The purpose of emails is to facilitate communication. Yet many of us find ourselves overwhelmed with incoming emails. When used correctly, emails can enable sharing of information and lead to high company performance. When used incorrectly, emails can cause relationships within organizations to crumble, or result in hasty decision-making based on incomplete information. Here are some tips to use emails effectively:
1. Is an email necessary? – It is difficult to read tone in emails. As such, emails do not assist people build relationships. When possible, it is better to discuss issues with people in-person, or secondly, via phone conversations. Emails are a good option only if the message is simple and does not require much discussion. For example, emails can be used to post colleagues with respect to non-controversial decisions. Or, for an ongoing project, emails can facilitate information exchange as a supplement to meetings. Lastly, emails can be used to share summarized information (such as in a spreadsheet).
2. What is your message? – Nothing is more boring than a long e-mail with a hidden message. Start brainstorming using the one-sentence message: if you could only write one-sentence to your recipient, what would you write? Then write out that sentence in your email. The rest of your email should be context that assists the recipient in understanding your message sentence. Once you have filled in the context, position your message sentence so that is easily readable, such as at the end of a paragraph, or as a stand-alone paragraph.
3. What will the recipient think/feel when they read your email? – Anticipating your recipient’s questions, concerns, and mood can be critical to effective emails. Are you requesting information within a tight timeline? If so, acknowledge it in your email, and offer to discuss strategies to meet the timeline. Does your email provide sufficient context and information for the recipient to understand your message? What will the recipient feel when they read your message? Many of these questions are difficult to answer for recipients with whom you do not have a relationship. As such, it is critical to develop such relationships outside of emails.
I’d like to begin by talking about what I do not hire. I do not hire myself. In fact, I disagree with the currently popular recruiting technique of finding employees who “fit” into an employer's culture.
I once met a candidate who was introverted, an achiever, and a team player very much like myself. I was tempted to hire her, because it was easy for me to talk to her. Further, I had been successful at my organization, and I felt that since she had common personality traits, she would succeed too. However, I found following this temptation ineffective, for three reasons:
1. In 30-minute interviews, we are often wrong in our assessment of qualities we share with candidates. Interviewees frequently try to please us by pretending to be similar to us, when in fact, they are not.
2. There is value in diversity. By diversity, I do not mean simply racial, gender, or socioeconomic diversity, but also diversity in backgrounds, personalities, and risk tolerances. I find value in discussing my projects with diverse peers, so that through a healthy debate, we can explore issues.
3. Company culture can and should evolve. Companies with a single, narrow culture can be efficient in the short-run, but their groupthink can make them vulnerable to being unable to adapt, or even survive, when circumstances inevitably change. Good examples are investment banks, many of which went bankrupt during the financial crisis, and others of which are still struggling to re-brand themselves post-crisis.
So, how do I hire? I focus on 2 criteria:
1. Does the candidate have the requisite skills for the job? Before reviewing resumes, I make a list of skills essential for the position. Then, I review resumes to see which ones had experience in those skills. Lastly, during interviews, I ask interviewees about those specific experiences.
2. Is the candidate willing to learn? People obtain varied credentials, but the most relevant training occurs on-the-job. I have found that candidates who are willing to learn – from themselves and their managers, peers, and juniors – are the most successful. For companies with strong cultures, candidates who are willing to learn will be able to adapt. To ascertain learning ability, I ask interviewees about their learning experiences in various settings. I also sometimes give feedback to an interviewee during the interview, and observe how she reacts.
The purpose of emails is to facilitate communication. Yet many of us find ourselves overwhelmed with incoming emails. When used correctly, emails can enable sharing of information and lead to high company performance. When used incorrectly, emails can cause relationships within organizations to crumble, or result in hasty decision-making based on incomplete information. Here are some tips to use emails effectively: 
