Successful Business Communication Needs to Include Standards and Guidance Concerning Email Use

There is power in words - always has been andThis lack of standardization and guidance for email use
always will be. No matter how sophisticated andis getting some businesses into hot water, but even for
"digital" we get, communication all boils down to words,those who aren't into any discernable trouble, there are
and I don't think real books are ever going away.provable wastes in terms of time and ultimately, profits.
It's the 4th of July today, and I pulled up the AmericanI believe the reason for this misuse of the powerful
Declaration of Independence online and read it in itscommunication tool of email, is that it just kind of
entirety. It seems that our forefathers really had a waysneaked up on us. When I was in high school, we
with words - so succinct, so simple, yet so powerful.actually prepared for what would be required of us in
So, you may be wondering where in the world I ama business setting - typing, shorthand, clear business
going with all this talk about words. Well, believe it orwriting skills, just to mention a few. But who
not, I want to talk about email. I think our world revolvesremembers a course in high school or college teaching
around email these days in the business sector. Thereus how to properly use email? My guess is no one. It
is a stream of information taking place on a daily basisjust slowly became the "way" to communicate in the
that would simply be unfathomable less than a lifetimebusiness world. I'd have to think hard to trace it back to
ago. I've even heard of some large corporations hiringits beginnings in my entrepreneurial life.
an "Information and Knowledge Director" to their staffs.I think that it's time to pay closer attention to how we
Email is the largest vehicle for this stream ofuse email. Companies, even small companies need to
information. Yet, most companies do not offer anyset some standards and guidelines concerning email. I
training or set any standards concerning the use ofam currently in the process of writing an online course
email.for that purpose. I believe it's that important.