Email Like a Dude
It Will Get You Farther at Work
Did you know there is such a thing as “emailing like a woman?”
There is, and it’s not all good. It actually might be holding you back at work. As if women needed another thing to be holding them back in the workplace, right? According to Deborah Tannen of Georgetown University, “women tend to write longer emails and are more likely to use expression or — I am inclined to say — emotion” in their emails compared to men.
Sounds just like actual life, right?
Indeed.
And in general, this is not a bad thing. But when women communicate in a more personal style are being evaluated by superiors, using emotional or casual text can be perceived as frivolous.
It’s not an altogether bad thing to be informal in work emails. Women tend to form greater bonds, have closer friendships, and Tannen says that being emotionally transparent with team members can lead to greater trust and collaboration. That’s a good thing. Having trusted relationships at work is foundational to some level of success.
But on the other side, nonverbal communication that is more personal, even if it is intended to be humorous or lighthearted, can lead to misinterpretation. When making a joke in person, there is more room for clarification and feedback.
