Article review of email etiquette

1. Argue for or against the article’s tips on email etiquette being helpful.

I agree with a number of the tips provided in the article related to email etiquette. Of particular importance is the tone of an email. The author notes that tone can often be misinterpreted due the lack of personal interface on an email. As a result, a email message can often be misinterpreted as anger or insensitive which is completely different than it intended purpose. This could potentially strain the relationship with the client or internal employee.

Likewise, I agree with the authors point related to cultural sensitivity when reading or replying to emails. Globalization is now becoming much more pronounced. As result, companies, employees, and customers are becoming much more interconnected. It is therefore important to understand and be sensitive to different expressions in email. Culture differences, particularly in writing form, can result in miscommunication. As a result, it is critical to cater messages to their intended audience for more efficient communication (Hafner, 1998).

Arguably the most important element that was mentioned in the article was proofreading emails prior to sending them. This is particularly important from a customer service standpoint as it allows for a much more professional client experience. This experience can ultimately lead to further business or relationships with these clients.

2. Criticize at least one of the article’s tips on email etiquette.

The tip that was arguable the lease beneficial was relate to need to reply to all emails. Although I agree with the overall premise of reply to emails in prompt and timely fashion, replying to emails that are not intended for you often clutters email inboxes and consumers valuable time that can be used for more productive channels. The tip specifically requests that all emails, included those that are not intended for you should be replied to. Frequently individuals are included on “Reply all” emails where the intended receipt is another individual. It is inefficient to reply to these emails, and clutter an individual sender’s email inbox. In my opinion, it is much better to allow the intended recipient to reply to the email (Feiertag, 2004).

3. Explain how one or more of the article’s tips on email etiquette will be adapted into your computer-mediated communication

Here, the proofreading element will be heavily adapted in my computer-mediated communication. This is particularly relevant as I correspond with business leaders, organizational leaders, and academicians throughout my studies. It is important to establish as professional brand with these individuals as they provide vital services to my own personal development. For example, I may potentially need a letter of recommendation from a prior leader that I interreacted with. Proper communication can help solidify my image within the mind of the individual, thus providing a much more positive experience.

Likewise, many of my peers and counterparts have very diverse backgrounds. As a result, it is important to remain culturally aware of certain elements within email, and if necessary cater them to the intended audience in a professional manner. This element will only become more important in the future as countries, economies, and industries become much more integrated within society. Having sensitivity towards certain cultural topics within email also establishes a much more beneficial relationship with email recipient’s. I intend to leverage these learnings to better communicate and ultimately become much more effective as a leader.