Sending Difficult Messages Via E-Mail

E-mail is an incredibly easy and convenient way to send messages. Sometimes we find it challenging to use this new medium for difficult messages, like sending our sympathies. Here a few things to keep in mind:

Remember to use a formal tone. E-mail is such a fast medium that often our language becomes rushed and informal. Most of the time, that's fine, but a more serious message requires more serious expression; steer clear of abbreviations, emoticons and other hallmarks of e-mail slang.

Save your message as a draft and come back to it later. It's easy to get in the habit of just dashing off a quick message and clicking "send" immediately. But the more important the message, the more important it is that it be thought out carefully and deliberately—and that can take a little more time and reflection.

Trust your feelings. In the end, the most important thing is to be honest and sincere. No matter how a message is sent, a genuine expression of emotion will always come across clearly.