How to Avoid Misunderstandings
Electronic communication can be difficult. Have you ever sent someone a text or instant message that they took the wrong way? Tone can be very difficult to read into a text and a lighthearted joke or sarcastic comment understood the wrong way can lead to unwanted conflict. Readers don’t have the advantage of being able to hear your tone of voice or see your body language, so you must be extra careful interpreting what someone has posted online, and you must be mindful of how someone could misinterpret what you post or send.
Think about the example we looked at before using “A woman without her man is nothing” as an example. It would be embarrassing, and counterproductive, to write an angry response to the person who posted the sentence before you were sure which meaning the writer intended. The most important piece of advice to keep in mind when communicating online is: to treat others the way you would want to be treated and to giving others the benefit of the doubt.
The following etiquette tips will help you avoid conflict online:
- If you read something that makes you angry you should walk away and calm down Then return to it with a cool head before you respond. You might find that your original reading was wrong and that no offense was meant.
- Before you respond, make sure you read the entire post or e-mail.
- Take some time to calm down before responding to something that angers you. Responding out of anger often escalates conflict. Remain professional.
- Stick to the subject; going off topic can confuse people and derail discussions.
- Don't make things personal, especially when discussing a controversial topic, stick to the topic being discussed.
- As a general rule: don’t post or send anything that you would not be comfortable sharing with a room full of people.
- Support what you have to say with evidence (quotes, sources, material from the course, etc).
Writing better e-mails