Emails to Seniors 2

[Mafuta]

I have just run into problem with one of my manngers who warned me on the way I address the Senior managers within my organisation. I did point out exactly what was wrong with my emails to them. I think, he thinks I taking them lightly without enough necessary respect. On contrary, that has not been in my head. I normally write my messages starting with Hi ( 1st name), Hello ( 1st name) e.g

Hi Paul,

............
...........

Regards,
Mafuta.

I consider this warning as a serious issue against my career, the man went as far as suggesting that I should be considered for the course on emailing to be run by HR department. Surely, this sounds akward, an Engineer with years in the field.....not good at all!

Please advise the appropriate way of sending official emails especially when corresponding to someone very senior to you.

Cheers.

 

[Mafuta]

I will drop the "Hi" and just address someone by only his/her first name. If that brings a problem to any one, one has to tell how does he/she wants me to address her/him specifically. I am allerged to " Sir" salutation, so no body should expect me call him "Sir" ,no matter what.
Different opinion?

 

[ivymike]

in place of "Gents" I often use "Team" to open an email with a mixed-sex distribution.

 

[KENAT]

Which is the kind of PC touchy feely management speak BS that puts me in a foul mood. Maybe it's unfair but something about using that word in that way in work situations just raises my hackles.

I'll use 'All' or something for mixed distribution.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[ivymike]

there's usually a pretty healthy dose of irony involved when I start an email with "Team," but I doubt the recipients notice (many of them don't recognize their own counterproductive/anti-team behavior even if it's pointed out).

 

[KENAT]

Phew, I couldn't believe you were using it ivy, but now you explain the context I'm relieved.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[KirbyWan]

For the normal email traffic I just use the persons first name:

Bob,

blah blah blah.

Thanks,

-Kirby

If I'm writing to someone I haven't corresponded with before I Go a bit more formal:

Mr. Smith,

blah blah blah.

Best Regards,

-Kirby

If they keep up the formality so do I. If they respond back using just my first name I switch to using just their first name.

I would recommend thaking the email course to learn the practice in your corporate culture.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[HgTX]

KENAT--you're asking for trouble with "gents". You never know what kind of she-folk might sneak onto the distribution list. Some she-folk don't give a crap, but some do, and some he-folk take it upon themselves to give a crap on behalf of the she-folk. (And "gents and lady" runs the risk of pissing off the lady on the grounds of unduly singling her out.) Depending on where you're from, "Folks" might work.

I still like leaving the salutation out entirely, sez I for the third or fourth time. There's a perfectly good "To:" field taking care of that. If people don't know why they're getting the email and need a little context, then a "dear supplier" or "dear implementation team" or something specific like that might help. (I do like signing the email at the bottom even though there's a perfectly good "From:" field, because that way they don't think maybe I pressed "send" by mistake.)

Except that I personally am allergic to "dear". I get away with a lot of informality, so I say something like "Hallo implementation team" or something only slightly sarcastic like "esteemed implementation team". However, as I said, I usually use no salutation, which avoids all kinds of problems.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[KENAT]

Far be it from me to deliberately poke the bear, I shall cease and desist immediately from using gents in all male electronic mail.;-)

I'm quite happy with my use of it however HgTX's points should be considered by anyone else considering risking using such a term.

I sometimes leave of the salutation but somehow it seems wrong so I like to put something.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[jmw]

....the course on emailing to be run by HR department

which about sums up HR.

The usual thing when Investors in People come round (in the UK) is to discover management has called them in because management think the workforce are not communicating properly etc and the usual discovery, it appears, is that it is management who are not communicating properly. All very natural but a bit of a surprise to management.
In the same way, emails are generally considered quite informal.
When writing a letter I always use formal address "Attention Dr. XYZ, Technical Director,
Dear Dr. XYZ.

In an email, and it has taken me a while to get used to this, I would simply sayd "Hi Dick, here's the info you wanted."
Every so often I will lapse back into formal salutations and people think I am stuffy.

So the people who need to be on this HR E-mail course are MANAGEMENT.
They need to be told: Its an email, stupid.
This is the global convention on emails. They are quick and informal and should be brief.
The solution is not to send people on email courses but to imply hand down a direction that says all communication should be by inter-office memo.
Memo:
To:
Managing Director.
Subject: Restoration of Gas lighting in the plant.

On a happy note, pardon the pun, you are not alone:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...ple-reprimanded-for-inappropriate-emails.html

Next weeks HR course is on text messages.
Dear Mr Manager,
WTF? This is 4U.
Sorry, it doesn't go.

Of course HR will never identify who really needs training. Not when it is a Management Vs the rest situation and let's face it, managers are generally less computer literate and more status concious than the rest of us.




JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[TheBlacksmith]

It all comes down to the golden rule; those with the gold make the rules. But, at the very least, ask for a list of these sacred rules. Then you can (a) follow them or (b) use them as a sort of challenge to see how many you can break in a single e-mail. Don't ask which course I'd follow.

 

[corus]

It does depend on culture and situation. We have Indians who always use Dear Bob.... whereas we in the UK would just use Bob... For groups of people the unwritten convention is to use All.. If you're resigning with no intention of returning then start your resignation email to the manager with Your Effluence...

Tata