It’s How You Interpret It

Sam Kelly received a unanimous decision from the four-person panel of judges at the first round of auditions. His rendition was stirring, poignant and genuine.

How we interpret information and content determines our meaning about it. The challenge about communication includes clarity, preciseness of language, tonality of intention, as well as emotional drive, yet we are slave to how we are interpreted. Being misinterpreted can lead to misunderstanding, conflict, doubt, and indifference. What goes on in the minds of others is hard to fathom and determine.

Authors write books to express their ideas and experiences in a different medium. Biographies and autobiographies give celebrities an opportunity to clear the air, banish doubts, and demystify the person. By bypassing the PR agency and spin-doctors, the legend becomes more human and approachable. It can even enhance their allure and attractiveness.

How do others interpret you? How often do others misunderstand you? How often do you others defend you? How expressive are you?

Optimising on the Power of E-Mails

A good week to our readers!

This morning, I thought that we could focus on e-mails, as it is one thing I do upon arising. 'Early to bed, early to rise, check your daily prescription of e-mails twice.' Check for these electronic communication at the start and end of my day, I do.

I can expound of the relevance of e-mails, however stop it from dominating your life. If you cannot do a day without checking on your Blackberry, iPhone or e-mail cache - you may have an addiction. Seriously.

Here are some pointers to enhance your communication technology, powered up for 2010.

1) Ensure your e-mails are intended for one recipient or several. Be exact and clear.

2) If it is 'BCC', it means 'Blind carbon copy' - therefore, it should be on another section. BCC refers to other people on your mailing list who the main recipient is unaware of.

3) Ensure that your Heading is precise and clear. Headings can be the 'decisive point' of whether I read that mail, or not. Spam is, usually, detected by poor grammar and spelling. There are patterns of headings that indicate a potential waste of your time.

4) Use e-mail as an extension and expansion of your digital communication. I have closed business deals and opened them, via text message/SMS. E-mail gives me permission to elaborate and explain further the details. I may include attachments.

5) Some agencies and organisations have spam-bots that quarantine your e-mail, because you send attachments (which the software deems dubious) or include e-mail links. Check with your client or business partner if these are activated, or else you will consume time re-sending your e-mail, and it can be frustrating.

6) Stop sending Chain Letters. As well-intended you are, many of these have malicious intent. If I do not reply to you within a stipulated time, woe behold me! I may suffer the deadly curses due to my procrastination or busy-ness. Many of these chain-letters are hoaxes. Check 'www.hoax.com' for the latest pranks.

7) Seek permission to send messages, even if this is a private and solicited list. Phrase your e-mail appeals (for charity) well, so that it does not sound like spam; some letters have a mechanical personality - so, rewrite and customise them. Study what the top online marketers write these days, minus the plethora of hyperbole and over-hyphenated-adverbs.

8) E-mail is a tool; probably, the most basic but relevant, longer-format, tool in digital communication. Like Steve Jobs, write clearly and be to-the-point.