58 / MASTERING REMOTE COMMUNICATION
Guiding your sta
Encourage employees to be professional
and respectful during any work instant-
messaging chats. As a manager, lead
by example—try to keep conversations
on topic: in the #ProjectY channel, only
discuss Project Y. To avoid overwhelming
others in group chats, you can switch
to one-on-one private messages for
detailed discussion that’s better kept
between two. Set up dedicated social
channels to give sta a more relaxed
forum for general discussion—this helps
teams to bond and share experiences
unrelated to work.
Following group
chat etiquette
Instant messaging is useful for solving problems in real time as a
team, letting you ask questions and give answers quickly without
interrupting the rhythm of your day. But while the medium is less
formal, remain respectful and use it wisely.
CONSIDER YOUR
AUDIENCE
Be mindful of colleagues
who are not using their first
language or are from dierent
cultures. Make your language
clear and appropriate, and
explain any new abbreviations
or less obvious terms.
Tip
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FOLLOWING GROUP CHAT ETIQUETTE / 59
I think this
conversation
would work better
on the phone
In focus
THE FIVE GOLDEN RULES OF MESSAGING ETIQUETTE
1. Don’t put others under undue pressure to reply right away. Give people
space—they may be busy, not know the answer immediately, or simply
want a break.
2. Respect a colleague’s decision to set their status to “away” or “busy.”
A message sent while someone is unavailable may go unanswered.
The recipient may also feel that they are being overly pressured.
3. Think about whether someone needs to be involved in a conversation
before you include them. People receive lots of messages every day.
If they don’t need to be in the chat, don’t add them.
4. Remember that slang and casual language may not translate well
or be appropriate for the situation.
5. Don’t use instant messaging tools for important announcements.
Updates that have far-reaching consequences require a more
formal approach.
I set my status
to “busy” but the
messages keep
coming
So many acronyms,
I’m a bit lost
I wish we could
just talk about the
project at hand
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