Document Editing Via Reply-All

Robby

Want to know one the best ways to kill productivity in your office? No, I’ll cover setting up an office pool in another article. Instead, try sending out an email with an attached document that reads: “Here’s my draft; edits and feedback welcome!” Doing this is like throwing candy into a room full of school children. Everybody scrambles and nobody really wins.

There are several reasons why you shouldn’t ask for feedback from many people by email. First, the recipients are probably going to review your submission roughly simultaneously, and waste precious time coming up with the same ideas and finding the same problems. Second, you’re creating a culture of expectation with the first message. People who don’t respond at all are implying that your document is just fine the way it is or that they don’t care. Since that means you can hold them partially responsible if an error slips through, you’re forcing everyone to say something.

Most importantly, however, is that email is a terrible way to collaborate. That’s right: we should use email to coordinate, but not to collaborate Schedule a meeting with the group to get feedback, or send the document to just one person. Or better yet, save yourself the upcoming headache of integrating all of the suggested changes by using a collaborative editing tool like Google Docs or Microsoft SharePoint Workspace. That way, everyone can actually modify the same document at the same time.

If you really want to people to give you feedback, get them involved in the change process. Don’t throw candy and expect a detailed culinary review. Invite people into the kitchen while the meal is still cooking. Get them to help with production so they take ownership in the outcome.

Tags: collaborate, communication-skills, coordinate, document-editing, email, email management, execution, prioritization, time-management