The best electronic communication norms are ones you set together

Form objectives:

Provide a format for you to adapt to develop electronic communication norms that fit your team and circumstances

Help you apply the phrases in Perfect Phrases for Virtual Teamwork

Assumptions:

Ø  The various forms of electronic communication are meant to serve you, not the other way around

Ø  To use electronic communication effectively, teams need to establish and observe shared norms

Tips:

·  Pet peeves can be a great way to start a conversation to establish norms

·  Sometimes the norm itself is less important than the fact that everyone observes a shared protocol

·  Many of these norms are created to optimize features of the medium, such as subject-line sorting for email, or the advantage of repeating a phone number at the end of a voicemail

·  Respect your teammates and watch out for “artificial urgency” of immediate communication. The level of immediacy is a good guide to what approach you choose

·  This form in particular is intended as a jumping-off point for your own.

Your voice and email norms form is on the next page.

NORM CATEGORY / NORM / INITIAL
Email subject lines / (example) Put the team name in the subject line of team emails
To and CC email lines / (example) Put those who need to take action in the “to” and use CC as FYI
Reply all / (example) Use reply all, moving those who need to take action to the To line and moving don’t need to take action to the CC line
Distribution lists / (example) Only use for stated purpose of the list
Forwards / (example) No unannotated forwards – all forwards must contain comments regarding relevancy
Flagging / (example) Flag for follow-up if required
Codes / (example) AR is action required, NRR is no response required
Voice messages - leaving / (example) Prepare for the possibility of getting voicemail. Leave messages that move the conversation forward and allow the receiver to prepare before returning the call
Voice messages - leaving / (example) Leave your number at the beginning and the end of the call, even if you believe they have it
Voice messages - responding / (example) Listen to messages before returning a call
Voice messages - responding / (example) Check for messages before returning calls based on caller ID
Synchronous vs. asynchronous communication / (example) If a discussion gets heated or confused, use synchronous communication such as face-to-face and phone.
Team network application / (example) Post general team updates rather than sending in email
Team network application / (example) Pose questions to the (blog, group, team site, etc.) so everyone can see the question and everyone can see the answers. Address your post to a specific group or individual if preferred, but invite other input

Meryl Runion v 719-684-2633