When it come to emails, end the tennis game!
You don’t need to read this blog to know that emails are still a common communication method for modern workers. Even with a range of technology options, keeping on top of emails is still something many of us struggle with. This really hit home for me when a co-worker shared that during the pandemic, she asked her daughter what she thought “Mummy did for work” and she said she “reads and sends emails”. For someone in a highly creative role she was initially shocked at this impression and then had the realisation that whilst she’d like to think she was creating content, she actually spent the majority of her time discussing how, when and who was going to make the content.
Don’t get me wrong, emails are great. When I first started work, we didn’t even have email addresses and now I can’t imagine life without them. They can be kept to refer back to, they can be sent at any time of day or night, and they can reach multiple people all in one go. But I still think the ‘emailing’ can get in the way of the actual ‘doing’.
I’ve recently started to think about emails as a tennis game – because they often are. I might write an email, receive a reply, reply back, receive another reply… and so it goes on. It becomes a tennis rally. But whilst messages are rallying back and forth, how much progress is being made? By the time you start entering rallies of 5+emails, you need to question whether this actually should have been a richer conversation in-person, via video call or using a real-time response such as Teams or Slack. We know emails can be misinterpreted, and despite often spending time reading (and re-reading) replies before hitting send, sometimes that message can still be lost, or even worse the tone misread creating un-necessary tension in your comms. For this reason, I’ve made it my mission to attempt to end as many tennis games as possible and wanted to share with you some of my ideas.
1. Target your shots
In tennis, players don’t just return a ball for fun, they target an area of the court. Our emails should have the same philosophy. What do you want to achieve by sending the email? Is it simply to inform or do you actually want to prompt actions? Thinking about this in advance can keep the email focused, and don’t be afraid to spell out those intentions. “No need to reply all”/ “Please read and complete the timeline”/ “Please read ahead of our call”
2. Choose who you play with
The more you send the more you get. Emails do have a vital role in getting the message out to multiple people, but one-size doesn’t always fit all. Tennis rallies can be even longer if you involve many people, and ironically you may reduce the amount of replies you receive by sending separate tailored emails rather than sending out a message en-masse. CC’ing people rarely gets results either. Only use CC if someone genuinely needs to be informed. Copying in someone’s line manager signals a lack of trust and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary
3. Analyse previous matches
Emails are far more likely to result in misunderstanding if your relationship is already rocky. Are you emailing someone who you already suspect may react to the news in your message? Take extra care if so and prepare to switch to another communication method where you’re more likely to be able to show you’re listening and express yourself more positively too. If there’s something you’re aware of, like a massive project they’re working on as well as the reason for your message, acknowledge it, and try to accommodate it by explaining you’ve set longer response times to show understanding
4. Enjoy the game
You’re not actually trying to ‘win’ a game here. This is a business interaction and point-scoring won’t get you anywhere. If you feel yourself responding emotionally to any messages ask yourself why that might be, and address that yourself before firing off an email in the heat of the moment. You’ll likely be playing tennis with your colleagues in the future, so channel your inner umpire, not your inner McEnroe!
5. Serve an ace
If despite your best intentions you’ve still ended up in a rally, consider what needs to happen to bring the game to a close. Rather than asking, move to an assumptive close – “Thanks for your feedback – looks like the best course of action is to X, and I’ll make sure that happens tomorrow afternoon”. If this isn’t possible, then take charge by moving onto real-time chat or setting up a meeting. Returning back to the target of your shots, remind yourself of the purpose of the email in the first place and focus everyone back on being able to fulfil the initial intention of the message
No Wimbledon champion ever wants long rallies in their tennis game. In fact, the quicker the game the sooner they’re relaxing in the post-match sauna! Emailing like a pro can be a real game-changer.
