When I started college, "Alcohol Awareness" meant trying to figure
out where you could buy beer underage. By the time I was a senior,
however, colleges began to combat underage and binge drinking through
"awareness training." I remember the mnemonic they used was H.A.L.T. It meant don't drink when you're Hungry, Angry,
Lonely or Tired.
Fast forward to now.
I've decided that this same approach needs to
apply to something almost as addictive as alcohol and potentially even
more frequently abused (at least during office hours): Email.
Never send email when you're hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Especially when you're angry and/or tired. (For me, these two mental states become highly correlated.) I find it amazing how email brings out the passive-aggressive in people. People write things in person that they would never say in person. Or by phone, for that matter.
So H.A.L.T. on the email already.
Taking this to the next level is what some clever Intel engineers are advocating with "Zero-Email Fridays." Now there's an idea.
Here's a great example from today's New York Times of why HALT is a good idea:
"Our Towns: School Chief's Embarrassment Is a Lesson for Itchy E-Mailers"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/nyregion/25towns.html?ex=1193976000&en=80507652629f0159&ei=5070&emc=eta1
Posted by Cynthia Badiey on October 25, 2007 at 11:27 AM PDT #
I've proofread many emails of colleagues who were incensed at some injustice or other.
My advice has been pretty much consistent.
Click on "Save as Draft."
Re-read it the morning...If it is still valid, first, do a precis
of it, because chances are, it was written with way too many opinions and data points and exhortations intermixed, and second, remove the emotion from it -- be sure it makes the point succinctly, AND attacks the issue not the individual.
I've been writing and receiving email since 1983... lots of painful experience and learning buried in that advice :)
Posted by Rob on May 24, 2008 at 04:07 AM PDT #