How to fix things when an email chain spirals out of control

How to fix things when an email chain spirals out of controlHow to fix things when an email chain spirals out of controlEmails, Slack messages, and other forms of business communication can go wildly wrong when someone says something that could be misconstrued and youve entered into a certifiable misunderstanding.Heres how to put out the fire - and what to do instead.Talk it out in these waysDavid Maxfield, an author, speaker, social scientist, and Vice President of Research at VitalSmarts, writes in the Harvard geschftlicher umgang Review that you should meet face-to-face.An in-person meeting is the gold standard, he writes. Seeing each others faces while you talk is far mora important than people realize. It helps you understand what others are thinking and feeling, as well as what they are saying. If thats not possible, then use a video conferencing app.The publication also recommendssimply calling the person. This could be helpful if you dont work in the same sekretariat space o r have never met before.Better luck next time - try this insteadHeres how both parties can (hopefully) avoid misunderstandings in the future.Dont send anything that could be misinterpretedThis goes for emojis, GIFs, and words.Yes, theyre a fun way to express yourself in the moment, but youll want to make sure you dont send anything that could be deemed offensive to someone else now or in a future context.Also keep in mind that your private office messages arent really private.If youre having reservations about something, you might not want to send it at all. Save yourself the trouble.Be clear from the beginningAvoid potential pitfalls by not beating around the bush.You could also consider emphasizing that youre open to questions if your words or data are unclear, so that the recipient feels more comfortable reaching out if they dont understand something.Being up front from the beginning might save time the other person may not be as likely to hesitate to contact you.Dont be afraid to clarifyBetter safe than sorry, right? This works for both the sender and the recipient.Karen Lachtanski, Director of Global PR and Media Relations at Y Soft, writes in Entrepreneur about how asking questions can help you figure out someones tone over email.No matter how clear your counterpart in the conversation strives to be, sometimes confusion ensues, she writes. When youre really stumped and dont want things to become more tangled, its perfectly fine to come right out and ask, Sorry, I think we may have misunderstood each other. Did I say something that offended you? or Sorry, I think my message may have been confusing. What I meant was.Hopefully, such clarity up front will save you time when misunderstandings are avoided.