Project Management Tip: Romeo's Fate and the Problem of Unanswered Emails

The tragedy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet hangs on the smallest of things: a missed message. When in doubt, make sure to get direct confirmation from the recipient. If you don't, you can't be sure your message has been seen.

Messages Get Missed All the Time

In the modern business world, messages get missed all the time … and projects suffer for it. Sending an email just isn't enough, especially when an important task is on the line. How can you be sure it was read? How do you know it didn't go into a spam folder?

Active Communication is Essential

Too often team members use passive forms of communication (like an email or voicemail) and don't get a response. If you don't get a response, do what it takes to confirm that the message was received. It's that simple.

Multiple Methods for Confirmation

If one form of messaging isn't drawing a response from your recipient, use other methods to confirm and verify that your message was received, seen and understood. If that person works with you in the same building, it might be necessary to ditch various digital efforts altogether and just have a face-to-face with them.

Key Takeaways

• Focus on active, effective methods to communicate
• Exhaust all possible methods to confirm message receipt
• Apply indirect pressure by cc'ing the team on emails
• Get a response before relieving yourself of responsibilities