation for a later conversation (hence the ‘semi-clear’ statement before). We are individuals, period, and cannot ever know fully how another person thinks. So before you fly off the handle and punch your co-worker or boss in the nose, you may want to either respond for further clarification, or call them, on the phone. You can also stop by their desk if you are in the same office. Ask questions for clarification by saying things like, “Did I understand XYZ correctly, in that…” or “In your email you said X, but I was under the impression that we were working on Y, can you help me better see the bigger picture or what Z means?”. Don’t assume, question instead, but with a curious heart. 

3 – Take a break. Whether you are composing or consuming, take a break. If you are constructing a thought in an email, and need to be sure your message is sent as clearly as possible, then write it all out, and take a break. If you are reading an email that gets your blood pumping, or requires a thoughtful response, take a break. Taking a break is where you create space between you and the subject. When you put this space into play you being to no longer be subject to the topic, but allow yourself to see the topic as the object. Did I lose you? It’s okay, stay with me. At any given time we are either the subject or object. Subject is being acted upon. Object does the acting. By putting space between you and the haunting email, it allows your brain to refocus on the things that matter most, and to more fully understand the message. For this break, I ask you to WALK. Get up, go to the bathroom and get some water if that’s all you’re able to do, but preferably take a 5-10 minute walk to “clear your head”. In a very real sense, by walking you’re allowing your body to process whatever emotions it’s holding onto so that when you return to your desk, you’re better able to approach the subject with a clear head, more focus, and a more calm nervous system. 

Short, sweet, and just what you need to start creating a healthy relationship with your email, and to help move company culture in a good direction. Communication is unavoidable in the workplace, so let’s work on cultivating ROCKSTAR teams, by creating better harmony through our written communication.