I am a firm believer that one of the very first skills in any new or emerging leader’s toolbox, should be to get rid of the blocky email.
Say goodbye to blocky emails!
I am a firm believer that one of the very first skills in any new or emerging leader’s toolbox, should be to get rid of the blocky email.
Blocky emails are known to have one big block of text (original, I know), no bullets or subheadings…just text. Though they don’t actually weigh anything, figuratively they are heavy and cumbersome to read (imagine me carrying four gallons of milk with smiling yet struggling face). I have noticed that this approach is new to many leaders and they have never received specific feedback regarding their emails.
I’ve been working with one new leader on sectioning off topics in their emails with headings and bullets (when appropriate), and he has seen great results. We have also been re-reading the email from the readers lens to see how it "feels" to receive the email, and also consider what else they might need to know or not know. My favorite comment from him was, “They actually responded back!” For a while, he had been sending blocky emails and was frustrated that he heard crickets.
Before you can inspire your team and motivate them, they need to know you, like you, and trust you a little bit…and part of that trust, is being able to communicate well. Bringing helpful information forward in a way that is easy to read, is key. Otherwise (like in sports) those emails will go sit on the email bench for a while and will have to wait their turn to be read.
I love helping banish those blocky emails (small but significant ripple effect).