40 / CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOOLS
Picking the best method
Before you choose a communication
method, think about how you would
like to receive the message you’re
about to convey. If it’s not something
you’d be happy learning on a group
instant-messaging channel, or it
doesn’t need a meeting to solve,
factor that in. Sta members will
thank you for not adding unnecessary
calls or lengthy emails to their day,
as well as for not having serious
or private matters pop up in a
chat window.
Video call
As a remote manager, you may feel the urge to talk
to your sta face to face more often, but be sparing
with video calls to avoid wasting people’s time. Is a
meeting necessary? Whose presence is essential?
Telephone
Phone calls are good for providing emotional
support, and for getting a quick yes or no. But be
aware they can be intrusive, and you may catch the
person when they can’t access the info you need.
You need to remain in frequent contact with colleagues when
managing from a distance, whether via phone call, email,
instant messaging, or face-to-face video chat. Each of these
methods is great in certain situations, but less so in others,
so how do you choose which one is best?
Deciding how to
communicate
CURB THE CAPITALS
Avoid writing messages in
capital letters—it can look
like you’re shouting. Also
be sparing in your use of
question and exclamation
marks: too many can be
annoying and confusing.
Tip
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DECIDING HOW TO COMMUNICATE / 41
NOT HOW YOU MEANT IT?
Written communications are
open to misinterpretation, and
sarcasm can be particularly
dicult to convey. In 2010, the US
firm Sarcasm, Inc. went so far
as to trademark a new form
of punctuation,the “SarcMark,”
to flag when a phrase was
intended sarcastically. The
solution met with mixed reviews,
but it served to highlight the
lengths sometimes needed to
make your meaning clear. While
sarcasm is usually best avoided
in the workplace, it’s important to
consider how any message you
write might be understood. It can
help to read your email aloud
after writing it, or even better,
if it’s not urgent, to step away
from it for a while, then return
to review it with fresh eyes.
Email
Emails are the best way to relay a lot of information,
but structure them carefully to avoid misinterpretation
(see pp.50–51). They are also useful as you can refer
back to them, and let you prove information was given.
Instant messaging
When you need a document or link in a hurry, a chat
app is often the way to go. Just be aware that the
quick response you want may not be possible, and
that messaging does not suit more formal issues.
Case study
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