By: Kenzie Koehle
No matter how long you’ve been in the business world, you will benefit from writing more efficient and orderly emails. In the last few decades, emailing has shifted business communication from arduous to instantaneous. This is crucial when you consider the words of Elena B. Kuzhevskaya: “The success of any business activity depends on the success of extensive business contacts with partners, potential customers, suppliers, and numerous organizations, which, in its turn, is ensured by the strategic correctness of business communication.”¹
However, even though emails are crucial to communication, they can also be a double–edged sword; sending emails may help cut down wasted time in meetings, but it doesn’t allow employees to synchronously ask follow–up questions.
It’s a delicate balance to write the “perfect email” that is informative, yet efficient. So, how does one achieve this perfection in communication?
Paul Grice and His Maxims Paul Grice (1975) lists four maxims— maxim of quantity, maxim of quality, maxim of relation, and maxim of manner—as the essential principles we should follow in any conversation we may play a part in. While these maxims are typically applied to spoken communication, this register isn’t the only discourse that could benefit from these principles; they are just as crucial with written discourse as they are with speaking to someone face–to–face. Grice’s Maxims might be even more important in emails and other written text than in speech because you must clearly cover all topics without the benefit of clarifying questions and body language to discern understanding. due to the fact that you have to cover everything in the text without the help of follow–up questions or body language, as well as other hints you can’t utilize in online communication.
While it might seem like a waste of time to put such consideration, to the extent that you would need to keep in mind Grice’s Maxims for every email you send, one wrong mistake could mean the death of your career, reputation, or the company you represent. Shirley Taylor says that “emails sent out in haste can come back to haunt you. Apart from the possibility of landing you in court, it lowers productivity—it’s also not good for morale and job satisfaction.”² You simply can’t afford to make errors in your online correspondence, especially when so much success rides on effective communication.
So, here are some tips taken from discourse analysis, addressed by Grice and his four maxims.
The Maxim of Quantity
This maxim highlights the importance of contributing the right amount of information needed for the exchange. This maxim is especially important in work emails, as people often want information to be thoroughly explained in the first email. In doing so, it’s easier to grasp the situation without too much follow–up correspondence.
Instead of sending an email only asking for assistance, specifically request what help you need, as well as any required links, examples, or previous attempts to solve the problem. By providing all the information in one email, the recipient can clearly see the issue, what you’ve already attempted, and what relevant information is needed to understand the situation.
Something also to note with the Maxim of Quantity is to not go overboard with the information. Only mention what is required for the exchange; otherwise, you risk confusing the recipient and further complicating things Get to the point with the needed information to understand the situation, then press “send.”
There is an exception to this rule. If you aren’t sure who to contact to help with the issue you are experiencing, reach out to someone who may know who to contact. Provide enough information for the recipient to understand what assistance you are requesting, then ask if they are the correct person to talk to. If they are, you can move forward with your correspondence with all the details. If they aren’t, hopefully, they will let you know who to ask and can send you that second person’s information, to which you will email them all the information to understand the issue.
Bad example: “Could you help me
with an issue?”
with an issue?”
Good example: “I’m having a problem with [insert problem with specific details here]. Here is the link [insert link here] to the page I’m having difficulty with. I’ve tried [insert solution 1 here] and [insert solution 2 here], but neither seem to work. Do you know of other ways to fix this problem?”
The Maxim of Quality
While it seems better to be a know–it–all than to admit you don’t know how to do a part of your job, it’s crucial to achieve effective communication by avoiding saying something false or without evidence. Truthful communication saves everyone’s time, your reputation, and the reputation of your company.
The Maxim of Quality states that it’s necessary to make what you say count—you will win more people’s respect by doing so. If you go about communicating things you believe to be false or are not backed up by evidence, you risk confusing collaborators and coworkers. It could also waste the time of others, which will certainly not make you an effective communicator.
It’s better, in the long run, to admit when you don’t know something and to send the inquirer to a coworker or leader who will know the answer. Otherwise, if you mess something up by falsely claiming something, the consequences of such an action could come back later to bite you.
Bad example: “I believe you should do [solution 1] just from what I’ve heard from other people. That’s the best approach.” (Speaking from a standpoint where they have no experience and have no idea personally if that solution is the best option.)
Good example: “I’m not as familiar with [insert topic here]. Perhaps try asking [coworker’s name]. She has a lot more experience in that field than I do and will know how best to solve the situation.”
The Maxim of Relation
This maxim is simple: whatever you communicate, be relevant. Both in emails and usual communication, we as humans immediately recognize whether something is relevant to a previous or current topic. If you reach out to someone with content that is not related to them, work they aren’t aware of, or previous communication they weren’t there for, they will be confused and hesitant to respond. They might think you intended to contact someone else or that they’re missing an email from you.
If you’re reaching out to a coworker to say something that doesn’t follow a previous conversation, consider setting the parameters of the correspondence by explaining why you’re reaching out to them. That way, even if what you’re saying isn’t immediately or obviously relevant, they can understand your intention behind the email and easily follow your train of thought.
Bad example: “What are your thoughts on [insert employee’s name here]?”
Good example: “Based on a previous discussion where we talked about [insert employee’s name here], how highly would you recommend them for a higher position? I’m considering promoting them thanks to what you had to say about them, but I would appreciate a more thorough opinion.”
The Maxim of Manner
Finally, the Maxim of Manner lists two “do’s” and two “don’ts” to follow: do be brief and orderly, don’t be obscure or ambiguous.
There’s a delicate line to follow here, especially when applying this maxim to email correspondence. How do you balance writing a short and to–the–point email, while also providing all the relevant information they need to understand the situation? Unfortunately, there’s no exact rulebook on how to follow this fine line. This maxim takes practice and observation to pin down.
If you’re just starting off in the work force or are wanting to work on this technique regardless of your experience, observe the examples of coworkers and leaders to see what to do (and in some situations, what not to do). Consider asking for advice from those around you or, before sending a message, have someone look over your draft to give feedback on how to be brief and orderly while avoiding obscurity and ambiguity. With experience and examination, you’ll be able to find the balance necessary to follow the Maxim of Manner so that you may be an effective communicator and save everyone time through online conversations.
Bad example: “Please see me in my office.”
Good example: “Please see me in my office so that we may discuss your ideas about [insert name of project idea here].”
The Perfect Paradox
Ultimately, don’t forget that it’s okay to not get an email “perfect” (don’t worry, the irony of this article’s title is not lost). Your response isn’t going to be framed in the office or determine the future of your career. Even if it is a message sent to everyone you work with, be forgiving with yourself if you make a mistake or aren’t clear with something—nobody expects you to be a perfect communicator with every email you send. Do what you can to be clear and concise in your emails, but don’t beat yourself up if you have to write a follow–up email with information you forgot to mention in the first correspondence.
While it’s natural and instinctual to follow Grice’s Maxims, we’ve all broken them. Most people are forgiving (hopefully), and by being accommodating to others they may be accommodating to us as well if we slip up.
In the end, if you focus too much on getting the wording right in your emails, you will never be able to move on to actually solving the issue. No matter how “perfectly” you write an email, you may get to the point where you realize an issue is too complicated to explain in writing—in which case you may want to instead send an email to set up a meeting in person or a video call. If that’s the situation, try to explain the issue beforehand so they can prepare for the upcoming meeting.
So next time you write an email—work–related or casual—see how many of these maxims you follow. If it’s not a natural tendency, consider adjusting the language in your email to fit Grice’s Maxims and see what the response is to your correspondence. Who knows? It might just help you to be a better employee, along with being an effective communicator.
Sources:
1 Elena B. Kuzhevskaya, “Politeness Strategies in Business English Discourse, 36.
2 Shirley Taylor, Model Business Letters, Emails and
Other Business Documents. 7th ed. ed. Pearson,
Harlow, England; New York, 2012, 89.
Other Business Documents. 7th ed. ed. Pearson,
Harlow, England; New York, 2012, 89.