Checklist

Have you ever been on the receiving end of an escalating email war. One that started as a innocuous inquiry and ended up with everyone from the CEO down being cc’d?  They start all to easily, but the escalation can be avoided by applying some simple rules.

Seth Godin has an email checklist on his blog that should be compulsory training material for everyone with access to email.  My favourite is, ask yourself if I had to pay to send this email to each address listed (like you would for snail mail), would I still send it to everyone.  Others include:

1.   Is it going to just one person?
13. Am I angry? (If so, save as draft and come back to the note in one hour).
14. Could I do this note better with a phone call?
Source: Seth Godin Blog [^].

They are all common sense, but it is surprising how infrequently they are applied.  How many email flame wars would be avoided if these simple rules were used?  The corporate email environment could be a much more productive and friendly place if these rules, or a customised alternative were incorporated into company induction and training programs.