E-mail Requires Your Full Attention!

This morning I was on KDKA News Radio in Pittsburgh discussing the forwarding of e-mails. I do these type of interviews several times each week and have a blast doing them.

This interview in particular was initiated due to a big hullabaloo out there about one of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaches who "inadvertently forwarded an e-mail containing pornographic material to the league's 'All General Managers' e-mail distribution list. This e-mail was sent to him from Steelers personnel director and then he sent it, to "multiple high-level team employees and their secretaries'."

Forwarded by the Personnel Director? Yikes! Sounds like the Steelers need to get an e-mail policy in place and have a sit down with all their personnel -- the director being the first -- so everyone is aware of the guidelines and what is expected of them.

Needless to say this coach is in some major hot water -- there are even calls for him to be fired. One of the first questions I was asked today was how could he have prevented this? How can he see who is on the list he is sending to?

It can be prevented by paying attention to what buttons you click! As far as who is on this list -- that is programmed into his e-mail software and he can view the list, if he knew how or was so inclined. Once again we have someone on business time, using business resources sending questionable e-mails and worse yet, not paying attention to what they are doing.

Believe it or not this happens quite often. People in a hurry click a button then Send to only realize their commentary went not to the intended party but to someone else. Usually someone they didn't want to view that particular e-mail's contents.

When it comes to forwarding e-mail -- just stop! Everyone just stop!! If you can't take the time to write a personal comment as to why you are forwarding to the specific person you are forwarding to, don't waste their time or yours. No more sending to lists of contacts who didn't ask to be on your "forward to everyone you know" list.

If you are a habitual forwarder or know one, two or ten, stop now and read this article and use the Send feature in the top right hand corner to notify others with this uncontrollable behavior to do the same. Read my article 5 Rules of Forwarding E-mails.

Slow down, take your time and for goodness sake pay attention to which buttons you click. Review the To: field, BCc: and Cc: fields to ensure you are sending to who you intend. Then, and only then, should you click Send. If you don't, I hope you love the taste of humble pie.