Media contact: Grant Madsen (801) 378-9206[email protected]
PROVO, Utah -- A new book by a Brigham Young University Marriott School of Management professor offers practical tips to ensure electronic communication tools like cell phones and e-mail actually help people effectively communicate and not just mindlessly exchange data.
Kristen B. DeTienne, associate professor of organizational leadership and strategy and author of the "Guide to Electronic Communication," says it's easy to notice another person's e-mail mistakes or to criticize an overwrought slide show presentation -- more difficult is to avoid communication pitfalls in one's own work.
"This is probably one of the areas in which professional people are weakest because of the newness of the technology and people's inexperience using it," said DeTienne. "People realize they need to use electronic communication to stay current, but they don't stop to think about the etiquette involved or even the background issue of what it means to be an effective communicator."
Written in an easy-to-skim manner, her book teaches the uninitiated and reminds the expert how to write and deliver successful e-mail messages, design powerful slide show presentations and find jobs using computer-scannable resumes and online job boards.
Some of the tips she offers include:
* Use subheadings or bullet points in long e-mails to help readers access information easily -- or shorten e-mails altogether by writing descriptive and informative subject lines. For example, don't write "RE: The Bell Project" but "Urgent meeting May 2 re Bell Project."
* Never send an e-mail when angry. Sometimes opinions change with time or more information.
* Don't assume that everyone appreciates e-mail emoticons (typographical cartoons used to indicate mood, often looked at sideways) and abbreviations. If you choose to lighten your message using emoticons, use common ones sparingly like : ) to express happiness, or : ( to show frustration or empathy.
* Keep font size large during PowerPoint presentations. Usually 28-point type is large enough for an audience of 20. Avoid cluttering slides with too much information -- generally, the audience should be able to read an entire visual within 15 seconds.
* Activate e-mail's automatic professional signature feature so recipients can call or send snail mail. This also prevents the continual retyping of such information.
* Don't use cell phones in theaters, churches, concerts, courtrooms, restaurants and places where people go to relax. If you must keep your phone on while visiting such locations, switch the ringer to vibrating or silent mode -- and remember cell phone conversations are not private because others can hear you.
* Keep voice mail messages well organized, short and clear. While you are explaining the reason for your call, be succinct, informative and action oriented. Avoid rambling.
* Remember that voice mail doesn't have to be used to play "phone tag" but can be used to conduct business by people with different work schedules. When possible, include in your message the information the person needs rather than just the message that you called.
DeTienne, whose past academic research has explored privacy issues in the workplace, says it's also important to remember that e-mail is not private.
"Just because a password is required to access your e-mail doesn't mean employers can't or won't read it," she says. "Employers can read incoming and outgoing mail, so make sure you never write anything in an e-mail that you wouldn't want your boss to see."
The book is part of a series on business communication and also provides insight into the non-technical communications issues to consider before purchasing a personal digital assistant, designing a Web page or conducting online research. A glossary of possibly confusing words used to describe electronic terms is also included.
"The proliferation of technology has given people the ability to communicate -- and confuse -- like never before," says DeTienne. "It's important that people become comfortable and competent in its use."
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