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Stop Being Friendly

July 3rd, 2007 @ 3:19 pm

Categories: General, Time-Savers

Tags: Study, David Goldenberg

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Why should you be curt with colleagues and customers over email? According to a study of executive recruiters (via Web Worker Daily), people are more likely to reply to important things when there’s no chitchat mixed in. Stuart Jeffries of The Guardian would like to extend that curtness to faux-cheerful salutations and closings as well (if only because the “overintimacy” involved).

Businessfolks aren’t the only ones whose performance worsens when they try to be friendly at work. A new study discussed in the New York Times found that doctors give worse care when they interject personal information into discussions with their patients. 

Quit being so cheerful and nice—you’ll be more productive. (Especially since you won’t have any friends…)

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  •  
    1

    manuela.delosrios@...

    07/06/07 | Report as spam

    I disagree

    I generally disagree with this article.
    Although it may be true in certain business communications, and perhaps when the writers have not met each other.

    However, in my own experience in project and company management, keeping e-mail communications often personal and motivating can be essential to feel at comfort with who you're communicating with and is an opportunity to develop better relationships.

    What I do believe is that each email needs to carry a clear message, not to be mixed by this friendly conversation that is, in a way, substituting your visual communication, tone of voice, etc etc.

  •  
    2

    juliee

    07/06/07 | Report as spam

    I Strongly Disagree

    Communicating via email is bad enough in and of itself. It is impossible to see facial expressions, hear tone, voice inflections, or observe gestures--all things that help people to communicate clearly. Couple that with a "curt" message, and you will be perceived as rude rather than efficient.

    If the writer had stressed the importance of keeping your emails professional, as you would any other written communication that goes out of your office, I would have agreed. You can keep your messages professional while still expressing interest in the lives of those around you. But when your email starts to read like a chat session around the water cooler, it's time to get out of your office and meet people face to face.

  •  
    3

    praveerg@...

    07/07/07 | Report as spam

    Agree if we modify the words slightly

    "Curt" is probably not it. "Straight" or "to the point" is more like it. There is no reason to be unpleasent, at the same time pleasentries do take away the business intent of the message.


    If you are mailing for the first time or after a long time, it's different.

    The purpose of business emails is to get a job done or to get a point to be noted. Those points should grab the reader, and only that should form the content of a day-to-day email.

    Using other things cause diversion and the message is totally forgotten, as can be seen by the signature here:

    All right then. It was great sharing my thoughts.

    Look forward to you post.

    Warm regards
    ABC

    PS: Do you remember what all i said?

  •  
    4

    nautee32@...

    07/22/07 | Report as spam

    Keep it to a minimum

    Although I somewhat disagree with this article I do not however totally disregard it. Keeping business email stirctly formal may not be a good avenue to foster stronger ties with your business colleagues but in the same light keeping personal glimpses in your email at a minimum maybe a good idea...try just starting it out with "Hope the family is well..."

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