Don't Jump to Conclusions in Your Business E-mail

E-mail makes it so much easier to boldly accuse or jump to incorrect conclusions. I receive several e-mails every day containing comments or claims that I know the very same folks would not say to my face or that stem from them making an assumption that is not based on anything I actually did or said.

Being behind these screens makes it so much easier to type what may not be true or nice because you don’t have that eye contact or person sitting in front of you to then have to deal with their reaction. And almost everyone reading this post can admit at some time mistakenly reading into an e-mail what was not there. With business e-mail communications, responding with accusations or assumptions can impact your reputation and perception of professionalism.

By jumping to conclusions and then because of the ease of typing things you wouldn’t normally say if face-to-face, ability to Cc: the boss or BCc: coworkers with just a click, don’t communicate in a manner that you would not appreciate if done to you. At the same time the onus is on each of us to ensure that our intent and tone are crystal clear so there is the least amount of room for any assumptions to be made.

There are so many things going on in the background that the majority of e-mailers are not aware of that can cause delayed e-mails or lack of response. Or someone may be in a hurry and type off a quick response that then comes off as terse and vague. Because you perceive an attitude that may not be there or that something is not happening as quickly or the way you desire, doesn’t necessarily make it so.

How’s this? While you are assuming, why not also assume that you do not know all the details or criteria that could be affecting a situation and ask for an explanation in a kind and courteous way?

If I don’t receive responses to my inquiries, I don’t assume why or send accusations or “eTattle” to the higher-ups, rather I send a kind follow up confirming if the original request was received and/or if everything on the other side is O.K.

If an e-mail is terse or rude, I respond back with the courtesy not offered to me to set an example of how professionals communicate with e-mail.

Jumping to conclusions many times only serves to expose your lack of knowledge, understanding or ability to act as a true professional in any given situation. I’m sure you’ll agree that is not a good approach in any business situation.