Title

Welcome!Defeating the Email Dragon:How to Make Email Permanently Manageable

New York City BarNovember 29, 2012

Bill JawitzDoug Brown1About Us and YouBillDougYouSize firmYears in practicePractice profile (i.e., primarily litigation or transactional)

WHO?Questions:Size Firm (attorneys and paralegals):Solo1-55-10>15>30

Years in Practice1-33-710+

23Your Views on Email

Shout out:

What drives you nuts about email?

What are some of the most embarassing blunders youve seen34Resource

AgendaThe real cost of email overload

Key StrategiesVolume controlQuality controlTeaching othersManaging and finding emailsInspired by: The Hamster Revolution The real cost of email overloadSources of email overloadThe lost weeksImpact on your practice and life

Volume Control simple rules to reduce the # of emailsQuality Control\ writing great emails, subject lines etc. - blunders and how to avoid themManaging and finding - Organizing your mailbox and technical tips and tricks you can useTeaching others setting expectations56THE RADICATI GROUP, INC. A TECHNOLOGY MARKET RESEARCH FIRM Email volume increases

Time Spent on Email2405012,000224,000Forty 10-hour days per year400 hrsExercise What else do you do that often / year./78Days Saved20% Reduction8 Days Saved400 hours *20% = 80 hours = 10 8 hour days8AgendaThe real opportunity of solving email overload

Key StrategiesVolume controlQuality controlTeaching othersManaging and finding emails

The real cost of email overloadSources of email overloadThe lost weeksImpact on your practice and life

Volume Control simple rules to reduce the # of emailsQuality Control\ writing great emails, subject lines etc. - blunders and how to avoid themManaging and finding - Organizing your mailbox and technical tips and tricks you can useTeaching others setting expectations910SEND FEWER EMAILS 1st Key Strategy

It starts with you and your routine.

1011Is it appropriate?Does the recipient need it?Is email the right tool? Key QuestionsWe are creatures of habit.

We have bad email habits. Way to break a BAD habit is to replace it with a GOOD habit

If it doesnt pass this test then you shouldn'tt send it.

1112You might need this somedayThank you for routine thingsRedundant news transmissionsHalf-baked emailsUnnecessary MessagesFYI Light

Save Thank you for extraordinary effort be specific (feedback rules)

Incomplete

Searchable Info

1213 Is my email appropriate?

Compliant & ProfessionalRules of Professional ConductConfidentiality policiesRetention policiesYour professional imageInoffensive?Jokes & humorForwarding email stringsEmotional messagesRecipients state of mindCompliantLegal responsibilitiesEthical responsibilities

Professional

InoffensiveAngry message? 24 Hour Rule

Not expecting you to have significant issues here, but these are questions worth asking

Compliant with policy, confidentiality, rules of professional conduct

Professional it is persistent image. Would you like blown up in court

Inoffensive emails (and texts for that matter). We are always on.Jokes?Forwarding?1314Email Privacy?

CompliantLegal responsibilitiesEthical responsibilities

Professional

InoffensiveAngry message? 24 Hour Rule

Not expecting you to have significant issues here, but these are questions worth asking

Compliant with policy, confidentiality, rules of professional conduct

Professional it is persistent image. Would you like blown up in court

Inoffensive emails (and texts for that matter). We are always on.Jokes?Forwarding?1415Check yourselfYour last 30 sent messages

Clear objective? Information they need? The image you want? The kind of email you want?

Only 3 out of 30 failed? Thats 10%Homework

The real opportunity of solving email overload

Key StrategiesVolume controlQuality controlTeaching othersManaging and finding emails2nd StrategyThe real cost of email overloadSources of email overloadThe lost weeksImpact on your practice and life

Volume Control simple rules to reduce the # of emailsQuality Control\ writing great emails, subject lines etc. - blunders and how to avoid themManaging and finding - Organizing your mailbox and technical tips and tricks you can useTeaching others setting expectations1617Quality is not an act, it is a habit

- AristotleQuality

18Standard Email ApproachClear HeadlineClean BodyRight PeopleA consistent pattern for your emails

Helps you write themHelps your readers read themEasily trained and adapted

Create NEW habits

1819To: too many

CC and Distribution ListsPromoting yourselfManipulating othersCriticizingDouble documentationTraps to avoidReply All assumes everyone wants to engage

Over CC signals insecurity and is power grab. Not a great way to build image.1920To: Those required to act

Cc:Kept informedno action or reply

Bcc: Only for large mailingsTo the right people21Subject is your headline

22Summarize

Set priority

Allow fast retrievalQuality subject lines23Change subject line instead of re-using an old email

Dont perpetuate bad subject linesSubject lines as messages24Categories:Action NeededInformationRequestConfirmedDelivery

ACTION NEEDED: Schedule Jones deposition for next weekDELIVERED: Baker summary judgment motion for your reviewSubject line prefix

Quality is 2425EOM (End of message)

NRN (No reply needed)

NTN (No thanks needed)

Subject line suffix26Clean email body1. Greeting2. Action Needed3. Context4. Attachments5. Conclusion27One sentence about what you want5 Ws + 1H

Short context to allow direct replyAction NeededWIIFMGIGO Takes a little longer (cant do stream of consciousness)Provides clear and direct guidanceKeeps your emails from getting lost

Decide on the response you want when you write the message. Is a vague

If they dont know what you want. They will not read the rest.

2728Only when neededConcise and focused1 subject per message1 thought per paragraphMain points at topBulletizeShort sentencesNo jargon

Context2829Attach them first

Clear file name

Describe each one

Images as attachments, not in-lineAttachments30Niceties here

Concise auto signatureLimit graphicsPhone numbersConfidentiality statementConclusion31ExampleGOODSubject: Reminder of 10am Meeting on 12.5 on the new doc management software.

Hi Jim,

We are meeting on Monday, December 5, at 10:00am in conference room A. We'll be discussing how to make the most of the new HOTDOCS system.If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch (x3024).Best Wishes,Mark

BADSubject: Meeting

Hi Jim,I just wanted to remind you about the meeting we have scheduled next week. Do let me know if you have any questions!Best wishes,Mark

31321. Limit email to 1 standard screen; 1 thought per paragraph

2. Avoid ALL CAPS or excessive punctuation (except prefix)3. Emoticons

4. Spell / Grammar Check automagically23 Tips335. Forward with context

6. Respond promptly

Links to online information

Templates for repeated data23 Tips349. Avoid excessive underlining it Is hard to readMay be confused with hyperlinks

10. Excessive colors distract and disrupt flow

11. Use consistent fonts & sizes

23 Tips3512. Use multiple Email accounts (work, personal, commerce outlook.com;)

13. Train your junk-mail by marking messages as spam

14. Learn archive settings to control folder size

15. Master the Preview Pane23 Tips3616. Check email only 4 times a day

17. Schedule time for weekly cleanup

18. Use shift and control to select multiple emails for moving/deleting

19. Set an inbox thresholds that trigger cleanup23 Tips3720. Beware of unsubscribe links except from known, legit sources

22. Get and learn voice recognition on your smartphone to save typing time

23 Tips38 Use YouTube to find instructions on rules, etc

24. Avoid Oh, just one more thing 23 Tips39Resource

The real opportunity of solving email overload

Key StrategiesVolume controlQuality controlTeaching OthersManaging and Finding Emails3rd Strategy

Establish effective expectations for the distribution of email throughout your organization4041Coaching OthersStart with those closest to youFinding your 4142Start with your team.Sort by Sender to find themReview each. Identify area for improvement

Setting up the conversation10 min on agenda re: email effectivenessGet their pet peeves at the startIntroduce tools

Top 10 Senders43A note about email efficiency and style: If youre OK with it, I propose we dispense with opening and closings when emailing. It can take some getting used to, but I find it does save time. Let me know (I surely dont want to offend . . . )

Setting Expectations44Be a yardstick of quality. Some people arent used to an environment where excellence is expected. - Steve JobsJobs on QualityThe real opportunity of solving email overload

Key StrategiesVolume controlQuality controlTeaching othersManaging and finding emails4th Strategy

The real cost of email overloadSources of email overloadThe lost weeksImpact on your practice and life

Volume Control simple rules to reduce the # of emailsQuality Control\ writing great emails, subject lines etc. - blunders and how to avoid themManaging and finding - Organizing your mailbox and technical tips and tricks you can useTeaching others setting expectations4546Your Inbox

Inbox is not a place to store emails, any more than youd leave the mail outside your house.464750% delete

30%