By: Cassie Doubleday

As remote communication becomes the increasing norm for clients, co-workers, employees, and managers, we as the sender need to think twice about how we write, and the possible ways our emails could be interpreted. 

I have to ask myself and you: do we really need to check the tone of our emails? Has it really come to a point that we’re unable to understand what’s being said to us via our screen? Or is it true what they say, “Face-to-face” communication can never be replaced”? 

Last year, Lymbix launched ToneCheck. The free product claims to be the solution to one of the biggest problems when communicating with people via email – misinterpretation of what the email really means.  We all have run into this problem. We send an email about a meeting or suggest an edit on a project and the receiver of the email takes it too personally. The result? You have an irritated employee/co-worker who thinks you’re out to get them.

It’s interesting because I’ve been using this product via my outlook and am going to implement it in my Gmail (just for kicks). What it does, is read what you’re writing, and based on your word choice and sentence structure, it tells you what the receiver may think you’re saying.  It claims to analyze emotional insight too. I’m still not 100% sold on that, but it does make me think twice about what I am writing.

This is a benefit and also problem. It’s time consuming to mull over and rewrite emails. It’s also time consuming to constantly worry that you’re going to upset someone when in fact you’re just being direct. It’s even more time consuming and mentally draining to deal with virtual conflict. Wouldn’t you agree?

The more I think about ToneCheck the more I realize that it isn’t necessarily the way we write our emails but rather the way we work in a team. Sure, we sometimes send an email that comes off different than what we intended, but, if the person you’re writing to already knows how you communicate, shouldn’t they be able to recognize that there’s no harm in those words?

This makes me think that it’s not our tone, but rather our team building and co-operation skills that may be the problem. If you’re going to be working virtually with a team, you may not get the chance to meet in person, so make your virtual introduction count. It will set the ‘tone’ for communications later on.

Here are three ways do this virtually:

1.     Skype

If you can, before you work with anyone virtually set-up a Skype meeting to introduce yourself and your company.  This is the new face-to-face. It will give the receiver a sense of who you are and put a face to the name in the emails they’re going to be getting.  Doing this first will provide long term benefits, and even make the way you interact more credible.

2.     Video Introduction

Video introductions are simple and easy. You don’t have to overdo it, just send a quick minute and half video about yourself, what you do and what you’re looking forward to in regards to working with this team.  It’s more personal and again, puts a face to the name.

3.     Send a Picture

If Skype or video are not available solutions, why not send a picture? A picture gives the person a better idea of who they are talking to – the face of the message.  This simple addition will add more personality to your email and increase the comfort level for you and your team.

While ToneCheck could be a solution to potential day-to-day remote communication misunderstandings, it could also create unnecessary worry and uncertainty. This is why it’s still the team building that provides security within us, our co-workers and the project.  And why it’s important to make sure that you have a good project management software, like Sharepoint Hosting 2010, which allows everyone to work in sync – not just via email.

If you’re going to be virtually working with a team, a proper visual introduction will give everyone that extra confidence boost needed in order to successfully and comfortably work together.

There’s no reason not to hold at least one virtual face-to-face meeting and I’m not sure there’s a need for ToneCheck.

Cassie Doubleday is a Canadian based tech geek and blogger with over three years experience in online social media marketing and online communities. She’s a Gen Y with a background in Public Relations. She often checks her tone. 

I originally authored this article for the PM Tips website.  To view the original article, go here.

The Challenge of Project Communication

We’ve all heard the clichés about communication. But putting the ideas into practice is often a lot harder than applying the theories. This is even truer for project management than for departmental management. 
For the purposes of this article, I’m looking at department managers who take on the role of project managers for one-off projects or for organizations that regularly rely on department managers to act in the role of project manager, because not all PMs have the ‘luxury’ of focusing solely on project management tasks.  Some are temporarily thrust into the PM role while their primary responsibilities – and ultimately skill set – is outside the role of the project manager.  We’ll look at the communication challenges faced in these types of situations.

The Communication Challenge

While managing your department, you’re in constant contact with your staff. Their tasks are well defined and recurring. Your people are focused on performance, and their careers depend on how well they execute their tasks. A project, by comparison, is often seen as an intrusion, a departure from the normal routine—even when it’s “normal” to disrupt that routine with a series of projects. 

In addition to the manager-team dynamics, you must contend with communication on three other levels: 

•The assignment. The executive (or committee) that first assigned the project to you may not agree with your idea of what the project should achieve; or he may change his mind about the outcome without letting you know. 

•Other departments. The managers of other departments have their own priorities and may resist your schedule. This usually applies in two situations: when members of their department are on your team or when you depend on that department to supply certain information. 

•Outside resources. Your project may depend on help or information from “outside” resources—companies or individuals not part of the organization. These include other divisions, subsidiaries, or offices; a vendor or separate corporation; or a consultant. 

Your budget and schedule are your best communication tools. They are useful in communicating with both your team members and outside resources. Each can be used in a number of ways. 

The Budget as a Communication Tool

The budget defines the company’s financial commitment, and is used to ensure that project expenses are kept in line. If variances do occur, they often anticipate a scheduling problem as well. 

The budget also measures the degree of risk involved with your project. Any change in the company is accompanied by risk, and when time and money are spent, the decision to go ahead is based on a judgment of risk. Management will proceed with the project if it is convinced that the risk is acceptable and that future profit potential justifies that risk. So, for example, when you propose a project, you should communicate in terms of risk and likely reward. Approval will be granted as long as you can convince management that there’s a good chance that future profits will recapture this investment within a reasonable period of time. 

The Schedule as a Communication Tool

The schedule defines the project, and, as long as you share it with management, it is a useful tool for ensuring that your definition conforms to theirs. When it’s broken down into phases, with deadlines tied to the final result, management has the opportunity to validate your direction, and you can ensure that your understanding of the project’s goals is correct. At this early stage, you can define exactly what the project should achieve. 

You also need to use the schedule during the later phases of your project in conjunction with review meetings to ensure (1) that you are on the right course and (2) that management’s desired outcome has not changed. 

Finally, the schedule improves communication with your team, and helps avoid delays. By identifying weak links and by communicating with other department managers and outside resources, you will avoid unexpected problems. 

Working with Other Department Managers

For relatively simple short-term projects that are executed strictly within a single department, you, as department manager, have direct control over the time commitments and priorities of each team member. 
Because you are aware of your department’s deadlines and workload variations, you can build your schedule around the workload and adjust it as needed. You can also balance departmental and project demands on the basis of your knowledge of each and the scheduling flexibility and control you’re able to exercise. 

As the scope of your project grows, your task assumes a greater dimension, and you will begin to work with people from other departments. This is where your communication skills are tested. 
A common complaint often heard from other managers is, “You didn’t tell me in time,” regardless of whether problems arise because of deadlines, the use of an employee’s time, or conflicts in commitment. But you can solve most of the problems you will encounter in working with other departments by remembering this key point: 

Keep other department managers informed at all times: before and during the project.