Bruce Gandy's Blog

Having taught my first class on how to use e-mail in 1989 to employees at AT&T, it's quite frustrating to see almost everyone today using e-mail without taking the time to either understand the proper use of the tool or the implications of its improper use.  A typical case in point, since many of us read our e-mails today on handheld devices that keep us ever in touch, how tedious is it to scroll down, down, down our screen, past the many addresses and other garbage that this e-mail has already forwarded until we actually get to the message?  And those addresses are a spammer's treasure chest!

So, while we could search the internet and find hundreds of e-mail "rules", in an effort to keep it simple, these are probably the five best, taken from the article at the link below the rules.

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"Here are the 5 Rules of Forwarding Emails that those who are being truly thoughtful follow. If everyone followed them all the problems associated with forwarded emails could be avoided. Sticking to these guidelines will assist both those thinking they are thoughtful and those who don't want to appear otherwise:

1. Don't forward anything without editing out all the forwarding >>>>, other email addresses, headers and commentary from all the other forwarders. Don't make folks look amongst all the gobbly-gook to see what it is you thought was worth forwarding. If you must forward, only forward the actual "guts" or content of the email that you are of the opinion is valuable. Check out this neato free program to help you out: Email Stripper.
2. If you cannot take the time to write a personal comment at the top of your forwarded email to the person you are sending to - then you shouldn't forward it at all.
3. Think carefully about if what you are forwarding will be of value (accurate information - check for hoaxes @ Snopes.com), appreciated (something the recipient needs) or humorous (do they have the same sense of humor as you do) to the person on the other side. Or do you just think it is worthy? If you cannot think of why the person you are forwarding to would like to receive the email - then don't forward it. If on company time using company e-mail - think not twice, but three times if forwarding is worth the risk of your on the job credibility and professionalism being diminished.
4. It should go without saying (But I have to say it because folks do so anyway.) that forwarding of chain letters; regardless how noble the topic may seem, virus warnings or anything that says "forward to everyone you know" simply shouldn't be forwarded because in most cases it is plain old B.S. (again check before forwarding @ Snopes.com). Email is email-there is no chain to break or continue - no cause or effect whether you do or not. Also, the fact is not all commentary will be appreciated by the other side if they have a different viewpoint than you do - be very careful here.
5. If you must forward to more than one person, put your email address in the TO: field and all the others you are sending to in the BCC: field to protect their email address from being published to those they do not know. This is a serious privacy issue! Do not perpetuate a breach of privacy started by other forwarders who included their contact's addresses in the To: or CC: field by continuing to forward those visible addresses to your contacts! Remove any email addresses in the body of the email that have been forwarded by those who brush off the privacy of their friends and associates."

The source of these rules can be found here:  http://www.netmanners.com/email-etiquette/5-rules-of-forwarding-email/

But if I could add just two more regarding Replies, it would be these:

1. Don't "Reply to All" if everyone doesn't need to know your response.
2. Don't include the history of the thread or attachments that I already sent you.  Opinions vary on this but I know what was said before, or I can look it up.  All it does is waste more space on your computer (or the e-mail server where your e-mail is kept, or both).

I had asked my mother to send me this story last year because I wanted to retell it somewhere. Now I kow where.

"While living on Hilton Head, our doctor felt Dad had two carotid blocked arteries and scheduled a Doppler test for the next day. Because Dad had already had one carotid artery operated on we were both very concerned and couldn't sleep. I had even called Guy Lambert (an old family friend who is a minister) in New Mexico asking them to pray for your Dad. I was praying and praying that Dad could get to sleep when suddenly I was enveloped in the whitest light. If I looked up, down, or sideways, everything was white. The light slowly faded and I looked at Dad. He was sound asleep and slept the rest of the night. When the test was completed the next day, it showed no blockage. Who says there is no God above? Not I!"

I wrote this back in June of 2001 when I was Director of Training for a company outsourced by NJIT. It seems to me that the advice is just as good today.

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Something has been in the air for the last two days and I don't know what it is but I wish it would go away. Many normally stable, professional, bright and qualified people seem to have put their brains and talents on the back burner for some reason.

I've been drafting this all day when I haven't been putting out fires and now it seems time to reiterate what seemed to me to be obvious, or written down as part of some other agreement we have, or part of some training we've gone through.

Please remember the policies listed here, but if you've done nothing pertaining to the issues which brought about this memo, be thankful. I'm hiding the recipient list so that no one will assume that it does or does not pertain to them. The policies to pertain to all.

1. We all need to act professionally and responsibly at all times, to our clients and to each other.
2. We are here to help our clients. As a Team. Working together. I expect to see A's on your report cards for "Plays well with others".
3. If you need to vent, vent to me. Perhaps I can help to solve the problem. If not, at least I am on your side.
4. Deadlines exist in order to accomplish group tasks. One or more people are depending on you to meet your deadline so that they can meet theirs. Rather than assign a deadline, I usually ask when you can have something done and I expect your answer to be your deadline unless I need the task completed sooner. If you say you can do something by that point, that is your deadline and I expect you to meet it. If you have a problem, talk to me because I have enough trouble with my own deadlines, but DO NOT break your word to me. Not meeting your deadline is not just your problem; it's everyone's problem.
5. If you think you might have a problem, then you have a problem and I need to know about it right away. Let me know before anyone else. Please don't let me be blindsided.
6. If a good thing happens, let us know. We all love to hear about success.
7. Passionate is good. Rational is just as good.
8. Intelligence is nothing without Common Sense. Don't leave home without it.
9. Pay Attention to the details and Follow Directions because Neatness DOES count.
10. We are all overworked and yes, it still has to be done accurately, professionally and on time.

I am one of the most accessible people on the planet. You can reach me at any of the following numbers.