Post on 25-Feb-2016
description
10 Most Common Communication Mistakes Made By IT Professionals
PADLA – Nov. 13, 2013
Hedy BakerCommunications
Consultant
You’ve Got Mail …and lots of it
“Each year,$308 Billion lost
productivity, due to time
wasted with email.”
Email is Digital King
10 Most Common Email Mistakes
1. Not knowing your audience2. Too long, dense3. Unnecessary words4. “Ask” is unclear5. Use of jargon, acronyms, and technical
phrases6. Bad grammar7. Spelling errors/wrong word8. Complicated copy9. Unprofessional formatting10.One-way communication
#1. Not Knowing Your Audience
“I’ll tweet, I’ll chirp, I’ll make whatever noise you want.
Just give me the job.”
“If I Had More Time,
I Would Have Written a Shorter
Letter.”
#2. Too long/Dense
Subject: “Communication In IT Project”A failure to communicate effectively is often the greatest threat to the positive outcome of the project as effectiveness of this facet can be the determinative factor for many project successes. Key aspects discussed include the dissemination of project overviews, management of conflict and implications for team dynamics, and the management of meetings and how this can promote team dynamics in a project team.
#3. Unnecessary Words
FROM: In order that TO: So TO: I FROM: In my opinion
FROM: Due to the fact TO: Because, Since
FROM: At this point TO: NowFROM: The reason is due to TO: SinceFROM: With regard to TO: Regarding
FROM: On the grounds that TO: Because
Subject Line: November Report
1st sentence: You have been involved with managing costs in your department. These costs are listed below.
3rd paragraph: I need to submit the budget by Nov. 1. Please get back to me with changes.
#4. Unclear “ask”
#5. Using jargon, acronyms, and technical phrases
SERVER FARM
ABORT
Source error
Dev server
#6. Bad Grammar WRONG: There’s too many emails RIGHT: There are too many emailsWRONG: My trip to NYC is
one I will always rememberRIGHT: I’ll always remember my trip to NYC.
WRONG: If a student parks on campus, they have to buy
RIGHT: If a student parks on campus, he/she has to buy
WRONG: In 2010, the VP said he is fed up
RIGHT: In 2010, the VP said he was fed up
#7. Spelling Errors/Wrong Word
Their/thereEffect/affectIts/it’sEnsure/insureThan/thenAdvice/adviseAccept/except
#8. Unprofessional FormattingFonts
Theme, size, color, underline, bold, CASE, Wordart
Email signaturesPersonalized: Harry Smith, your digital guruQuotes: “Change Your Thoughts – Change the
World”
Punctuation Let’s eat Grandma. Let’s eat, Grandma.
Let’s eat Grandma? Let’s eat, Grandma!
• Emoticons/Photos, Clip Art, Graphics
# 9. ComplicatedSubject: Release WeekendThere is a major release taking place this coming weekend. If needed, we must be able to contact any IT associate. Make sure Dawn has all your contact info, including your cell phone number. You must be accessible 24/7 until the end of next week. You may be asked at a moment’s notice to come into the office.You also need to dial into a conference call, if needed, that will be held each day between 3 p.m.-4 p.m. When you call in, make sure to have the problem, server impacted, users affected, how long it’s been going on, and what you have done to correct the issue.If you are aware of any incident, you must report it to the Help Desk. Please update the portal site in a timely manner. Make sure you follow the process; it is the most efficient way for incidents to be addressed in a timely manner. You can call the Help Desk at any time, even after normal business hours. It is setup to take calls at any time and will escalate issues to the appropriate resolver groups. To ensure we capture and report all issues to senior management, it is imperative that the Help Desk is the single point of contact for all incidents.Thank you for your cooperation.
#10. One-way communication
Before Hitting Send Button…Write to Your Audience, Not to YourselfAsk Yourself: What Type of Impression
am I MakingTake Time to Do it RightKISSCheck Your Grammar/SpellingWrite, Read, Edit, Reread, EditRead it Out LoudProvide Contact Information