Emotional Intelligence Meets Influence Without Authority In Outlook 2007

Did you send a flame email lately? Regret? Sure you do. I did it few times and I wish it never happened. But why you were sending this flame email anyway? Tried to influence the other guy? The result – you just make one more enemy instead making friends.

Emotional Intelligence and Influence Without Authority are a broad topics that are out of scope for this post. Nevertheless, here is a simple technique to craft emails that help avoiding Emotional Intelligence pitfalls. It also helps building rapport which is the basis of Influence Without Authority.

by Evan•L

I use MS Outlook 2007 to craft my emails. I’ve created email template that guides me how to write the rapport emails (vs flame emails). I’ve also set a rule to delay each email for a minute – it gives me a chance to change my mind and delete it while it is still in Outbox just before it hits the wire.

Creating email template

While there is an option to build templated emails, using it involves multiple clicks which is productivity killer. I do not use templates and email forms. I’ve created signature that looks as follows:

[DO YOU REALLY NEED TO SEND THIS MESSAGE?]

[RAPPORT - MAKE THE OTHER PARTY LOVE YOU]

[UPFRONT ASK]

[EXPLAIN THE NEED, USE BULLETS]

[MORE INFO]

Alik Levin

When I fire up a new email with Ctrl + Shift + M I am immediately reminded that this email may be not necessary at all. But if it is, then I need to write it the way so that it builds a rapport. Once the email complete I delete the guidance part. To set up your email signature in Outlook 2007 follow this procedure:

Click on Tools menu in Outlook 2007 Click on Options… Click on Mail Format tab Click on Signatures… button You should see something similar as depicted in the picture only with your own signature - of course, you may adopt mine

You’ve just created email template that guides you to write emails that builds rapport. That should increase your chance to make an impact/influence without authority.

Creating email delivery delay rule

This one helps implementing “Park” method – Emotional Intelligence Core Skills.

1. Click on Tools menu.
2. Click on Rules and Alerts… option.
3. Click on New Rule…
4. Under Start from a blank rule choose Check messages after sending option.
5. Click Next button.
6. Click Next button again.
7. Confirm that this rule is to be applied to every message you send by Clicking on the Yes button (you should get this alert after step 6).
8. Check defer delivery by a number of minutes.
9. Under Step 2:… click on a number of and specify number of minutes you desire your message to wait in the Outbox.
10. Click Finish.

Done.

You’ve just implemented “Park” method – Emotional Intelligence Core Skill - using Outlook 2007. Each email will be waiting for 1 minute allowing you to regret and just delete before it hits the wire.

Emotions are unavoidable and can be both friends and enemies as Mike points out in his Emotions Are Your Best Friend and Enemy. Make friends not enemies. John Wooden’s take is that Emotion Is Your Enemy though.

Self Test

• Think impact first. Do you reply to email first then think what potential impact might have or first think if the impact you would like to make and then craft the email?
• Clear ideas - clear writing. Is your email just a rundown or well formed, easy to read, easy to act upon?
• Build rapport. Are your emails emotional or to the point backed with relevant materials?