The best electronic communication norms are ones you set together

Form objectives:Provide a format for you to adapt to develop electronic communication norms that fit your team and circumstances

Help you apply the phrases in Perfect Phrases for Virtual Teamwork

Assumptions: The various forms of electronic communication are meant to serve you, not the other way around To use electronic communication effectively, teams need to establish and observe shared norms

Tips: Pet peeves can be a great way to start a conversation to establish norms Sometimes the norm itself is less important than the fact that everyone observes a shared protocol Many of these norms are created to optimize features of the medium, such as subject-line sorting for email, or the advantage of

repeating a phone number at the end of a voicemail Respect your teammates and watch out for “artificial urgency” of immediate communication. The level of immediacy is a good guide

to what approach you choose This form in particular is intended as a jumping-off point for your own.

Your voice and email norms form is on the next page.

Meryl Runion 719-684-2633

VOICE AND EMAIL NORMS FORM

NORM CATEGORY NORM INITIALEmail subject lines (example) Put the team name in the subject line of team emailsTo and CC email lines (example) Put those who need to take action in the “to” and use CC as FYIReply all (example) Use reply all, moving those who need to take action to the To line and moving don’t

need to take action to the CC lineDistribution lists (example) Only use for stated purpose of the listForwards (example) No unannotated forwards – all forwards must contain comments regarding relevancyFlagging (example) Flag for follow-up if requiredCodes (example) AR is action required, NRR is no response requiredVoice messages - leaving (example) Prepare for the possibility of getting voicemail. Leave messages that move the

conversation forward and allow the receiver to prepare before returning the callVoice messages - leaving (example) Leave your number at the beginning and the end of the call, even if you believe they

have itVoice messages - responding

(example) Listen to messages before returning a call

Voice messages - responding

(example) Check for messages before returning calls based on caller ID

Synchronous vs. asynchronous communication

(example) If a discussion gets heated or confused, use synchronous communication such as face-to-face and phone.

Team network application (example) Post general team updates rather than sending in emailTeam network application (example) Pose questions to the (blog, group, team site, etc.) so everyone can see the question

and everyone can see the answers. Address your post to a specific group or individual if preferred, but invite other input

Meryl Runion 719-684-2633

VOICE AND EMAIL NORMS FORM