E-mail is a very efficient communication tool, used by almost everyone both for business and to connect socially. Today, many supervisors use electronic messaging — often to the exclusion of face-to-face communication. Because the medium doesn't involve direct interaction with the recipient, e-mail can seem detached, unemotional and shielded, and is prone to misinterpretation. When a supervisor sends an e-mail to an underling, it is important not only that the message be clear, but also that the sender understands the effect that the message might intentionally or unintentionally have on the recipient. E-mail should never be used by a supervisor to avoid discussion or to avoid a confrontation. In some cases, an inappropriate e-mail message could be considered work place harassment. Before selecting e-mail as your medium of choice for delivering a message, consider its appropriateness. After composing the message, and before hitting “send,” save the draft message and return to it later to re-read critically and revise if necessary before sending it.

As an employee, what do you do if you believe you have received an inappropriate business e-mail? First, do not delete the e-mail. Keep it as evidence, in case the situation gets escalated. Assess the situation carefully. Reply to the inappropriate e-mail with a firm but polite message asking the sender to refrain from sending you any more messages of that kind, and explain why you found that particular message offensive. Be specific. Be sure to send a copy of this e-mail to yourself. Should your request be disregarded, report the situation to the appropriate authority including a copy of the original e-mail and a copy of the message you sent asking the sender to stop.

Written messages are more easily misinterpreted than verbal communication. Therefore, supervisors and managers must be careful to treat e-mail messages like face-to-face conversations, and definitely refrain from using e-mail to avoid face-to-face conversations.

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Here are some of the things going on in and around the engineering community:

• Robert Sutton provides a framework of four factors that are designed to focus supervisors on what their subordinates need from them most during bad economic times (“How to Be a Good Boss in a Bad Economy,” Harvard Business Review, 87(6):42-50, June 2009, www.hbr.org). Employees are watching their supervisors carefully for clues to their fate. Factors discussed include predictability, understanding, control, and compassion and are equally applicable during good economic times. The author believes that attention to these factors will have long-term benefits to the organization.

• The social responsibility of business is a matter of continuing debate. Often business is viewed as an activity designed to create private wealth without regard to non-economic considerations such as ethics, social issues or the environment. In “Can Multinational Corporations Afford to Ignore the Global Common Good?” (Business and Society Review, 114(2): 153-182 2009, http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0045-3609&site=1) Henri-Claude De Bettignies and Francois Lepineux discuss three interconnected evolutions that they believe are likely to induce multinational corporations to take the global common good into account.

• Not ready to retire? Jennifer Wong discusses how many 50+ people instead of thinking of retirement are considering transitioning to self-employment (“Not Ready to Retire?” Entrepreneur, 37(3): 71-79, March, 2009, www.entrepreneur.com). An inset Ipsos Reid poll result revealed that 32% of boomers intend to finance their business start-up with their savings. There are many advantages including having more control and flexibility over their life and an opportunity to pursue personal dreams. The author provides examples of individuals who successfully made the transition and offers factors to consider carefully before making the move to self-employment.

• Promotions particularly to high levels of the organization are governed by unwritten rules that are not related to technical or business knowledge. By not understanding these you will find it difficult to advance. John Beeson, in “Why You Didn’t Get That Promotion” (Harvard Business Review, 87(6):101-105, June 2009, www.hbr.org), discusses the issue and provides a framework to help you identify and address issues that might be blocking your advancement.

• Emily Weisburg provides a listing of the top 50 new franchises that might provide career opportunities for you (“Top 50 New Franchises” Entrepreneur, 37(3):81-88, March 2009, www.entrepreneur.com). The listing includes franchises that started in 2004 or later and offer a variety of options. The author is careful to mention that this ranking is not an endorsement of the franchises but simply a starting point for your industry, legal, and financial research.

• Joel Podolny believes that business schools need to make radical change to change societies perception that MBA’s are working only to serve their own interests (“The Buck Stops (and Starts) at Business School,” Harvard Business Review, 87(6):62-67, June 2009, www.hbr.org). The author discusses why he believes this perception exists and suggests a multi-pronged approach to tackling the problem.

• Leaders of organizations often tend to associate with others who are similar to themselves. This jeopardizes morale and the ability of these individuals to do their job effectively (“Fatal Attraction: The Danger of Leaders Flocking Together,” Leadership in Action, 29(1): 8-12, March/April 2009). Shaker Zahra and Reham Eitantawy discuss this phenomena its benefits and drawbacks that can ruin leaders and their organizations. The authors believe that diversity is one of the most important features of successful senior leadership.

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