A double-edged sword

The previous post covered the challenge of balancing scope and deadlines with the minimal resources that startups are able to scare up. The startup team uses any tool it can to do more in less time - and email, of course, is one that's pretty much taken for granted. There's no denying, it is a great productivity tool inspite of hyped stories on 'email-free' Fridays. Email is timely, quickly distributed, avoids the black holes of side conversations when you're hustling to get things done, and best of all, documents stuff that you need to refer to.

All good, as long as you know when you shouldn't use it. And this is where it gets tricky. You've been sending and receiving dozens of emails a day, covering everything from missing features, funding futures, unmissable meetings and un-spinnable bugs. Somewhere along the way, up pops an issue (and this is almost guaranteed to happen when you're in a crunch) - someone did or didn't do something and someone else gets huffy and sends an email about it (not you, as of course, you know better, don't you?). And your first reaction is to dash off a reply on all the ways this is not right - but writing this email would be on top of the list. A big email no-no: don't criticize on email, unless you want to document it for HR purposes (read, adding to the 'reasons for firing' file). This doesn't mean you can't offer feedback on work deliverables, but stuff like behavior, attitude, playing well or not with others, all of those are better broached in person first.

But, it is not easy to remember and it is almost instinctive to hit the reply button when you read something inflammatory. Which is why you have to become a big fan of the 'draft'. You have to get into the habit of never sending anything that could be an 'oops!' or a 'maybe I shouldn't have' immediately. Write it if you want to - sometimes it clarifies your thinking to see it in words - but save it. Pick up the phone or walk down the hallway and talk it over - you'd be surprised at how often the whole thing ends up just being a misunderstanding or an over reaction due to pressure. If it has to be by email (though that should be very rare), give it some time to settle before you review your response and see if it's fit for sending. Having done email about 'issues' in IM-like frequency in the past - and discovered how it could escalate the smallest slip while being totally useless in actually resolving anything - I've become much more circumspect about what I send by email. Still, I do get tempted at times into shooting off a hot reply, and credit the trusty draft for saving me from the sinking into a dismal morass of email ping-pong.

Bottom line, email is great at cutting down the time it takes to communicate what we need to get stuff done, but shouldn't be used to discuss anything, especially if there's the possibility of value judgments and emotional positioning. Then, all you do is snick some thin skins and foment drama that is most distracting to a startup.