Please, Make it an Email

ADVICE

Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels

Thinking about scheduling an hour-long “touchpoint” to discuss that [PERSON] needs to complete [TASK] by [DEADLINE]?

Think again.

An elite team of Harvard-educated science-folk found shocking evidence that the majority of meetings are redundant and can be replaced with a simple email. The study is still highly classified, but lucky for you, I got insider information on how to use the results for good. What follows are step-by-step instructions on how to increase team productivity, morale, and make you look like a hero.

1. Open your email

If you’re having trouble with this step, cancel all of your meetings for the day. Pull up a guide on email. You’ve got bigger problems to fry.

2. Think about what you were going to say in the meeting

Hold that thought in your head.

3. Write it in an email

Take those thoughts and write them down. Use a spellchecker, re-read your email for obvious errors. Be clear and concise. Our Harvard scientists tell us:

“Having your email readable is the whole damn point and will make people not hate you.”

4. Send the email and move on

Congratulations, your coworkers now think of you as a divine being.

You single-handedly gave them space to give more than a forced moment’s thought to [TASK], while not compromising their schedule. Not only that, [PERSON] can respond in a polished manner, one that allows for the full opportunity for them to carefully elaborate from the position of expertise that they’re paid for, instead of being rushed into an on-the-fly decision about something they were probably already working on.

Go ahead and take a celebratory lap around your home office, you legend, you.