Email has its plusses and minuses. Here is a list of good tips. I particularly like those which suggest picking up the phone. If you’re in an office I’d add one other. Get up and walk to the other person’s desk rather than call them.
Chuck Martin has a set of 7 Tips for Getting of Control of E-mail at this week’s Darwin Online.
- If any subject or issue involves more than two e-mails, one party should call the other to resolve the issue by phone.
- No junk e-mail, no jokes.
- Only send relevant information, which is defined as just what the person needs to know.
- Limit CCs (which might be more appropriately named CYA).
- Don’t ping-pong with e-mail for a conversation; use the phone.
- Deal with it and delete it.
- Don’t read every e-mail as it comes in; handle them in batches.