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Part of the challenge of Eagle Project Management revolves around effectively communicating with your teammates (fellow scouts). Communicating effectively is important because clearly articulated instructions or tasks are easier to follow. If you are easy to understand and deliver your message in a tactful manner, you have a better chance of people cooperating with you. Simply put, effective communication results in faster Eagle Projects.
Introduction
Because of the role communication plays in leadership, Boy Scouts of America has the Communications Merit Badge. This merit badge teaches the essentials: Public speaking, interpersonal communication, writing, mastering ceremonies, etc. However, for the 21st century Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project, it lacks teaching best practices for an essential (and preferred) communication channel: Email.
Email is nothing new, in fact it’s been around for 40 years (and if you’re reading this blog, you’ve probably used email before.) Most people know how it works, but many don’t know how to properly use it as effectively and as efficiently as they should to get the results they would like (even tech savvy 16 year olds working on their Eagle Project.)
Therefore, to save you the time of waiting for updates to the merit badge, I’ve compiled 11 guidelines tailored for Eagle Projects so that you can hopefully apply what you’ve learn for greater success.
Guidelines
Let’s start from the top of the email and move down…
1. Start with a greeting
This may seem trivial, but adding something to the top of an email makes it more inviting to read. Nearly anything as formal or informal will work (depending on the reader). I like to use the person’s first name if it is informal, or Dear Mr. SoandSo if it’s a little more formal.
2. Move your action items to the front
Keeping the most important things you’d like to say in the beginning of the email will save the reader time from having to skim for important content. Add your most pressing questions, issues, changes to your project etc. in the front to ensure it is read.
3. Keep the message under 10 sentences
Long emails that drone on and on are no fun to read. Keep it simple. Load your email with facts and bold important messages, words, names, dates, costs, etc. Also, you might find that using bulleted lists helpful in reducing an email’s length.
4. Write from the reader’s point of view
Explain your message in plain English. It may help to write anecdotally so that your reader can follow your logic (this prevents jumping around and confusing your reader.)
5. Answer questions before they’re asked
Anticipate what the reader is thinking. If you can do this, you can cut down on 80% of the back-and-forth between email messaging (saving you time and effort.)
6. Check your emotions at the door
Emotions should be left out of emails when at all possible. Stressing out and writing emails will just give you a headache. If you need a problem resolved, face-to-face or phone call communications generally work better. Also, try not to use CAPITAL LETTERS for emphasis, as this comes off as screaming.
7. Keep background information at the end
Use the end of your email as a sort of appendix. Many times email gets passed around and somebody completely unaware of your challenges will have an easier time getting up to speed if details are at the end.
8. Proofread it and spell check!
Your reader will love you for it.
9. Be selective in your recipients
Not everybody needs to receive your emails, especially if you are replying to a mailing list. Make sure you know who you are sending your message to.
10. Always end with a closing and signature
This just keeps the email together in one definable piece. Signatures often contain your name, phone number and email address, etc. and are put in so that your reader can easily contact you.
11. If you reference an attachment, make sure it’s attached
Sending another email because you forgot the attachment doubles your emailing for that message by x2 fold.
Hopefully, these guidelines provide you with a good start into how to better communicate through email for your Eagle Project. Thanks for reading and if you have anymore suggestions, please add them in the comment box below.
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About the Author: Eric Chrabot is a business strategy consultant to the federal sector and a member of the Project Management Institute in Washington, D.C. In 2004, he received the rank of Eagle Scout from Troop 401 (Tidewater Council) after leading a team to create five park benches for a local retirement organization. Eric holds a lifetime membership status in the National Eagle Scout Association and a Business Economics degree from Virginia Tech.
For more information on how you can manage your project more effectively and efficiently, please see our Eagle Project Solutions Products.
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