Taming the Email Tiger: How to Make Your Work Flow

Editor's Notes

• #11: And then at Mastering Email level, you have developed a reputation as a clear, concise communicator who understands when to use e-mail and when to use another more appropriate to to communicate. You understand the tone of incoming email, recognise the language and style of the message and are able to identify the key words to use in your reply to build rapport, overcome misunderstandings, get agreement and achieve outcomes. When you send e-mails, people take notice, you have strong rapport, trust and influence. So where do you fit in this model right now? Where would like to be?
• #12: And then at Mastering Email level, you have developed a reputation as a clear, concise communicator who understands when to use e-mail and when to use another more appropriate to to communicate. You understand the tone of incoming email, recognise the language and style of the message and are able to identify the key words to use in your reply to build rapport, overcome misunderstandings, get agreement and achieve outcomes. When you send e-mails, people take notice, you have strong rapport, trust and influence. So where do you fit in this model right now? Where would like to be?
• #13: And then at Mastering Email level, you have developed a reputation as a clear, concise communicator who understands when to use e-mail and when to use another more appropriate to to communicate. You understand the tone of incoming email, recognise the language and style of the message and are able to identify the key words to use in your reply to build rapport, overcome misunderstandings, get agreement and achieve outcomes. When you send e-mails, people take notice, you have strong rapport, trust and influence. So where do you fit in this model right now? Where would like to be?
• #14: And then at Mastering Email level, you have developed a reputation as a clear, concise communicator who understands when to use e-mail and when to use another more appropriate to to communicate. You understand the tone of incoming email, recognise the language and style of the message and are able to identify the key words to use in your reply to build rapport, overcome misunderstandings, get agreement and achieve outcomes. When you send e-mails, people take notice, you have strong rapport, trust and influence. So where do you fit in this model right now? Where would like to be?
• #16: Thirdly, we need a complete paradigm shift in the way we approach e-mail. We need to get away from being inbox-based, interruption driven and largely reactive in the way that we work. It is much more productive and much more fulfilling when we can become calendar-based, plan-driven and proactive instead.
• #18: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #49: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #50: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #55: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #57: And the key to this will be learning to apply the proven 4D methodology to your email. This will allow you to handle each e-mail only once, reducing the enormous amount of multiple handling of messages.
• #59: Every e-mail you and I receive only ever requires one of the following four actions. The first one is everybody’s favourite – you can ditch or delete. The e-mail may be unwanted or irrelevant and so we can immediately delete it. Alternatively, it might be a relevant e-mail providing a snippet of information or a confirmation and now that it has performed it’s useful function, the e-mail can be deleted.
• #63: The second possible action for an e-mail is where we can deal with it straight away. This might be to make a quick response or maybe we can save an attachment, or update a spreadsheet, or confirm details of a meeting or some other piece of work which can be quickly accomplished. The key with this option is that if the next action (or even a number of actions) can be taken in two minutes or less, we should deal with it straight away. This is because it is quicker to deal with it now than the time it takes to store it, keep track of it, retrieve, read it and make a decision later. This two minute rule applies to anything that first comes into your world via the in-tray, voicemail, text message etc.
• #66: The third possible action to take actually needs to be done by someone else rather than you and so you can delegate the e-mail to them. This can be done by forwarding the message or perhaps printing it and handing it to them. As a manager or supervisor who is responsible for the end result, you may wish to add the e-mail to your task list and then forward it to the relevant person in your team, along with any instructions and/or documents that may assist them perform the next action required. This way, you can keep track of the task, adding a reminder for yourself and/or the other person.
• #70: Another decision you may need to make is to decide WHEN you will take the next action for those e-mails you can’t process in two minutes or less. When an e-mail contains a task that requires a block of time for you to complete, you can convert the e-mail to a Calendar or Task item. In this way, you can take an incoming task (that usually arrives unexpectedly, uninvited and often un-negotiated) and turn it into planned and prioritised work to be done at a more appropriate time. And you can integrate this task into your schedule along with everything else you have to do. You can now better manage all of your workload, timeframes and deadlines in a Calendar environment rather than a Calendar with a few appointments plus the never-ending, rolling to-do list that the inbox so often becomes. As a result, you’ll be able to get away from an inbox-based, interruption-driven, and reactive work style to something that is more calendar-based, plan-driven and pro-active! You’ll also find it easier to manage these tasks in a Calendar environment than the in-box because now you can SEE where your time is going.
• #71: Another decision you may need to make is to decide WHEN you will take the next action for those e-mails you can’t process in two minutes or less. When an e-mail contains a task that requires a block of time for you to complete, you can convert the e-mail to a Calendar or Task item. In this way, you can take an incoming task (that usually arrives unexpectedly, uninvited and often un-negotiated) and turn it into planned and prioritised work to be done at a more appropriate time. And you can integrate this task into your schedule along with everything else you have to do. You can now better manage all of your workload, timeframes and deadlines in a Calendar environment rather than a Calendar with a few appointments plus the never-ending, rolling to-do list that the inbox so often becomes. As a result, you’ll be able to get away from an inbox-based, interruption-driven, and reactive work style to something that is more calendar-based, plan-driven and pro-active! You’ll also find it easier to manage these tasks in a Calendar environment than the in-box because now you can SEE where your time is going.
• #73: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #74: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #75: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #76: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #77: And the key to this will be learning to apply the proven 4D methodology to your email. This will allow you to handle each e-mail only once, reducing the enormous amount of multiple handling of messages.
• #78: And the key to this will be learning to apply the proven 4D methodology to your email. This will allow you to handle each e-mail only once, reducing the enormous amount of multiple handling of messages.
• #79: And the key to this will be learning to apply the proven 4D methodology to your email. This will allow you to handle each e-mail only once, reducing the enormous amount of multiple handling of messages.
• #80: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #81: And the key to this will be learning to apply the proven 4D methodology to your email. This will allow you to handle each e-mail only once, reducing the enormous amount of multiple handling of messages.
• #82: And the key to this will be learning to apply the proven 4D methodology to your email. This will allow you to handle each e-mail only once, reducing the enormous amount of multiple handling of messages.
• #83: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #89: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #90: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #96: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #102: The first strategy for eliminating email overload is to decrease frequency; decrease the frequency with which are checking not only our email but also all the other sources of information such as twitter, facebook, text messages etc
• #109: Each of these webinars includes additional resources to help you master the skills that you’ll learn. There’s a handout for you to work through making your own notes during the webinar There’s access to a recorded version of the webinar in case you’re not able to attend on the date it is broadcast. The recording also allows you to go over the material again at your leisure later. Each webinar has a series of email tips that will be sent to you on a regular (but not intrusive) basis to remind and reinforce the key things you will have learnt And finally, if you need some additional help by way of some 1:1 coaching, there are packages to suit your requirements available at special AFIST member rates upon request.