Internet communication – correspondence, blogs, social networks – has become an important (or even inevitable) form of communication for many of us, but often serves as a source of misunderstanding and resentment. A few simple rules will help you avoid the pitfalls of the virtual world.
The first rule is, if possible, do not mix personal communication and business. For example, do not write to friends from a work address, separate genres by communicating on social networks (for example, create separate communities for sharing childhood photos and discussing a project with colleagues). Another significant point is to take into account that a letter in a service mailing list or a post in a network diary will be seen by different people, and it is better if the text is neutral, designed for all readers, and not just one. And finally, the third circumstance: written messages, unlike oral ones, can be stored at the addressee or in the bowels of the Network for a very long time, and therefore they should be taken more seriously. It is almost impossible to give up your words, to justify that our statement was distorted, in the modern information space …
Letter for you!
E-mail correspondence is the “oldest” among the new means of communication. To make it as effective as possible, it is important to take care of both the form and the meaning of each message. “We can consider the content of an email as a mechanism to influence the recipient. If our text does not work, it means that we violated the “assembly rules”: we chose the wrong drawing, took the wrong parts, put them together in the wrong way, ”explains Sasha Karepina*, communications business coach. That is why business mail requires a lot of attention and even pedantry. To begin with, it needs to be structured by separating spam, corporate mailings, discussions of common projects, and letters that are intended only for you. In addition, in most cases it is better to immediately acknowledge receipt of the letter (“Got (a), thank you. I will answer as soon as possible”). So you show respect for the sender and save him from unnecessary worries: is the letter in spam, is the addressee in place, maybe he didn’t like something … And you will not be tormented by guilt, and you can calmly think about the answer.
Since employees of large companies receive a lot of letters of different genres a day, they read them diagonally, trying to catch the essence as soon as possible. To make this task easier for the addressees, it is better to write briefly, without overloading the text with details, but highlighting the main information in bold. Before sending a message, reread it to avoid typos, errors, or omissions. This is also useful because it often contains draft information “for internal use”, which is not at all intended for the person who will receive your letter. As you read, try to put yourself in the position of the person you are writing to and make sure your message is clear and unambiguous. In this case, the chances that you will quickly get a clear answer increase many times over.
About it
- “Communication on the Internet” Alex Exler NT Press, 2006.
- Life online. Just like two and two.” Artur Loyanich Eksmo, 2008.
Languages of the virtual world
Social networks, forums and the blogosphere, originally designed more for communication with friends and like-minded people, gradually began to perform many other functions – from a source of information necessary for work to an instrument of political influence and social self-organization. “In social networks, we are returning to the traditions characteristic of a pre-literate society,” says Ivan Zasursky, a specialist in communication theory. “Because other people see everything we do, reputation and public speaking are the most important thing for us.” On the Web, we often speak (write) in a special language (we distort words, trying to give them an informal sound), put emoticons and “likes”. Deprived of the usual “helpers” – facial expressions, gestures, intonation – we are forced to look for new emotional signs in order to be understood. Does it help avoid misunderstandings? Not always. Linguists know how ridiculous the exact recording of colloquial speech looks on paper: broken phrases, “bleeps”, omissions of words and connectives, digressions, repetitions. But when we communicate in a chat or “VKontakte”, we are trying to convey exactly oral speech! However, no flowers and dancing men, strikethroughs and capital letters can accurately convey what we usually quite naturally convey to the interlocutor in a conversation.
“That is why it is worth choosing signs and symbols as carefully as possible, being extremely careful with metaphors, taking into account the context,” comments Ivan Zasursky. “Accuracy and maximum simplicity in the selection of words is one of the most important rules of network communication.” In order to avoid misunderstandings, it is better to remember that we communicate in writing, and focus specifically on verbal ways of expressing emotions and assessments.
Illusion of freedom
In addition, it is important to imagine what style of communication is typical for the site or forum you have chosen. And be flexible to meet the norms of this community. For example, ornate phrases on a youth forum are inappropriate, and communication on “you” is organic. Finding fault with spelling mistakes is bad form, but it’s better to try not to make them yourself so as not to spoil your reputation. We should not forget that network communication is asynchronous: you made a recording today, and you can get a comment in a few days, when the mood is different and the circumstances have changed. And the intimate details of life and gossip about colleagues and acquaintances are better never to trust the Internet at all – there is always a risk that they will be read just by those to whom they were not intended. Of course, the freedom of online communication is tempting, and each user chooses the image that he likes best. Convincingly lie, be rude, insult the interlocutor, hiding behind an avatar, are very common practices. The Internet allows everyone to remain anonymous, which makes users very vulnerable. In 2008, Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft developed a “Common Code of Conduct” in which they attempted to define the degree of freedom on the Web**. However, this code concerns legal norms and does not affect either moral or ethical aspects. However, the online community can be very tough on those who do not respect its laws. “Loss of trust is the biggest problem that can happen to us online. This threatens to be excluded from the online community,” says Ivan Zasursky. The Internet provides many opportunities for obtaining information, dialogue with different people, and discussions. If you value this communication, be prepared to answer for every word you write.
* Author of The Art of Business Writing (Mann, Ivanov & Ferber, 2010).
** Global Network Initiative, official website www.globalnetworkinitiative.org