If we weren’t so dependent on email, we would hate it as much as we hate meetings. That inbox, which supplies an endless stream of demands and distractions, is where important messages hide, indecision festers, and ever-expanding quantity takes us away from far more pressing priorities, including the creation of value for which customers are willing to pay.

What’s especially sad is that for most employees, most of their email is coming from other employees. It’s internal. Organizations are doing this to themselves. It’s a self-inflicted wound!

To make matters worse, we spend significant money and time teaching people techniques to deal with all that email. If you aren’t paying for those courses, you are still paying for the time employees spend searching for and reading articles that they hope will provide some relief.

It’s time to inject some uncommon clarity into the email mess! We need to get to the root cause and reduce this ridiculous quantity of email.

One of the problems with email is that it is entirely too easy to send. Even easier is the Reply All button. The result is a constant flood of email demanding our attention. How many hours a week do you spend trying to clean out your inbox?  And for how many of those hours would your customers be delighted to pay?

Do not send an email when:

• You are upset. Don’t even write it while upset. You’ll just waste a lot of time. I recommend a walk or other form of exercise instead. But if you do write an email while upset, wait 24 hours. Then delete it.
• The message will be long, complicated, or filled with options. A long, complicated, option-packed email will likely just cause confusion. A phone call first to provide an explanation, determine interest and understanding, and narrow the focus will likely save you significant time and numerous guesses as you write the original message, not to mention the many subsequent go-arounds you would likely trigger.
• Time is of the essence. Email can be incredibly fast but can leave you in a pickle if the other person isn’t sitting at their desk ready to respond. Not only are you stuck waiting, but sometimes the non-response forces you to change plans entirely, often with awkward ramifications when the response finally comes way too late. If you need a quick response, pick up your phone.
• The subject matter is delicate and personal. Email can be easily misunderstood, re-read far too many times, and forwarded to others. Face-to-face, or even phone conversations, are less likely to cause misunderstandings and can not be replayed or shared.
• You need something from the recipient but aren’t exactly sure what. If you have a specific need and can communicate that need clearly, email may be the best choice. But if you are not sure what you need, call first to sort out the possibilities. This will save both of you a lot of time and effort.
• The recipient prefers phone calls. When dealing with customers, in particular, respect their preferred mode of communication. If they email readily, by all means, use email (unless one of the above applies). But if they seem to prefer the phone, use the phone.

Assuming the above do not apply, send an email when:

• You believe communication can be completed in one round trip. In other words, you expect to send one message and receive one response. As a matter of fact, if you write your messages with this in mind, you will write a better message.
• The message includes exacting or critical detail. When precision is important, email allows you to layout the detail or pick and choose your words carefully. It allows two parties to see and discuss the exact same thing. Subsequent discussions, however, are probably most effective by phone or in person.
• You need to keep others informed or provide a written copy of something. There is no simpler or faster way to keep people informed than by email. The danger lies in overkill, both in terms of the quantity of information and the number of people informed. It is safe and easy to copy everyone “just in case” but consider the multiplier effect: the time you lose compiling more information times the number of people who end up reading, sorting, filing, and replying with no clear purpose.
• You have something you know another person needs, perhaps right away or in electronic format.

Every email you write costs your organization money. Every email you send costs even more money. Pause before you do either and ask yourself if email is the best option and will truly move something important forward.