How To Make Good Electronic Conversation
The invention of e-mail, instant messaging and text messaging has forever changed the way we communicate. Gone
are the days of waiting 3 days for a letter to arrive in the mail, searching the house for stamps, or rummaging
through junk draws for a pen that doesn't leak. Communication with someone as close as next door, or as far away
as the other side of the globe can be accomplished with a couple of key strokes and a few clicks of the mouse.
Electronic communication has many advantages (speed, ease of use, low cost), but it also has some pitfalls. Lets
examine a few, and see how we can avoid them.
The Unintentionally Rude Message
One of the things that should be kept in mind when composing e-mails or typing up text messages is the fact that
these forms of communication are flat and very one-dimensional. The same comment made with a smile or a wink of the
eye, might seem quite rude when read in plain text without those physical cues.
A good example of what I mean is the day I sent my boss a text message stating that I was taking a sick day because of
food poisoning. He wrote back that my poor cooking skills shouldn't keep me from coming to work. He meant it as a joke, and
no doubt he was smiling with a twinkle in his eye as he typed his text message. I couldn't see that smile or twinkle and
was extremely offended.
So, whenever you're composing an e-mail or text message, read it over carefully. Ask yourself if there’s room for your message
to be misinterpreted. If you're communicating with someone electronically who seems to be getting hostile for no apparent reason, check
out the messages you've sent. You might find that something you've typed has been totally misunderstood.
THE ANGRY MESSAGE
For those of you who are new to the world of e-mail and text messaging, the use of all capital letters means more than just an accidental
activation of the caps lock feature. In cyber speak; writing a message in all caps is the equivalent of shouting at someone. Unless you
intend to scream at the recipient of your message, never send a message in all caps.
The Emotionless Message
One great way to make sure that the emotion behind your messages is properly conveyed is by using emoticons, which are also known as Smileys. Perhaps
you've seen someone end an e-mail with the following symbol - :). That means the sender is smiling at you. At www.computeruser.com you'll
find many useful emoticons that symbolize everything from “I'm confused” to “hugs
and kisses”. Of course they may not be appropriate for business communication, but smileys are a great way to spice up your personal electronic correspondence.
The Poorly Spelled Message
Spell checking is a feature of any decent e-mail package. It not only helps you make your e-mail easier to read and understand, but spell checking often makes
grammatical errors stand out. Someday spell checking will be a feature of instant messaging, but for now…excuse my poor spelling and typos.
In Conclusion
Avoid the pitfalls of electronic communication. Reread what you've typed, looking out for the ways your message might be misunderstood, avoid using all caps, use
spell check, and make your correspondence fun by adding emoticons. These simple steps will help you master the art of electronic communication.
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