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Filter what you write for public scrutiny

While this advice is beyond obvious, its most often over looked. When expressing or communicating through writing, we often forget, writing leaves a trail. While we would like to believe otherwise, written trails are publicly shared more often then their composers think.

Emails, instant messages, social statuses, comments and SMSs are not the place for confidential, serious or confrontational issues. Have the difficult, emotional and expressive conversations in-person rather then in writing.

Similar to spelling and grammar checks, review what you write from the perspective of others. Below are some generic perspectives to further illustrate this point:

• Current / past / future boss or employer: Be ready for your boss to forward your writing to rest of the organization to either promote you or to get you fired. Make sure, your writing is in compliance with your bosses expectation of your communication.
• Spouse, kids, and family: Be ethical and don’t go against your personal beliefs.
• Friends / future opponent: Do not trade confidential information. Be ready for your writing to be used against you.
• Opponent / future friends: Do not go beyond the point of no return. Give people the benefit of the doubt and a way out.
• Complete strangers: Have enough context to avoid dependencies in between conversations and to eliminate any misunderstanding in your point of view. While putting enough context, make sure to not over do it, and annoy people who were already aware of the context.