Don't let poorly written communication ki-l your career. How to (professionally) write an angry email
Source: Business Management Daily
October 11, 2021
When emotions are high, you’re more likely to convey all of your thoughts and feelings regarding a situation to ensure you communicate your viewpoint. However, in truth, you should do the opposite and keep it brief.
The more concise you are, the less likely you are to incorporate something you might later regret.
Additionally, getting deep into the weeds can bog down your email and cloud the most important points you wish to convey.
Maintain formality
Sending an email when upset can lead to messaging you might later wish you could take back. So throughout your email, err on the side of formality.
Remember all of the basics of writing a proper work-related email like:
• Include proper greetings
• Address the purpose of the email early on
• Be straightforward
• Stick to the facts
• Include an appropriate salutation
• Maintain a positive and respectful tone of voice
• Make any requests or follow-up actions clear
Maintaining formality makes it easier to be professional, even when it’s related to a touchy subject.
Read your message aloud
Sometimes you don’t realize how a message sounds until it’s read aloud.
If possible, write your email then read it aloud after breathing, considering the circumstances and remembering that emails live on forever.
When reading the message aloud, try to do so from a neutral place and eliminate any words/phrases that might come across as rude. However, also watch out for words that seem timid.
Your goal shouldn’t be to act as though nothing is wrong. Instead, you want to find a way to communicate regarding the circumstances while maintaining your professionalism. It’s common to err on the side of timid or apologetic language in an attempt to offset feelings of anger. However, stuffing your feelings completely can make matters worse down the road and prevent you from reaching a resolution.
Remember emails live forever
One final tip before you choose to send an angry email is to remind yourself that emails live forever.
A good rule to remember is if you wouldn’t want the message to be plastered on the newspaper’s front page or be tagged on social media for all of your friends, acquaintances, colleagues and community to see, don’t write it.
It doesn’t mean the conversation doesn’t need to occur. However, the approach might be better suited for a spoken conversation. If not, then you’ll want to maintain a high level of professionalism in your communication. You should always assume that emails you send, especially professionally, are not private.