Electronic
Mail - Is it a blessing or a curse?
By
Kathie Amirante, PP, PLS
The
use of email has most definitely made our lives easier;
especially when communicating with members of an association
such as ours where committees are made up of people all
across the United States, or in the case of our state
associations – all across our state. We are able
to work on NALS work when we have a minute, knowing that
when we send out a message everyone is also able to read
and respond to that message when they have time. We are
not interrupting anyone during a busy time at work, during
an important television show in the evening, during a
family meal, or when putting the kids to bed. Email is
cheaper and faster than a letter, less intrusive than
a phone call, and less hassle than a FAX. By using email,
differences in location and time zone are less of an
obstacle to communication.
I found
when I began my term as President of my local chapter
this year, it was so much easier to send an email to
members asking them to chair or serve on a committee.
I also think I received a much better response. I was
able to describe the duties of the committee, show my
belief in the member’s ability to take on the committee,
and encourage the member to take an active role in the
association. I filled all my committee chair positions
in a couple of days.
Email
is also useful in keeping in touch with members, giving
them a pat on the back or a nod of encouragement, offering
assistance, and generally just keeping the lines of communication
open. Whether you serve on a national committee, as a
state officer or committee chairman, or just a member
in your local chapter, e-mail has become the predominant
method of communication and because this is so, we must
also be aware of the pitfalls and hazards it can create.
Because
of its speed and turnaround time, email is more conversational
than traditional paper-based media. When you send an
email your recipient can read and respond to it faster
than you can turn your computer off. Email becomes more
like conversation than paper communications and at the
same time it can also become sloppier.
This
is not always bad. It is probably not necessary to spend
a lot of time making sure your spelling is error-free,
your words eloquent, and your grammar beyond reproach,
if the point of the message is to tell your co-worker
that you are ready to go to lunch. However, you need
to be aware of when you can be sloppy and when you have
to be meticulous. If you are acting on behalf of your
employer, NALS, or are trying to communicate a professional
image, it is important to pay attention to detail in
the same way you would in a formal letter. In these instances,
take the time to make your message look professional.
If you are sending a message that will be read by someone
higher up on the chain of command (a superior or professor,
for instance), or if you're about to mass-mail dozens
of people, take an extra minute or two before you hit “send.” Show
a draft to a close associate to ensure that you are sending
the message you intend and that you are coming across
in a professional manner.
Another
pitfall to remember is email also does not convey emotions
nearly as well as face-to-face or even telephone conversations.
It lacks vocal inflection, gestures, and a shared environment.
Your recipient may have difficulty telling if you are
serious or kidding, happy or sad, frustrated or euphoric.
Sarcasm is particularly dangerous to use in email. You
can frequently get in trouble for typing exactly what
you would say out loud. Unfortunately, without the tone
of voice to signal your emotion, your intent is easily
misunderstood. You are also not aware of your recipient’s
frame of mind at the time they receive the email. You
may think you are being tactful, helpful, or even amusing,
but if the person receiving the message is swamped with
work, has a boss standing over their shoulder, or just
not in the mood, your message takes on a whole new meaning.
One
critical issue to remember is that unless you are Simon
Cowel; “praise in public and criticize in private.” Do
not send anything over email that you would not want
posted -- with your name attached -- in the break room,
or emailed to your whole chapter. Remember anything you
send can be forwarded on endlessly in cyberspace with
just the press of a button. In other words,
if you have a private matter you want to discuss with
someone, it is best to do it in person or by phone. If
in your position as a chapter president or committee
chairman you need to discuss with another member their
performance or lack thereof, it is best to do that in
person and not via email. Email creates a permanent record
and because of its speed, things can be said in the heat
of the moment that you would not want shared with everyone
or held against you forever.
I
learned in my internet research for this article that
to "flame" someone is to write an abusive personal
attack. If you find yourself writing in anger, take a
break. Take some time to cool off before you hit "send." Do
not "flame" without weighing the consequences.
If you “flame” another member, then you damage
that person's trust in your leadership, and you probably
will not get that person's best work in the future. In
addition, if that person decides to share your emails
with others, you chance losing the respect of everyone.
We all get frustrated at times, we feel we are the only
one who cares, that only we have the best interests of
the association in mind, or we could just do it faster
and better. What we need to remember is that everyone
tries their best, that we are not perfect, and that we
should not put down, insult, or beret someone who is
only doing their best too, and especially not do it via
email.
I do believe
email is more of a blessing than a curse. However, it is
necessary to use it with caution and to remember some of
the pitfalls mentioned here. We do not want to “flame” any
of our members, we do want to appear professional, and we
especially want to gain the respect of our recipients and
not open ourselves up to criticism. So use care when using
email and be cognizant of your audience and the real message
you want to send.
