Email: The Hottest Management Tool????

The newest email buzz term is "virtual management." And even if you haven't yet heard the term, chances are that you, or someone you know, may be doing it! A virtual manager actually believes that she or he can manage, mediate and motivate all through email. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Even the most skilled and the most sophisticated writer cannot rely exclusively on email to be an effective tool in every circumstance. Yet, more and more, I'm seeing sales people and other leaders (otherwise smart charismatic people), email their way to ineffectiveness and mediocrity.

It's easy to not slip into being a virtual manager. All you need to do is ask yourself one simple question before you begin your emessage: "Is email the best way for me to handle this?" If you like, you can follow that question with one more: Would I be more likely to get a better outcome if I pick up the phone, write a "real letter," walk over to talk to him or her about this, or schedule a meeting?

Here is short list of situations when using email is ineffective or worse:

• When you're trying to reach consensus (takes significantly longer to do this with email)
• When the message is very long (call first and then use email to confirm the main points)
• When the news is really bad ("routine" bad is fine; really bad is not)
• When the reader is likely to be displeased with your solution (read: lawsuit in the making)
• When the reader has a different agenda than you do (and part of that is making you look bad)
• When the information is sensitive (disclaimers do not protect you!)
• When the information is confidential (so easy to file and forward)
• When you're communicating with someone who prefers the phone to email (duh!)
• When you know the other person will respond from his Blackberry and you'll get only a 2-word response to a complex question
• When the person is in the next cubicle and you easily could stick your head to the left of your computer and just ask! (The CEO of a large Convention and Visitors Bureau actually had the server shut down when he realized that people were emailing each other when they could have glanced over at that person and given them the information!)

Whether you're in management or not, use email smartly. It's a great communication tool, not a great management tool. (Virtual leadership would be an oxymoron like jumbo shrimp!)

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