< Previous40 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAY 2 0 1 9 BUSINESS | TIFFANY & CO TIFFANY & CO. GLOBAL CEO ALESSANDRO BOGLIOLO SAYS DIAMONDS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED THE ULTIMATE BEAUTY FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. BUT WITH FLAT AND DECLINING SALES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, JEWELLERS ARE CONCERNED THAT DIAMONDS MIGHT NO LONGER BE A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND BY LUBNA HAMDANMAY 2 0 1 9 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 41 months of 2018. Its share prices had dropped from nearly $140 last August to hover in the $80-$90 mark at the time this article was sent to print. Bogliolo himself predicted “moderate” growth for 2019. ROUGH TIMES Tiffany & Co. is not the only one expe- riencing a slowdown. While De Beers’ iconic 1940 marketing ploy “A Diamond is Forever” saw the company’s US diamond sales surge to $2.1bn in 1979 from just $23m in 1939, it reported a 25 percent drop in rough diamond sales in the initial cycle of 2019, according to majority owner Anglo American PLC. The jeweller sold $505m in rough diamonds in the cycle ended Jan. 28, compared to $672m in the year-earlier period. The drop is largely due to lower demand and higher supply for smaller and cheaper stones, forcing De Beers to cut prices and offer concessions to buy- ers. Moreover, January 2019 saw shares of South Africa-focused miner Petra Diamonds Ltd. fall the most since May (18 percent) in London after it dug up diamonds worth considerably less than expected, according to Bloomberg. NOT SO RARE? The numbers imply that the idea of a “forever diamond” is seemingly losing value with today’s generations. Not only can diamonds be discoloured, shattered, chipped or incinerated, but the idea that they are rare and valuable (otherwise known as diamond invention) was boosted by advertis- ing campaigns including De Beers’. The problem with the campaign is that diamonds haven’t been rare since the 1870s, when massive diamond mines were found in South Africa and mined by the ton. Unlike gold, which is a commodity that retains its value and is bought by investors to protect against currency devaluation and inflation, diamonds reportedly lose a large per- centage of their value upon consumer IRST IT WAS AUDREY HEPBURN IN FAMOUS ROMANTIC comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and then it was dreamy Patrick Dempsey’s proposal to Reese Witherspoon inside the Tiffany’s store in Sweet Home Alabama that ordained many a women’s one true wish – a shimmering rock from the world’s premier jeweller and America’s house of design since 1837. But with the new generation of mil- lennial buyers not necessarily in desire of diamonds as their best friends - un- like their parents’ gem investment pref- erences perhaps - is the industry under pressure for fear of losing its sparkle? “Diamonds have been considered the ultimate beauty for thousands of years due to their brilliance, so it’s difficult to imagine that now people don’t like dia- monds anymore,” says Tiffany and Co. global CEO Alessandro Bogliolo, refer- ring to “very positive sales” of diamond engagement rings in 2018. Last year, American singer Nick Jonas sent girls swooning when he shut- down Tiffany’s New York store to shop for the perfect ring for his lady love, Indian actress Priyanka Chopra. But Bogliolo adds that, in addition to the tradition of giving a ring to mark an engagement or giving diamond jewellery as gifts, women today are “much more empowered” to make self-purchases and buy diamonds for themselves, with- out the need for a special occasion. Funnily, prior to her engagement, when Chopra was asked during an in- terview whether a ring she was wearing was indicative of a man in her life, she said she buys her own diamonds and doesn’t need a man for that. This makes it difficult, indeed, to imagine diamonds as anything but the valuable and glorious stones they are portrayed to be. Dubai alone has seen everything from a $17 million pair of diamond shoes to a $2m diamond gui- tar and $1m diamond-encrusted cake displayed in the city. It comes as no surprise given it is the world’s third big- gest diamond trading hub after Belgium and India. The UAE’s imports make up 7.1 percent - $8.4 billion to be exact - of the global total. In 2017, Dubai traded a whopping $16.7bn of rough diamonds. And during the first nine months of the following year, the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), a subsidiary of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), sold over 2 million carats in collabora- tion with Stargems Group. It recorded a 75 percent increase in total sales of just under $200m compared to the same period in 2017. From 2013 to 2017, however, its imported diamond purchases declined 42 percent, according to figures by independent education and research website World’s Top Exports (WTEx), with experts blaming harsh economic conditions for lower consumer spend- ing. In January this year, Tiffany & Co.’s holiday performance came short of the jeweller’s expectations as it reported flat same-store sales in the last two F $1BN The worldwide net sales of Tiffany & Co in the third quarter of 2018 Bogliolo says Tiffany is a powerhouse and an authority in the global jewellery industry42 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAY 2 0 1 9 BUSINESS | TIFFANY & CO form Net-a-Porter in 2016 to broaden its customer base. Cartier followed suit by launching on the e-commerce platform in 2017 after a surge in sales of its entry-level Love bracelet (from $4,660) among millennials. Others such as Swiss luxury jeweller De Grisogono even unveiled a chatbot in 2017 to of- fer consumers purchasing advice via Facebook. UNBRANDED JEWELLERY While the decades-old jewellers are winning hearts of millennials through the use of technology and affordable pricing (Tiffany & Co. has products starting at $250), there is one part of the world they’re struggling to reach: the Gulf. “We have a lot of work to do because there is huge potential and the brand is known, but is not known in its full reach. We have to be better at com- municating to GCC customers. People [in the region] hardly know that Tiffany is one of the oldest brands in jewellery. It is 182 years old,” Bogliolo says. But do they care about Tiffany’s legacy? According to the company’s MENA vice president Joe Nahhas, customers in the GCC have a preference for unbranded, traditional jewellery sold at lower prices in gold and diamond souks across the region. “People are familiar with [Tif- fany & Co], but a lot of regional clients make purchases that are more tradi- tional… There’s definitely an opportu- nity to grow here. The brand is not as established as it is in America,” he says. Could we blame them? According to Bain & Company, a diamond engage- ment ring by Cartier may typically en- joy a 40 percent premium compared to an unbranded ring featuring nearly the same stone. Furthermore, a 2014 study by consultancy McKinsey found that global brands made up only 20 percent of the jewellery market, although the figure is expected to double by 2020. Tiffany & Co. are expected to grow their own figures in the GCC, where it has 11 stores and concessions including seven in the UAE alone. “In the GCC, you find both a huge tradition for fine jewellery – and Tiffany is definitely a leader in that area - but also you find a vibrant middle class in the UAE and Saudi Arabia particularly. For those customers, Tiffany is definitely a brand of choice,” says Bogliolo, adding that the firm is opening a new store in Saudi Arabia by 2020, and looking at potential openings in Kuwait, Bahrain and the Levant. It is also working on introducing its e-commerce service to purchase. Whereas the price of gold has risen nearly nine percent in the past six months, the actual price of diamonds depends largely on their scarcity. In 2015, jeweller Vincent Taylor in York told The Guardian that diamond rings are only worth investing in if bought at the right price. “Profit margins on the high street are so big that the price you pay is a false price,” he said. But it might not matter for one particular segment: millennials. ARE MILLENNIALS BUYING DIAMONDS? While over a third of millennials today prefer to spend on experiences rather than possessions such as diamonds, according to a 2017 survey by the Harris Group, the younger generation per- ceives diamonds as accessories rather than investments, according to Karim Merchant, Group CEO & Managing Director of Pure Gold Jewellers. He told Arabian Business, “Millennials do not perceive diamonds as an investment but as a fashion statement - just like celebrities who buy diamonds for the most important occasions”. Millen- nials have also become shrewder with their purchases, according to Fergus James, founder of Dubai-based online diamond platform FergusJames.com. “My main observation is that millen- nials are increasingly sophisticated in the way they research and make their purchases. It’s not necessarily that they don’t want to buy. You just need to work harder to convince them,” he said, adding that they make up 60 percent of the website’s customer base, with the percentage continuously increasing. Heritage brands such as Tiffany and Co. are also adopting strategies to lure in millennials who wear jewellery in a more informal way. Bogliolo of Tiffany & Co. said the company is working on positioning itself as “the next gen- eration luxury jewellery” by creating products using sterling silver, platinum, gold as well as diamonds. Moreover, the US giant launched on the online plat-MAY 2 0 1 9 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 43 the Gulf in both Arabic and English languages, although Bogliolo did not specify a date as to when online pur- chases will be made available. THE TAX ISSUE While retailers in the GCC long enjoyed a relatively tax-free business environ- ment, the UAE reported a 60 percent drop in trade following the introduction of VAT in January 2018. Fortunately, authorities later exempted gold and diamond merchants from paying the tax. However, founder and chairman of Pure Gold Group, Firoz Merchant, said the market needs an exemption for con- sumers too. “One of the major tourist attractions of the UAE is the jewellery sector that generates billions of dollars in revenue every year, and by exempting tax, the benefits to the business and the overall economy are immense,” he said in May 2018, adding, “I hope that the UAE government extends a similar ex- emption to the retail sector, which will not only benefit the jewellery retailers but also tourists and consumers.” Shamlal Ahamed MP, the managing director of international operations for Malabar Gold and Diamonds also re- ported a 30-40 percent decline in sales, and said consumers need to be exempt for business to recover. “Dubai is known for gold and jewellery and it is the effort of over 20 years that the industry has come to this level, but we are losing ground due to taxation. If consumers also benefit from the exemption, then the business will come back to its previ- ously high level,” he said. GAINING MOMENTUM Despite a market slowdown, jewellers in Dubai are still opening up shop. Indian-born multi-billion dollar global brand Malabar Gold and Diamonds runs 53 stores in the UAE alone and last year announced plans to open eight new showrooms in the Gulf. Dubai-based diamond trading company Nemesis International also announced the opening of a new diamond polish- ing factory in 2017, expecting to turn over about 150 carats of diamonds per month and up to 3,000 carats within the first two years. Nemesis had bought an 813-carat diamond (The Constella- tion) for a record $63 million, or about $77,500 a carat, in 2016. Furthermore, start-up FergusJames.com secured over $400,000 in August 2018 to help it expand operations across the Gulf to Saudi Arabia over the next 24 months, with operations in the UK and US already up and running. LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS: CHALLENGE OR OPPORTUNITY? But there’s another challenge facing the diamond industry. De Beers claimed in 2010 that the world might be running out of diamonds in the next 20 years as mines are being depleted, with jewel- lers such as Tiffany & Co. suggesting it would sustain the value and alleged rarity of diamonds. But they didn’t factor in lab-grown diamonds, which cost on average 30-40 percent less than natural, mined diamonds. While Tiffany & Co. declined to comment on its approach to lab-grown diamonds when contacted by Arabian Business, De Beers has embraced the technol- ogy, having launched Lightbox, a line of lab-grown diamonds targeted at younger consumers, with prices starting at $800 per carat compared to approxi- mately $8,000 for a one-carat mined diamond. The diamonds are created in a $94m facility in Oregon which aims to produce 500,000 synthetic rough carats a year. So it seems the marketing campaign which once fetched De Beers billions in dollars may need some updating. As for Tiffany & Co.? They’re focusing on a diamond provenance program which will identify the stone’s entire (ethical) journey, including where it was minded, cut, polished and set. But for those who have fallen out of love with diamonds altogether, they can always grab a $29 breakfast at Tiffany’s. This includes coffee or tea, croissant and seasonal fruit and a choice of a buttermilk waf- fle, smoked salmon and bagel stack, truffle eggs or avocado toast, but sadly no diamonds. Joe Nahhas, Tiffany & Co. vice president for MENA region Firoz Merchant, founder and chairman of Dubai- based Pure Gold Group $6.85BN Malabar Group’s target annual turnover by 202344 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAY 2 0 1 9 MOULDING CAREERS NITIN ANAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHAIR OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AT SKYLINE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, SAYS THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION CANNOT BE DICTATED BY PROFIT MAXIMIZATION hat’s the story behind your business? The group’s founder Kamal Puri started Skyline University Col- lege with a great passion for, and belief in, education – and worked very hard to take it take it to such recognizable heights. We are not only pioneers of private higher education in the UAE but also believed, from the very begin- ning, in the philosophy of learning by doing. In business management educa- tion, exposure to real life examples is very necessary and we maintained a good rapport with government and private sector organizations to provide our students opportunities to regularly interact with industry. What is your company’s mission? The core of our mission is to impart knowledge, develop professional skills and inculcate values. This is displayed in and across all our offices and we work to im- plement it very sincerely every single day. Where do you see it going in the next five years? We have been here for almost three dec- ades now and in the next five years we would have expanded into two or three more streams of education, and will have significant presence internationally. The group is expanding its wings in the region and we have already established the first private university in the north of Nigeria, called Skyline University Nigeria, which opened doors to students in July 2018. The group will also soon be launch- ing new projects shortly in food and beverage space, as well as the hospitality sector and healthcare sector in Nigeria. The next decade? Operating multiple businesses, the focus is to grow organically but to add to this organic growth we also want to grow technologically. As we all well know, trends are changing and it is very important for one to keep pace. We are keeping a close eye on new technology and innovation because most business will likely have to go through a 360-de- gree technological makeover in the coming decade. What is the single largest problem fac- ing your industry today? W BUSINESS | SKYLINE UNIVERSITY BY MEGHA MERANIMAY 2 0 1 9 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 45 can be no compromise in quality and values that we impart. We look not for one, but three bottom lines: financial, reputational and professional. What do you enjoy the most about work- ing at your company? I enjoy that my team moves with my pace in accomplishing our mission. How do you describe yourself ? Passionate about work, progressive, a performer, pursuer, believer in God and parents, motivator, and an achiever with endurance for long working hours. To me perseverance and focus are the two most important things for any breakthrough in life. What’s your greatest fear? A closed mind, rigidities and resistance to accept criticism Your attitude towards failure: Failure is a true live teacher. I recall a quote by former Indian president and aerospace scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kal- am where he said the word ‘fail’ stands for ‘first attempt in learning’. I strongly believe in this. Both success and failure teach us so many things. Successful events are fondly remembered but failed events in life teach us good lessons. What virtues do you admire most in other people? I admire working with passion the most, as well as integrity, trustwor- thiness and professional dedication. You can train people with skills but integrity and values are critical factors for building a person’s character and thereby translates into an organiza- tion’s character. What do you think are the most success- ful attributes of successful people? The changes and the pace of change in the nature of future job requirements in the corporate sector, the ever changing developments in the information tech- nology sector and the area of produc- tion technologies. With increasing awareness, clients are far more demanding, and the relevancy of the education policies are also a key challenge. A holistic ap- proach is needed to have a continuum in policy framing in line with industry requirements. A strong integration be- tween policymakers, service providers and industry is essential to benefit all the stakeholders and achieve a greater social benefit. What is the biggest obstacle to growth and profitability in your business? I wouldn’t use the word ‘obstacle’ but I would say that education is a very sensitive business, so we cannot be dic- tated only by profit maximization. We have the great responsibility of mould- ing careers and inculcating values, and we have accepted it with all sincerity. So how do you look at the concept of profit in the education sector then? The business of education is the busi- ness of hopes and aspirations. There “THE CORE OF OUR MISSION IS TO IMPART KNOWLEDGE, DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND INCULCATE VALUES. THIS IS DISPLAYED IN AND ACROSS ALL OUR OFFICES AND WE WORK TO IMPLEMENT IT VERY SINCERELY EVERY SINGLE DAY”46 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAY 2 0 1 9 Clarity of the mission and the persis- tence to accomplish it, as well as plan- ning, discipline and determination. Who is your biggest role model? My biggest role models are my parents. In all aspects, I am what I am today only because of everything they have taught me over the years. When faced with two equally qualified job candidates, how do you determine whom to hire? The first most important thing I look at the person’s family values. A simple question about his or her parents can define a lot about the person. My thumb rule is if a person doesn’t come across thankful and respectful towards his or her parents, then he or she can- not be thankful to anyone else in life. In addition, anyone who is sincere and shows commitment is welcome at Skyline. Qualifications aren’t everything. One has to be emotionally balanced to work in a multicultural and competitive environment. Those who carry a lot of baggage of previous experience and are not ready to adapt may not be suitable for our team. What would you say to a new employee about the culture of your organization? Welcome to a family where we care for each other and believe in teamwork. It is a competitive environment where talent and hard work is appreciated. We believe in building assets and stakeholders. If you want to come in as a liability, trust me, the system will not let you function. But if you want to come with an open heart and sincerity to learn, there is no looking back What’s the one productivity tool or method you use that you wish everyone else did too? Work to plan to get things done on time believe I’m quite good at doing! The decision making then becomes easy. Formal decisions need formal processes but I am also a believer in my own in- stincts because a gut feeling beats all the information and opinions you can get. I also believe in unity of com- mand and delegation of decision mak- ing to facilitate achievement. Effective communication between all the team members is essential so that sharing of thoughts will generate valuable results. “EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALL THE TEAM MEMBERS IS ESSENTIAL SO THAT SHARING OF THOUGHTS WILL GENERATE VALUABLE RESULTS” Institution Kamal Puri, founder of Skyline University College - is the most important tool that I use and wish everyone know and adopted to be more productive. I follow a strict 30- day planned calendar and also insist on all my heads of departments to align their 30-day work schedule along with mine so as to maximize output. Describe your decision-making process. As a business leader it is incumbent upon me to be able to instinctively gauge the nature of and issue, which I BUSINESS | SKYLINE UNIVERSITYMAY 2 0 1 9 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 47 worked on with KPIs and timelines. What are the most common mistakes leaders make in your opinion? They love only themselves! Leaders to- day are not enthused to train, motivate and reward. They want instant results, which is expecting too much without supplying motivation. Today’s em- ployees aren’t just looking for money, they’re looking for personal develop- ment and compassion. What’s the biggest challenge you en- counter daily? To find the time to squeeze in every- thing I want to do. I wish I had a few more hours per day. What do you do to unwind or destress after a busy workday? Spending time with family and friends - these are the two greatest stress bust- ers. A hearty laugh, sharing some qual- ity moments and one is up and about to face the challenge of the next day. What is something most people don’t know about you? That I am an introvert. The way I con- duct myself with people whom I know, or am in a comfort zone with, leaves an impression of being an extrovert. But in reality I don’t open up with a lot of people and I am generally tagged as a snob, which I truly am not. It’s just that I take a bit more time to open up. What did you want to be when you were growing up? A Bollywood star! On a more serious note of course, I always wanted to be a successful businessman. Where do great ideas come from in your organization? We have several open forums, commit- tees and groups where we share, debate, brainstorm and let our ideas bang and bounce until we zero- in on something exciting. We do not hesitate to try out unconventional or wild ideas. We recently concluded a strategy summit trip with our core team in Baku, Azerbai- jan. The kind of brainstorming, experi- ence sharing, blaming, open discussion, clearing of hearts and rejuvenation that happened was worth every second. By the time we concluded, the team had already prepared their road map for the upcoming year with list of ideas to be 1990 The year in which the Skyline University College (SUC) was established in Sharjah “LEADERS TODAY ARE NOT ENTHUSED TO TRAIN, MOTIVATE AND REWARD. THEY WANT INSTANT RESULTS, WHICH IS EXPECTING TOO MUCH WITHOUT SUPPLYING MOTIVATION” Quality SUC has carved out a name for itself in academic circles as a provider of education at a reasonable cost48 C EO M I D D L E E A S T MAY 2 0 1 9 THE RIGHT KIND OF LOUD FOR EXECUTIVES GETTING THE RIGHT KIND OF LOUD MEANS KNOWING HOW TO ADJUST TO THE PERSON YOU ARE TRYING TO REACH, FINE-TUNING TO THE SITUATION AND THE KIND OF INFLUENCE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR, SAYS COMMUNICATION EXPERT KIM A. PAGE When we are about to walk out in front of an audience, an extra burst of adrena- line kicks in, often turning into nerves. Their physical journey travels upwards from our feet, beginning with trembling knees. I remember some of my first concerts, when it felt like the dress was moving from side to side like a sail in the wind. The next body part for the nerves is the stom- ach, filling up with butter- flies. If the nerves intensify, the chest will start heaving as we hyperventilate with short gasps of air and for many people, the most sensitive part of the speak- ing moment is the voice itself, as it starts trembling or breaks off. If the pres- sure continues, the nerves will block our brain with a blackout, the worst-case scenario for many people. It’s a misconception that we should be calm before an important talk. We often say, ‘Just relax, you’re going to be fine’, but the nerves are part of the extra spark that sharpens our presence, we need them for our audi- ence connection. The art is knowing what to do with the butterflies, we want them to fly with us and not block our sight. The best approach is to counter the upward flow of nerves by ground- ing yourself. What you can easily do before the talk is to take some slow-motion breaths while connecting with your stomach and the centre of your body. During the talk itself, imagine that your breath is coming from the soles of your feet, anchoring your energy downwards. A good way to integrate this is to draw a symbol in a differ- ent colour between the key words in your presentation notes or at the bottom of your PPT slides, reminding you to stop and breathe be- tween them. Another thing you can do is reconnect with the reason you are there, what is it that you want to tell them and why is it im- portant? Or you can connect with the audience in front of you, what are their needs, how will your topic be useful for them? The trick is to get out of our own self-consciousness and connect with what we want out of the situation. Another effect of that extra adrenaline kicking in when we walk on stage is our inner speed picking up, making us speak faster. On a nonver- bal level any speediness is low status while high status behaviour is calm, there’s no rush for a leader. To mani- fest your leadership in the room, you can apply what I call the sacred pause. There are several reasons why this makes you a better speaker: Grounding As mentioned above, the pause is your chance to calm your nerves by anchor- ing the energy downwards while you imagine the breath coming from the soles of your feet. BUSINESS | MANAGEMENT “The Right Kind of Loud is a gift to anyone who wants to represent their authentic self to the world in an impactful way. ” Afsheen Ismail-Wey, Founder of Phoenix Coaching Company Co. THE RIGHT KIND OF LOUD PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES “ON A NONVERBAL LEVEL ANY SPEEDINESS IS LOW STATUS WHILE HIGH STATUS BEHAVIOUR IS CALM, THERE’S NO RUSH FOR A LEADER”MAY 2 0 1 9 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 49 Increased attention Listening to a stream of words while trying to stay attentive is hard work. If a voice goes on for a long time without any breaks, the effect can easily be hyp- notizing, soothing us into a sleeplike state. By paus- ing you give the listener a chance to integrate what has been said and at the same time, a refresher be- fore the next point is made. And for potential listeners who have lost their atten- tion already, a pause gives them a chance to refocus. Translating layout When we look at a written text, the layout with titles, fonts and paragraphs helps us digest the content. In contrast, when we listen to someone, all these sup- port functions are gone. To transfer the layout into the speaking stream, using pauses is the most effective way to mark a title, a phrase that’s bold and transitions between sections. Dramatic effect The pause is one of the best ways to add gravitas to your message. When something dramatic or high stake has been said. Pause. When you are moved and want your audience to connect with the feeling you are displaying. Pause. When you receive a question that is provoking or spot on or in any sense big. Pause. The pause increases your leadership and authority in the room, letting your message land inside your listeners. About the author For two decades, Kim Page has helped thousands of professionals get their message through in multinational and local organizations. She has an embodied approach, explaining through her face and body and she is an exceptional listener with a unique ability to bring people out of their shells and discover the power of their voice. “EACH TIME YOU DELIVER A MESSAGE, MAKE SURE IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT IF THIS IS THE LAST GREETING YOU GET TO GIVE” “EMAILS ARE THERE TO DELIVER MESSAGES, GOOD NEWS AND AGREE ON NEXT STEPS, NOT TO SHARE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS” WORDS IN WRITING During an intimate coaching group in a global trading com- pany, one of the commercial directors brought the challenge of harsh emails going back and forth with a foreign client. Looking through the email stream from the last weeks, we discussed what could be done to improve the communica- tion and with that, the relationship between them. Here are my guidelines for email correspondence: 1. Are you listening in your reply? During one of my sessions with Active Listening one of the participants asked if listening applies to writing as well. Indeed it does. Before you start your reply, have you read through the email you are answering? We all know how irritating it is to receive a reply showing that the person hasn’t read what we wrote. The extra attention pays off in the rapport you are creating with your receiver. 2. Check your spelling. As one of my professors in business com- munication said, when you are not there, your writing represents you. And you don’t want your representative to show up with flaws that wear off your message. Edit an extra time and read through before clicking send. Our flow of thoughts is faster than our fingers on the keyboard. 3. If uncomfortable, save it for a conversation. It’s so easy to let the steam out in an email reply, especially in situations of urgency. When you are triggered by an email, the best thing to do is wait. If possible until the next day or at least, take a break and come back. We often misinterpret when we are irritated and reading the email closely a second time might reveal something you hadn’t noticed. If you still feel there are issues to be addressed, the best thing to do is to grab the phone and get on a call, if you are in the same building, try walk- ing over to the other person and talk face to face. Emails are there to deliver messages, good news and agree on next steps, not to share negative emotions. No matter how upset you might be, make sure the ending keeps the door open. It requires some discipline, but it’s so worth it. 4. Think about your legacy. I once heard a story told by a woman who survived the concentration camps during World War II. Her family had been chased to the train station in haste and being the big sister, she reprimanded her little brother for lingering to find his favourite toys. They were separated into different train wagons and she never saw him again. Living on with her words that could not be erased, her message was clear. Each time you deliver a message, make sure it would be all right if this is the last greeting you get to give. This is an excerpt from the book The Right Kind of Loud by communication expert Kim A. Page. Her book is available on Amazon and in Magrudy’s bookstore in Jumeirah, DubaiNext >