Q: The subject line of your email should be clear and to the point. The subject line should let the recipient know the purpose of the email. Instead of saying "Need to talk," try saying "discussion of X topic. The subject should be between six and eight words. If the email is being sent for a job application, include your name and the position you are applying for. If you were sending an email to a coworker, you would include the name of the project that the email is discussing. If you use your personal email address for business purposes, your email address should communicate your name (i.e. mary.smith@ or MichaelJones@). Email addresses such as hotmama@, cutiepie@, or mustlovedogs@ are not appropriate for business emails. If you work for a company, you should always use your work email address. Your email should always begin with a professional salutation. "Hey" or "What's up" is not appropriate. "Hi" or "Hello" are preferable. If you are including the name of the recipient in your salutation, do not use a shortened version of their name (i.e. use "William" instead of "Will"). If someone has a gender neutral name, like Chris Smith, and you do not know whether the person is a Mr./Mrs./Etc., it is best to write "Dear Chris Smith." You should use formal English when writing business emails. Avoid slang and colloquialisms in your email. Abbreviations, emoticons, and text message language (e.g. Lol) should not be used. Your email should be concise. Not only is the reader a busy person, but he or she may be reading your email on a mobile device. A short, to-the-point email is much easier to read and respond to than a lengthy, confusing one. Try not to address more than one topic in an email. Emails are brief forms of communication. If you cannot address the topic in a brief manner, you may need to pick the phone and call the person. In addition to using clear and concise language, you should read the email out loud to make sure that your email comes across as you intended it to. You do not want to sound harsh or abrupt. Remember that your email must speak for itself. You are not there to convey the tone and intent for the reader. Emails do not come with body language and facial expressions. Also, humor does not translate well over email. It is important that you end an email just like you would end any other conversation. You should end your email by saying "Thanks," "Thank You," or "Sincerely" followed by your name. Your emails should also include a signature. Your signature lets the reader know how to contact you. It should include your name, company, address, phone, your email address, and a website link if you have one. You should read your email multiple times before you send it. Do not rely on spellcheck. People will notice grammatical errors and misspelled or missing words. Proofreading is particularly important when you are introducing yourself for the first time through email. You want to make a good impression and not be judged by your email mistakes. When you are proofreading you should ask yourself: "Am I being clear and concise?" "Did I include any unnecessary information?" "Is there anything I can take out?" You should also verify that you are sending the email to the correct recipient. It can be very embarrassing to send an email to the wrong person.
A: Label your emails with a professional subject line. Have a professional email address. Use a formal salutation. Use professional language. Be aware of your tone. End the email properly. Proofread before you send.

Q: If the relationship is one you want or need to improve, start by asking the person why he or she doesn't like you. There could be a huge misunderstanding behind everything, and you could receive valuable information about how the person perceives you (which isn't necessarily how you actually are). Try asking in a way that isn't confrontational. Instead of saying "what's your problem?" you can say "did I do something to make you dislike me?" It's natural to want to fight fire with fire, but if someone is expressing frustration with something you are doing, it can be helpful to take a pause and do your best to respond to the situation calmly, rather than making things worse by charging into battle. Avoid snapping at them or returning the criticism. You can probably think of things that you dislike about them as well, but being mean to them won't resolve the situation. Criticizing the person will only cause the conflict to get more intense. Practice deep breathing while they are talking to keep yourself from getting upset and firing back. It's okay to take a temporary time out and come back to the person once you have cooled off, as well. If you talk to them, let them finish their thoughts before you jump in. You may not like what they are saying, but if you want to repair the relationship, you will need to know what you are dealing with, and you will gain their respect if you respect them enough to listen before you respond. You may even gain some valuable constructive criticism in the process. You can say "I understand that there's something about me you don't like. I'm genuinely interested to hear what that is and see if we can move past this issue together." Sometimes people get on each other's nerves because they are spending too much time around each other, for example coworkers or friends of friends. If you work with the person, do your best to limit contact for a while. If you spend a lot of the time around the same people, try to see other friends or catch these friends while the other person isn't around. Time apart can help people reset, and they may like you more when they see you again. A good way to correct misunderstandings is to let the other person know how you feel. Try to do this in a respectful and emotionally neutral way. Clearing the air may be just what the situation needs to get the person on your side, rather than stewing in their dislike of you. Using "I statements" is a good way to communicate without making the person feel like they are being attacked. You can say "I feel hurt that you don't like me and I'd like to know what I can do to make things better between us."
A:
Ask questions. Avoid getting defensive. Hear the person out. Take a break. Communicate your feelings.