Email and Emotional Intelligence

Email might be the last place you’d look to hone your emotional intelligence skills, but in my opinion it should be at the top of the list. Why?

What other communication tool do you have at your disposal that gives you a chance to adjust intent and tone before a message hits the recipient’s ‘ears’?

Many folks get caught in the trap of thinking that emails must be answered immediately and don’t take the opportunity to set a note aside for even a few minutes, take a breath, and recenter.

I like to write an email, walk away for a bit, put on the shoes of the recipient, and re-read my intended message with an eye toward how it is likely to be received - especially for high impact communications.

This technique isn’t foolproof as unconscious bias can inappropriately color my perspective of how the recipient will respond, but on balance it’s saved me from making unintended interpersonal blunders.

A little extra work and attention up front can save a lot of angst, frustration, and wasted effort down the road.

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend…

Andy