Sarcasm in Emails

Ever received an email that just sounds mean?  It’s likely that the person was intending to be sarcastic or even funny.  Unfortunately, that never works in email.

Yesterday’s HBS management tip was just that simple, yet I think it is extremely important.  Too many people come off the wrong way in emails.  In my opinion, there should be classes in high school these days just on how to send professional emails.

“Anyone who has sent a humorous email that has confused — or worse, offended — someone knows the danger of trying to be funny in an email. Email does not convey tone. How your message sounds to you when you type it has no relation to how the reader will interpret it. Keep business email straightforward. Pointing out that something’s funny by using an emoticon can appear juvenile. If you need to share your irresistible sense of humor, save it for phone calls or in-person meetings where tone can be more easily understood.”

Keep your stand-up routine out of emails…

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