1. Step Away from the Keyboard: How to reply to a rude email

2. Dear Rei: Attached is an invoice for work on the McClusky account. Thank you for your business. Lisa Dear Rei: Attached is an invoice for work on the McClusky account. Thank you for your business. Lisa Lisa sends an invoice to her client Rei.

3. Rei replies: NOTICED A MISTAKE ON YOUR INVOICE, LOL!!!! YOU BILLED FOR 4 HOURS ON MAY 1, 1012. GET YOURSELF INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. LOL!!!

4. Lisa thinks, How could I be so stupid? Rei will never hire me again! NOTICED A MISTAKE ON YOUR INVOICE, LOL!!!! YOU BILLED FOR 4 HOURS ON MAY 1, 1012. GET YOURSELF INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. LOL!!!

5. Despite Reis LOLs, Lisa isnt laughing. She starts to build up rage like the Incredible Hulk. NOTICED A MISTAKE ON YOUR INVOICE, LOL!!!! YOU BILLED FOR 4 HOURS ON MAY 1, 1012. GET YOURSELF INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. LOL!!!

6. REI: Yes, I made a mistake but you have no right to YELL at me and make me feel stupid and dont you know its rude to use ALL CAPS in an email? How dare you treat me with disrespect? REI: Yes, I made a mistake but you have no right to YELL at me and make me feel stupid and dont you know its rude to use ALL CAPS in an email? How dare you treat me with disrespect? Lisas first impulse is to respond to an attack with a stronger attack. She types furiously:

7. Lisa realizes shes ranting and needs time to cool down before hitting Send. REI: Yes, I made a mistake but you have no right to YELL at me and make me feel stupid and dont you know its rude to use ALL CAPS in an email? How dare you treat me with disrespect? REI: Yes, I made a mistake but you have no right to YELL at me and make me feel stupid and dont you know its rude to use ALL CAPS in an email? How dare you treat me with disrespect? in

8. Rei: Thank you for letting me know about the error. A revised invoice with the correct date is attached. Lisa steps away from the keyboard until she can write in a fact-based, neutral tone:

9. Lisa, Thanks for sending the corrected invoice so promply. Are you available for a new project next week? Best, Rei Lisa, Thanks for sending the corrected invoice so promply. Are you available for a new project next week? Best, Rei Rei matches Lisas polite tone, and Lisa saves her relationship with a good client:

10. When an email makes you angry: 1.Take time to calm down. 2.Step away from the keyboard until you can be civil. 3.When you reply, admit any mistakes and focus on facts. 4.Avoid attack; use a neutral tone to keep conflict from escalating.

11. Get a Quick Guide to professional email etiquette:http://writebetteratwork.com/downloads/QuickGuid e.dochttp://writebetteratwork.com/downloads/QuickGuid e.doc Take an interactive quiz:How Formal Does My Email Have to Be?How Formal Does My Email Have to Be?