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Learn to boost your efficiency by managing messages, adopting concise communication, and choosing the right method for different situations across email, chat, and project management platforms.
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4-2 Communication Management Across Platforms - Exercise.docx67.4 KB
Quick reference
Communication Management Across Platforms
Learn to boost your efficiency by managing messages, adopting concise communication, and choosing the right method for different situations across email, chat, and project management platforms.
Notes
Designating Specific Times for Checking Messages
Frequent message checking can disrupt your workflow. Instead, designate specific times throughout the day to review and respond. Consider:
- Checking twice a day: Once in the morning and once in the afternoon
- Checking after you've completed a task: Use message checking as a short break between tasks
- Checking during low-energy periods: Look at your messages when you need a mental break
Organizing Messages and Notifications
Keep your inbox and messages organized for efficient communication. Some strategies include:
- Email: Utilize filters, labels, and folders
- Chat platforms: Use threaded conversations and pin important messages
- Project management tools: Create assignments, to-do lists, and customize notifications. Reach out to power users for extra tips.
Clear and Concise Messages
Regardless of platform, adhere to best practices for clear communication:
- Be brief and focused: Address one topic per message for clarity.
- Use clear, descriptive language: No room for confusion.
- Use team and group channels: Keeps conversations organized and avoids clutter.
- Proofread: Check your messages for clarity, grammar, and spelling before hitting send.
Choosing the Right Communication Method
Depending on the task, choose the communication medium that best fits your need:
- Instant messaging: Ideal for quick questions or real-time problem-solving.
- Team collaboration tools: Centralize project-related discussion and resource sharing.
- Meetings or video calls: For in-depth explanations, brainstorming, or team collaboration, engage in more direct forms of communication.
- 00:04 We're back, and in this lesson, we'll focus on enhancing
- 00:08 communication efficiency across various platforms including email,
- 00:13 chat, and project management tools, lets get stated.
- 00:17 Some companies rely on email, while others live on messaging platforms like Slack,
- 00:22 or project management platforms like Basecamp.
- 00:26 Your job role may require you to be on one or many of those platforms.
- 00:32 Regularly checking messages can disrupt your productivity, so
- 00:36 designate specific times throughout the day for checking and
- 00:40 responding to messages on email, chat, and other platforms.
- 00:45 For example, you could check twice a day, once in the morning and
- 00:49 once in the afternoon.
- 00:50 You could check after completing a task,
- 00:53 use message checking as a break between the tasks that you do.
- 00:57 Or you could check in low-energy periods,
- 01:00 check your messages when you need a brief mental break from more demanding work.
- 01:05 Keeping your messages organized by using the built-in features of your
- 01:09 communication platforms can also be a big help.
- 01:12 In email, use filters, labels, and folders to categorize your messages.
- 01:18 In chat platforms like Slack, threaded conversations keep specific topics
- 01:23 together and you can sometimes pin important messages so they don't get lost.
- 01:29 And in project management tools like Basecamp,
- 01:32 you can create assignments, to-do list items, and
- 01:35 define your own notifications to stay updated on project progress.
- 01:40 If you work with some power users of these apps, ask them for some tips.
- 01:44 They may have some great ideas how you can streamline your input or
- 01:48 quiet down all those notifications you might be flooded with at times.
- 01:53 Regardless of whether you use email, chat, or other apps, improve your communication
- 01:58 across these platforms by adopting some of these best practices.
- 02:02 Be brief and focused when you communicate.
- 02:04 Keep your messages concise, addressing only one topic at a time.
- 02:10 Use clear, descriptive language, ensure your message is easy to understand and
- 02:15 doesn't leave room for confusion.
- 02:17 Use team and group channels, use relevant channels to avoid clutter,
- 02:22 and keep conversations organized and directed at the right audiences.
- 02:27 And proofread, yes, many platforms allow you to edit something
- 02:31 after you've sent it, but review your messages for clarity, for grammar, and
- 02:36 spelling before hitting the send button.
- 02:39 Different tasks may require different communication methods,
- 02:43 consider the most suitable option based on the situation.
- 02:46 Instant messaging is good if you have quick questions or
- 02:50 need to do some real-time problem solving.
- 02:53 Team collaboration tools are nice to centralize some
- 02:57 project-related discussions and share resources with colleagues.
- 03:03 And meetings or video calls are really good for matters that require in-depth
- 03:08 explanations, brainstorming, or team collaboration.
- 03:12 So coming up, in our final lesson, we'll discuss cultivating habits for long-term
- 03:16 time management success and continuously improving your productivity strategies.
- 03:21 See you then.
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