Letters should be signed personally. It looks unprofessional, cold and somewhat lazy if a letter is left unsigned. However, having a secretary or PA sign on your behalf is not considered a breach of business etiquette.

Humour

Humour can be used in business letters but only when writer is completely positive recipient will understand joke or pun. From a business etiquette perspective it may be wise to avoid humour. This is because firstly, letter may be read during a crisis, after receiving bad news or on a sombre occasion. Any other time humour may have been appreciated but under these circumstances it may dramatically backfire. Secondly, written word is open to misinterpretation. Your sarcastic or ironic remark may be taken wrong way. Thirdly, it is possible that letter may be read by a third party who may deem humour inappropriate and pursue a complaint of some sort.

Responding

Good business letter etiquette calls for letters to be responded to promptly or within certain guidelines. This may normally be considered as 5 working days. If this is not possible then some sort of acknowledgement should be sent either by letter, fax, phone or e-mail.

Always use reference numbers or clearly state purpose of letter at top, for example, ‘Re: Business Letter Etiquette Enquiry’. This allows receiver to trace correspondence and immediately set your letter within a context.

When replying to points or questions proper etiquette is to respond in same order as they were asked.

Managing Conflict

Letters are often an arena for conflicts or disputes. Even in these circumstances there are rules of business letter etiquette that should be adhered to.

If you initiate dispute then, 1) Explain and set out your case simply and clearly to most appropriate person, 2) Offer information that may be required by other party to help answer questions, 3) Indicate a time scale by which you expect a reply or matter to be resolved.

If you are receiving dispute then 1) inform senior colleagues who may be affected or who may be able to offer assistance, 2) Submit all replies in draft form for a senior colleague to check, 3) Stick to facts and merits of case and do not allow emotions to become involved, 4) Be polite, patient and courteous.

Using business etiquette in all matters and especially in business letters will ensure you communicate effectively, avoid misunderstandings and maximise your business potential.

That observation was confirmed years later as a young mother working nights at a department store to make ends meet. And again as a new manager surprised to notice it was position level, not merit of idea, that swayed many brainstorming groups.

Too often we value ourselves and others by titles held, not contributions made. We mix up a person’s abilities, talents and worth with their occupation or position. We forget a job is something you do, not who you are. Hearing a senior management friend tell stories about a star performer, I queried further expecting a rising star from executive training program only to hear star was someone working in stockroom. No filters blocked her vision of talent.

If you want to be winning at working, manage your expectations and biases about positions and titles. That includes your own. It’s not job you’re in; it’s job you do while you’re in it. That’s true of everyone at every level. Often we get what we expect. Expect ideas and contributions from everyone and you’ll get them. Engage person, not position.

(c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

Sign up to receive Nan’s free eColumn, Winning at Working, at http://www.winningatworking.com. Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. Currently working on her first book, Nan is a writer, columnist, small business owner, and instructor