Email is essential. 

Email is mature.

In a world where a lawyer can subpoena your email server and it’s archives (both onsite and off-site), everything your write and correspond can be made for or against you.

If you host your email on Google Apps or use Yahoo!, Federal agents can get a search warrant and check your mail during an undercover operation.  That’s what happened during the famous 2003 BALCO Raid in San Francisco.

Moreover, you are constantly told by your HR department with reminders of email etiquette.  No slander.  No profanity.  Be professional.  Spell check and grammar check.  Don’t abuse it with personal inquiries to everyone and ask  who recorded the season finale of The X-Files?  (my ex-coworkers will get this joke)

Sure, with the advent of the Blackberry and iPhone, some spelling mistakes are acceptable especially when it has on the footer:

…Sent from my BlackBerry®

Social Media Blunders

With external sites such as Facebook and Twitter, or internal corporate sites like Yammer and Chatter, it’s easy to see how well you are collaborating within your organization.

But who is keeping tabs at inappropriate conversations?  or leaked content?

What if you upload by accident the corporate payroll spreadsheet?

Like an on-premise Microsoft SharePoint implementation, proper document and email retention are required as social media becomes more accepted and mature in organizations.

I can assure you all the compliance organizations are changing their policy requirements as social media becomes mainstay.

My advice?

Speak Write softly and carry a big stick.