Question: “Recently I received an email from a manager reprimanding me for some work I’d done that was ‘not the best use of your time.’ He pointed to other projects that would be ‘a better use’ of my time. What upset me was that he also cc’d my direct supervisor. It was demoralizing. What happened to approaching someone directly with criticism? Now I don’t trust this manager. Has this happened to anyone else?” —Deflated by a cc
When Gina Amaro Rudan quit her job to start her own business, she realized that she needed other risk-takers in her life. So she made a “genius wish list” of 25 people whose stories intrigued her. Then she asked each of them for a conversation. Each successful conversation built her confidence.
Stop monopolizing a conversation. Every time someone asks you a question, ask one in return … Resist the urge to do several things at once … Avoid sending an email to the wrong person, with this tip from Patricia Robb, author of the “Laughing All the Way to Work” blog …
Question: “One of my co-workers always has bruises on her arms. She says that these are from insulin injections, but I have long suspected she has a drug problem. Recently, she stopped driving her car to work. She told me she received a DUI, but the public record says she was arrested for possession of narcotics…”
“Presence.” You know it when you see it: Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan had it. Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter did not. Those who have it gain an advantage in winning over others.
Offering advice? The I-would-do-this-if-I-were-you approach can sometimes backfire. So: 1) Check your timing. Wait until an agitated co-worker is calm before asking, “Would you like my advice?” 2) Be direct. Avoid vague hints. Instead say, “You may want to consider…” 3) Confirm the goal. Was she venting or looking for a solution?
Chris Anderson, who runs the high-profile TED conference, believes we need to focus on limiting the flow of email, rather than focusing on how to organize and file all those messages. Anderson penned 10 ideas that could make a dent in email quantity: