Most workplace writing situations which require a degree of tact in which tone plays a major part. In the final workshop we read, evaluate and rewrite some tactless messages, and consider how negative or critical information can be presented to get the main points across clearly and, at the same time, maintain good professional relations.
In writing, tact is always necessary in formal situations where you do not know the audience or you have to communicate unwelcome, controversial or provocative information. Tact is also essential when expressing a grievance, making a complaint or making an accusation. Tact is very important when you have to give 'bad news'.
It is also exceptionally important in organisations where people come from many different cultures.
Tactful writing means getting the balance right between communicating necessary information and maintaining good relations. The examples of tactless writing we look at in the workshop illustrate some of the things to avoid in writing at work.
Three Don'ts about Writing at Work
1. Don't give free rein to emotions in workplace writing, unless you know the audience very well and there is no danger of the text being passed on to others. Watch out especially for anger, frustration, irritation and aggression. Although these emotions may seem to you sometimes justified, they need to be expressed in writing with care.Bear in mind that everything you write in a workplace context could be forwarded to someone else.
2. Don't use writing as a stage for conflict. Writing is a poor medium for confrontation. Alternatives like phone calls and face-to-face meetings are usually more effective in reducing the chance of misunderstanding. Email is very tempting to use for all communication because it is fast and interactive; but it can easily lead to 'message regret' in workplace situations.
3. Don't press 'send' when you are unsure of the context you are writing in. Instead, save a text in draft form, have a break, come back to it later. You will probably revise and edit what you have written, even though you may feel better for having written it. You may delete or modify the vocabulary. You may remove or tone down some of the emphatic words. You may revisit your brief to make sure that you understand the situation correctly.
Some email companies such as Google have even experimented with so-called 'Moodwatch' - programmes designed to pick up 'angry' emails and alert the sender: 'Do you really want to send this message?'. It's called doing a 'Civility Check'. For more on this, see this blog.
Getting feedback from a trusted colleague - one who can act as your 'reader' - can make a big difference to your writing in these situations, or before you press 'send'. It is also helpful for supervisors to discuss with staff what is required in written communication.
Getting feedback from a trusted colleague - one who can act as your 'reader' - can make a big difference to your writing in these situations, or before you press 'send'. It is also helpful for supervisors to discuss with staff what is required in written communication.
Sometimes Writing is not a Good Idea!
As email is used for so much communication in the workplace today it is easy to forget that other media - especially the telephone and speech - are sometimes more efficient. A single meeting can sometimes take the place of hundreds of emails. Misunderstandings can sometimes be dealt with more speedily over the phone than via email. There tend to be fewer supplementary questions.
Writing is a powerful medium - but it's not good for everything.
Also, email overload can be a serious source of workplace stress and fatigue. Written texts are part of the memory of an organisation. If there is text overload, the organisational memory also gets overloaded. And that is when important things get forgotten or confused.
For more on this and links to sites on email etiquette, see the post on email at work.
A summary of points on tact discussed in the workshop:
* when making any kind of criticism or accusation, avoid 'I......you' sentences.
* always try to put the context or history first before making any difficult request - people are usually more receptive if they understand why they have to do something
* wherever possible, relate the request or comment to organisational policies and goals, not to personal conflict
* avoid starting off with negative phrases ('I did not tell you to do that...')
* avoid starting off with subjective verbs like 'I believe', 'I feel', 'I think' and try to put the facts of the situation first
* if you need to give bad news, try to give a context for this and provide a background explanation. Also, some motivating or positive ending can be effective
* move from the positive to the negative if you are making criticism of another person
* recognise the contribution made by the other person, don't dwell on the negative
* avoid phrases like 'it would seem that' or 'it appears that' as a basis for judgement
* avoid exclusive phrases like 'as everyone is aware' or 'as you all no doubt know'
* avoid 'must' and 'should' when making requests in favour of 'would' and 'please'
* don't over-use intensifiers like 'absolutely' and 'totally' and avoid using bold or underlining as emphasis
* when making requests to a large group, use the collective term instead of 'you' ('You are reminded..' > 'Staff members are reminded..')
