And that applies even to emails.
A number of blogs and articles have been written about emails and bad business writing. My favorites so far are those from Harvard Business Blog's David Silverman. Here is what Mr. Silverman has to say about writing emails that people will read (and I paraphrase liberally):
1. Have a call to action.
2. Say it upfront.
3. Assume nothing.
4. Do the thinking.
My beef though is with the receiver: It seems people just don't read.
Because people don't read, important emails get ignored, deadlines are not met, and decisions are nopt made in time.
We just don't read anymore like we used to.
Is it because we are too overwhelmed with information and messages? Is it because we cannot cope? Is email technology just too much for us?
There's such a thing as email filters and delegation. Or if one is blessed enough, personal assistants and subordinates.
The responsibility of getting things done through emails lies with the receiver - and the recipient. It is true that the onus is on the recipient to get the email read - but if the recipient is simply too lazy to read and claims has "no time", email communications break down.
Communication - after all - is a two-way process.
Let it remain that way.
