This Email Thing Is Out of Control!

How many daily emails do you receive…50, 100, 200? Email has now become a nasty reality in our world. Most leaders are unaware of the impact that extensive email can have on their productivity and their capacity to connect in a meaningful way with people. What began as a helpful tool to communicate, has quickly become quite a disaster for many.

Here are just a few staggering email stats for business leaders to ponder.

1. Research from The Radicati Group Inc. outlines the following:
   • 123.9 BILLION emails sent and received everyday in 2016
   • Annual increase in business emails sent is 7%…. Therefore, in 2017, we can expect 132.1 billion emails sent and received every day.

2. According to a May 13, 2016 article in the Huffington Post
   6. The average US employee spends 6.3 hours on email (3.2 hours on work and 3.1 on personal) EVERY DAY!!!
   7. 80% look at emails before going to the office.
   8. 30% check their email before getting out of bed in the morning; 45% for the 18 – 34 year old.
   9. 50% respond to emails while on vacation.
   10. 50% of millennials check email while using the bathroom.
   11. 40% of employees have tried a self-imposed email detox, of which 87% only lasted 5 days.

I think you would agree with the words, “Houston, we have a problem!”

Here are a 4 tips to help ensure that you are adding value when using email.

1. Don’t use email to address a conflict / sensitive issue. Have the courage to discuss the challenge with the other person directly. The MASSIVE volume of time people waste by trying to pick the “right” words as they address a sensitive topic is staggering!

Question: Are you using email to avoid facing people directly?

2. Brevity is everyone’s friend. Keeping emails short and to the point forces you to get to the heart of the issue – FAST. You are serving others by helping ensure they do not need to wade through unnecessary, confusing and wandering content.

Question: Are you wasting your time and others by including too much “fluff”?

3. Clear, concise subject lines. You and I scan email to see if there is “anything important”. How often are we asked, “Didn’t you see my email?” Make it easy for others by telling them exactly what you want from them and by when. Don’t waste their time by burying the needed action in volumes of text in the email.

i.e. “Subject: Feedback needed by November 10!”

Question: How clear and concise are your subject lines?

4. Stop cc’ing everyone under the sun! Are you a person who cc’s everyone when responding to an email? There are times when it is important for a group to track responses. However, for the most part, we weigh down others by using the unnecessary “reply all” to an email.

Question: How often are you hitting ‘Reply All’? Is it necessary?

Email is such a helpful tool. Let’s make sure we model the way and use it well.

Next week I will share 4 tools that will help you keep a healthier email inbox. Stay tuned!

A Maverick Application:

Consider the following verses as you reflect on the above questions:

1. Am I using email to serve those receiving them from me or is my motive more about serving me? Mark 10:45
2. Am I pursuing excellence in how I use email? Am I a more competent email user today than I was 6 months ago? Colossians 3:23
3. Ask 3 – 5 people who regularly receive emails from you, the following 3 questions to help you serve them better.
   1. What do I need to keep doing?
   2. What do I need to start doing?
   3. What do I need to stop doing?
4. Make it happen – do it! Who will you share this with?