Strong Opinions @marksbirch

kylewritescode:

These are just a few observations about email, office, and intro etiquette/culture that I have been meaning to get down for a bit. These are my own views on the matter, and I’m sure they come off as somewhat staunch, but it’s necessary for me to adhere to them as much as possible, if for no other reason than Forrst keeps me plenty busy and I’d like to make the best use of my time each day.

• Sending emails like “Did you get my email?” — Yes, I probably did. Or maybe not. But, it’s probably not worth sending additional emails about it, since that will only add to the backlog. Pud has some good thoughts on this.

• If I’m wearing headphones, I’m usually heads-down working through a problem in code, or otherwise in the zone on email, company financials, etc. and it’s not okay to interrupt me (unless we have something scheduled, since I probably just lost track of time.) Send me an email or catch me when I’m not in the zone.

• Intro emails — I love talking to people about what they’re working on and I want to make the best use of everyone’s time. Email intros that lack any kind of context or other “intros for the sake of it” I’ll probably put on the back burner. If there’s not a clear ask, it’s really hard for me to make it a priority. I’m all for meeting folks, but I’m personally not into meeting people with no context or purpose behind it.

• “Let’s jump on a quick call” — I like to work as asynchronously as possible. I have found that surprisingly few things that are pitched as a “quick call” actually end up needing to have that call at all, and can be handled just as effectively via email. This holds especially true for cold emails from vendors. I have tried to get into the habit of asking for a list of questions I can answer and send back; so far, so good.

It’s not my intention to paint a picture of myself as some downer that doesn’t want to talk to you or have any human interaction; quite the opposite: I’d like to have more meaningful interactions with those I meet/work around/am introduced to, make the best possible use of my time and theirs, and ensure maximum focus during the workday.

Agree, with all of this.  The one thing that should be added is the reply email.  In the trading world, getting lots of reply emails is a given.  You need confirmation ON EVERYTHING.  We are talking about lots of trades and a lot of money on the line if something gets screwed up.

Outside of that, NO ONE needs to be sending pithy reply emails.  I get emails like “Thanks” and other such silly responses all of the time.  Here is a pro tip: unless the email EXPLICITLY requires a reply or confirmation, do not send an email in response.  The only reason for a reply is if there is a question or something is not absolutely clear, and in that case, either a call or chat session is a much more effective means of clearing things up.

The lesson to take from this; hold back on the email.  Your fellow co-workers, customers, etc. will love you a bit more for the discretion.