The Power of Influence and Emails for CEOs and High Performers
If responding to emails is sucking you dry, it’s likely that you are plowing through on autopilot, and your words are losing impact and lacking vision.
Inside my program, we work on the Language of Leadership to help you communicate more effectively to empower others. As a result, your inbox gets smaller, and work gets done with less oversight and fewer mistakes.
The compound effect is less distraction and more time to lead.
Here are a few MUST HAVES and NEVER AGAINS to consider before writing your next email:
Scan your emails for SHRINKERS - words that diminish you and minimize what you say. Words like: just, but, so. Delete them.
Check for unnecessary openers and APOLOGIES - saying sorry as an entranceway to a conversation is ineffective, especially for women. Another way sorry shows up is by beginning with: “I know you are busy.”
When expectations go unmet, instead of responding punitively, pause and ask this question: Help me understand. Those three words give you time to become curious and gather more information. Those three words have them take ownership and responsibility.
Leadership is collaboration. Ask for commitment and buy-in: What can I count on you for? It's far more effective than saying, "I need you to" or "You need to." Telling is not leading.
Emails are not texts. Acronyms (OMG, TTYL, TY, RN, LOL) have a place inside a texting platform. If you don’t have time to write out your words in an email, that’s a mind management issue not a time management problem.
Validation - Be sure your questions asking for support are not making you look weak or coming from a place of being needy. Questions like: ‘Does that make sense? or Do you know what I mean?’ If it doesn’t make sense to you or you need to ask for validation, go back and rewrite your email to make it make sense. When in doubt, edit it until it does.
Emails that are direct, clear, and set expectations yield better outcomes. Knowing is not understanding. What does success look like from your email? Begin writing from that thought. They may know what they are working on, but they may not understand the impact of the project or the risk of their work. Spell it out for them. They should know what they're accountable for, the next step, and what to do when they have questions or run into a challenge.
Be curious and foster curiosity. Ask questions even when you know the answer. People grow when they come up with their own answers. Telling is not leading.
The most productive emails say what they mean. People tend to read into emails. If people look for the hidden meaning in your emails, that signals a lack of trust.
Be careful how you use emotion inside of email. (This is frustrating; makes me angry; pisses me off; it is so disappointing; I can't stand it.) Emails are no place for drama. Drama takes you off your game, your team’s game, and will not lead you to the outcomes you want.
Emails are a place to influence. They are not a place to prove you are right. That’s ego, not leadership. Stay off the defense. Get on the offense.
When you bring more intention to influencing, teaching, and leading, your emails will become a signature to your leadership.
If you are considering working with a Coach or want to know more about the components of a Coaching engagement, let’s get on a call with this link.
The question I get most frequently on these calls, ‘what results can I achieve?’ Here’s what one client shared:
"Coaching is by far the most ROI-positive investment you can make in yourself. Do it! Even if you go in with a specific issue, or question in mind, you will be amazed by how the process can change your thinking about who you are, the skills you have, and where you want to go."
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