Email and Emotions: Take Time to Cool Off

Misunderstandings abound in email. I’ve done that myself. For example, you read an email to find the sender is either inappropriate or insulting. Or they neglected to read your previous response and make claims they otherwise probably wouldn’t have — if they had read your email.
Jumping to Conclusions?
It could be you’ve jumped to conclusions. Or it could be one side did not take the time to make sure that their message and intent were clear. This opens the door to read into the email things that are not there.
This is where relationships and assumptions come into play. I’ve typed about this before – a lot. You could type the same sarcastic message to a handful of people, and each will perceive your intent and tone because of the contrast in the type of relationships you have with each person and how well they know you.
Before Reacting…
That is why it is always so crucial if you get an email that upsets you to:
The cause of many misunderstandings is one side not considering the repercussions of the words they chose and how they chose to write them (formatting, bolding, red text, caps, etc.). However, sometimes, you’ll find your perception changes by simply reading an email out loud. So give that a try before flying off the handle.
The best rule of thumb is to take time to cool off. Typing out an emotional reply rarely solves anything. You may be surprised at the different points of view you will have when you review the email the next day to decide whether a response is even necessary.