Communicating Urgency in writing Emails

Successful project management requires meeting the specified deadlines in time, delivering the promised performance and meeting the proposed costs. Proficiency in business writing supports these project requirements. Using standard expressions saves time in writing. The list provides proven expressions to meet the tone necessary to warrant meeting project requirements.

Email Actions or Project and Account Management

Ref: [I1].

Requests

The Anglo Saxon cultures appreciate, use of polite forms to express needs, requests or even demands. This creates a friendly atmosphere and builds teamwork. On the other hand it makes it difficult for external cultures to judge the seriousness of the request.

Using politeness and formality

I would be grateful if you would/could...

Would you be so kind as to...

I would appreciate it if you could...

Could you please...?

Would you mind -ing...?

Please let me know when/how much/how long/if...

Using the performance and deadline argument to meet customer needs. These arguments function similarly and often interchangeably.

Successfully completing the project deadlines requires…

To meet customer demands it is necessary to

Using the cost argument. These requirements are necessary to meet cost.

To meet project costs

Sinking costs demand that these measure be implemented……

Thanking

Politeness requires thanking for services done. Mention a service the interchange provided. Just think; everyone tries to do a good job and mention what went well. Find something that served the common good.

Thank you for...

We were pleased to ...

Thank you for the good job in providing…

It helped accomplishing…

Informing

Often an important message was at least misunderstood, and often simply ignored. The receiver chose not to read or understand the message. First employ politeness. If it is important, and the reader does not chose to understand; then employ urgency.

Politeness, Formality

Please note that...

Unfortunately, I will have to...

I would like to inform you that...

I am writing to inform you that... (fml)

Urgency

Urgency in the matter necessitates…

If … is not closed by …, then the following actions will be taken …

Enclosing documents

Mentioning enclosures is usually simply a formality required by good writing style. However, this expression serves an important purpose in documenting the project documentation provided. Should problems later occur, you have documented what has already been provided.

Good Style

I am enclosing/I have enclosed

I enclose/Please find enclosed(fml)

Rigorous Project Documentation

The following documents have been enclosed: (detailed list)

Please find the following documents enclosed.

The following documents are enclosed for your use.

Drawing attention and reminding

Politeness avoids reprimanding. A reprimand is a vocal criticism especially in front of others. It could also be written in a team document. However ignoring important issues or communication gives reason to use mild and clear reprimands. A reprimand should only be used when “Informing” did not succeed.

Mild reprimands

I would like to point out that...

May I draw your attention to...

Clear reprimands

We do not appear to have received...

I am afraid that we should/have to/must: remind you that ...

Apologizing

Like thanking; apologizing constitutes an important part of the politeness culture. It does not only serve as politeness, but also demonstrates that everyone is only human and makes mistakes. All colleagues make mistakes and teamwork works better when everyone understands that mistakes will happen, and are allowed. Each team member takes the responsibility for his mistakes and the consequences to adjust for it.

I am afraid that...

I am sorry that...

I apologize (for the inconvenience)

I regret (to say) that (fml)

Expressing urgency and necessity

Each project has written requirements. Neglecting the requirements necessitates action to ensure fulfillment. Now the urgency of the situation intensifies because if the fulfillment does not succeed, then consequences will result.

I am sure you will realize that... we may be obliged to

We need to receive/have... by….

Please provide...as soon as possible.

The following is needed...without further delay

Provide... by return of post/ fax, email

Expressing willingness and offers of help

Anglo Saxon cultures are helpful and it is important in the teamwork culture that everyone work together to help one another. These expressions serve to open the door to team networking.

We would be (quite) prepared to...

We would be willing to….

We would be happy to….

Would you like us to...?

Would it be useful if I...

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if I can be of any more help/if you need any more information...

Making suggestions and proposals

Often it is difficult to find the right track to correct a situation without making an open and insulting criticism or reprimand. These possibilities save face and avoid embarrassment but work towards righting a situation.

Might/May I suggest that...?

One possible solution would be to...

I propose that...

I'd recommend that...

Ask questions. This is the honest way. It leads to a situation analysis and the gathering of information to right the situation. Use the open questions of: How…? When…? Why...? How much…? Who…?

Asking for approval

Both sides do not often understand the discussion results in the same way. It avoids misunderstandings to ask for a confirmation of approval.

I (sincerely) hope that.... will be to your satisfaction/meet with your approval.

We hope that you will have no objections/be agreeable to...

Would you have any objection if....?

This expression did not openly ask for approval. Try a direct approach by asking a question.

What is your opinion of…?

How successful do you think it will be?

What didn’t we succeed in settling?

Confirmation

How does Approval differ from Confirmation? In project management you need confirmation to ensure that the arrangements or actions have been agreed upon and both sides have the same understanding. Formal arrangements; particularly those that induce costs should be confirmed in writing so that later misunderstandings can be clarified.

I'm writing/I am pleased/ to confirm...

I can confirm the arrangements for/that the meeting will be held...

Would you please confirm the date/that...

If I hear nothing further from you/nothing to the contrary, I shall assume that/take it that...

I will wait for/I hope to have your confirmation before going ahead.

Please get in touch if...

Asking for clarification

If something is unclear, or uncertain whether both sides are in agreement, then ask a question to prevent later misunderstandings.

It is not clear (from your email, fax, phone call) whether/if...

We are not sure if...

It would be very helpful if you could supply me with further details/more information about...

We would be grateful if you could clarify this point….

Please clarify the question if the …

Closing

Use the closing to polish up the communication style. Using standard expressions shows that you did not take exceptional care with the email. Because of the pressure to process the daily emails 80% of them will use standard expressions. But for the special situations to make a good impression; take a little time to think up a personal closing that fits the situation. Then the reader knows that efforts were made to meet his needs.

I am looking forward to meeting you (next week)

Best regards

I am convinced that the good teamwork will continue to pay off….

It’s been a pleasure working closely with you and your team.

Writing Exercise

Go through the list of expression once again and decide which ones you like and fit your style. File them for easy retrieval. Complement the list with some that occur to you while reading it.

Sort the list of emails waiting to be answered into the simple ones to write immediately and get out of the way, and the ones that require the right tone. Use the list you made and employ some of the expressions so that your piece acquires the right tone.

If you have questions about matching the proper tone, or suggestions would help then send me the email and your questions.

How much time and effort did you save by using the suggestions?

The Conditional is an important requirement to match the proper Tone of Urgency

If you paid attention to the expressions, then obviously the Conditional builds the requirements to create the sense of urgency. The Conditional is an important grammar construction to meet business needs. Any business communication at an elevated level will employ the conditional. To use it correctly and express the right level of urgency requires practice.

Grammar

Conditional. There are 3 types of Conditional Statements. The First Conditional treats very probable conditions in the future. If you look once again at the expressions of urgency in project management they make frequent use of the First Conditional. It builds one of the most important expressions to state project management requirements and review project progress with the team members.

How to build the Conditional Tenses: from EnglishLanguageGuide.com

Here is a good source to explain the use of the conditionals.

http://www.englishlanguageguide.com/english/grammar/conditionals.asp

Reference: EnglishLanguageGuide.com

Practice the First Conditional Exercises: http://www.better-english.com/grammar/firstconditional1.htm

Send me any questions you may have on using the Conditional to your advantage.

Online Help. If you want “public” help or discussion in the text or exercises, feel free to use the blogger as your medium of choice. If you have questions, or need help in using the collaboration platform at Google Docs [Google >> Mehr Text und Tabelle, send me an email at: mailto:Gary_Gabriel@web.de?subject=Online Help

Website Reference: Website: English Global Project

[I1] Handout. Key Letter/Fax Writing Functions. http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:hPnl7jqHOeYJ:www.sslmit.univ.trieste.it/katan/discorsoscritto/basicfax.doc+Fax+writing&hl=de&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=de&lr=lang_en.

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14.07.08 Global English Project. © Copyright 2008 G. Gabriel. If you decide to use this material please quote the author and site.