Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of performance through strong human relations, team building, and goalagiving. This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fellovaledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast. It's episode three oh seven. Today's topic is called the email test. Want to know what your workplace culture really looks like? Skip the posters, the mission statements in the HR manuals. Instead open your inbox. That's right, read your team's emails. Because emails are culture in print. And here's what I mean. Emails are a window into how people communicate when they're not face to face, and how people
communicate when no one is watching. Says a lot a lot about the real culture you've built or haven't built. Take a moment and pull up five emails from different team members. Look at the tone. Are they cold? Are they strictly transactional, just facts, no human touch. Are they laced with passive aggressive phrases like per my last email or as previously stated? Or are they direct but respectful, clear and kind, confident without being arrogant? Now think about this.
Are those emails a reflection of the culture you want? If your team's emails feel robotic or combative. That's not a communication issue, it's a culture issue. And here's where your leadership comes in. You don't need to micromanage every word your team sends, but you do need to coach the tone, expectations, and style of communication that aligns with your values. Emails should sound like people who care. They should reflect professionalism without sounding cold. They should get to
the point, but not at the expense of humanity. A kind thank you, a sincere I appreciate your help, or even a line like let me know if you have questions can go a long way. So here's your action step for this week. Do the email test. Choose a sample of team emails, look at the tone, the clarity in the intent, then coach accordingly. Praise the good ones, and have constructive conversations about the ones that miss the mark. Remember, culture doesn't live on the wall, It lives in every
line that we type. This has been the seven minute Leadership podcast, and I thank you for listening.
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