Issue #2

E-mail can be a very effective form of communication when it is used correctly. Given the quickness, reliability, and ease that comes with using e-mail many use it regularly to communicate with employers, co-workers, and many others. However e-mail users also should be aware that there are limitations that come with these messages. Being short, concise, and to the point are good ways to avoid putting clutter into the message and thus burying the main point or making it hard to find. Another way to make your main point more effective is by reading the message as if you're the receiver not the sender, this will help in making sure the main point and tone of the message is clear. By doing this you may be able to give the receiver better than a "50-50 chance of ascertaining the tone of any e-mail message" as Leahy says he has in the article. Following these easy steps to creating and sending an e-mail will also help you with audience centered communication.

Issue #2

After reading the Stephen Leahy article, my overall perception of email as an effective communication form has been altered. While I, being like the other egotistical students in the test, believe that my message nearly always gets through to the other person, this is not always the case. Leahy states that as readers of email, we only have a 50% chance of correctly interpreting the tone of the writer. While I initially found this hard to believe, the study further proved the same concept. Because there is no true "voice" to email, it is extremely difficult to decipher what the speaker is truly trying to get across. Leahy points out that one main reason for this is that people are egocentric, usually trying to tell or explain things from his or her own perspective rather than branching out to the reader and looking at the issue from their point of view. Therefore, current moods, stereotypes, and expectations get in the way of the message, according to Leahy. I believe that the most effective way to send clear, concise emails is to stay organized and don't add unnecessary information. Email writers should always read over their work before it is send, insert appropriate headers and closing lines, and plan out what they will say before they write it out. With these easy steps, perhaps the number of misinterpreted emails will quickly fall.

Issue #2

Email certainly helps communication. It helps people stay connected easier and faster. I find I use email more to communicate with family and friends, than in the business world. In the business world, I found walking to the person's desk or sending an instant message were much more effective ways of communicating. In the tech support world, we didn't have time to wait for email to be returned. Instant messaging was used far more than email, simply because of time constraints (the customer needed the answer right then, not an hour later) and using instant messaging was the best way to accomplish that.

The author seems to think that email messages are often misunderstood. That supports my point of either talking in person or using instant messaging. Using "you" centered communication is always a good idea, no matter what form of communication you are using.The best ways for someone to ensure their messages are decoded correctly is to use the "you" centered approach, put themselves in the readers place, and to revise your message several times. revising any more than that, seems to be a waste of time, especially in the business world where you are trying to be productive. By asking questions about any email received that may be misinterpreted is a another good way to prevent communication problems, and is not mentioned in any of the articles.

Issue #2

Emails are a quick way to disseminate information in a business setting. I think people need to realize that emails are not the only way to communicate with their peers and bosses. Emails should be short, concise, and to the point. Tone is a major factor in determining the effectiveness of the email. People have a tendency to scan emails, and not read every word. Therefore, the tone has to be correct, otherwise the email will have an adverse effect, and not be effective. Overall, the tone is hugely important, and the email needs to be as clear, and short as possible. A follow up to more important emails are important as well. Telephone calls that back up emails are a sure way to ensure that the audience has understood the message.

The Effective Use of E-mails

E-mail can be used by businesses as an effective means of communication; many times messages sent by e-mail can be taken care of faster than trying to set up meetings with busy colleagues. However, when not used correctly, e-mails can simply create problems.
As Stephen Leahy's article points out, e-mails can be misinterpreted by the receiver. For the most part, this is a result of self-centered writing: when the sender is writing based on what they think they sound like, rather than taking into consideration how their audience might construe their tone.
In order to make e-mails more effective, and ensure the message will be decoded correctly, an audience centered approach is necessary. This means using clear, plain wording; making sure the tone is appropriate; and carefully organizing sentence structure and paragraph order. If you build these aspects around what you know of your audience, you will have successful e-mail communications.

Issue #2

I believe e-mail as a form of communication can be a very useful tool, but we must be aware of its limitations and adjust our communication accordingly. E-mail offers a very quick and reliable way to communicate with someone nearly anywhere in the world, but we must keep in mind that is can easily be misunderstood or misinterpreted if we aren’t careful. Due to this possible misunderstanding, we must constantly be aware of how our written communication via e-mail might be interpreted without being accompanied by the nonverbal forms of communications that go along with many other types of interpersonal interactions.

This point is driven home in Leahy’s article. Leahy discusses how the reader of an email unconsciously interprets the text based on their current mood, stereotypes and expectations, and typically misinterprets the tone of an e-mail 50% of the time. When a person is reading an email, their own life experiences and current circumstances affect the way they interpret the message. Many times, there is a disconnect between the message the sender is trying to get across and the message the reader is receiving. To help address this disconnect, we can apply the concepts of “audience centered communication” when writing e-mails.

When writing an e-mail, it is helpful to put yourself in the reader’s shoes and ask yourself how this message might come across to that individual given their current circumstances. Try to consider the possible circumstances and surroundings of your audience as they read your e-mail. Also, ask yourself how that person might misinterpret your message and then alter your e-mail to address some of these concerns. Ask yourself if your e-mail is too vague or allows for too much interpretation and try to strengthen your e-mail by using very specific words or phrases. Also try to develop your point fully to eliminate room for misinterpretation. By applying these concepts and writing using the audience centered approach, e-mails will become easier to fully understand can become a more efficient and effective way to communicate.

Issue #2 (due 9/7 before the beginning of class)

E-mail: Does it help or hinder communication?

After reading the article entitled "The Secret Cause of the Flame Wars" by Stephen Leahy (handed out in class on 8/31), how do you feel about e-mail as a form of communication? What assertions does the author make regarding e-mail and how do these support or dispute your opinion? Do any of Leahy's points relate to "audience centered communication" and how might this concept help to make e-mails a more effective form of communication? Finally, considering the other articles in this packet and the information from the text,  what steps might a person take to ensure that the message of his or her email is decoded correctly?