VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Transforming Email from Burden to Benefit

I was asked the other day about my opinions on emails and and how to make sure that we don’t get too many people on an email or the email protocol or email… I call it email etiquette.

Too often too many people are put on an email and everyone hits the reply all, and then another person hits reply all, and then another person hits reply all, and really what it ends up doing is wasting a lot of time for an organization.

So there’s an email etiquette and procedures that we use in our organization and that is, if I need a reply from you, and if this email is to you, and I want to reply from you, then I’m gonna put you on the “To” line and only the people on the “To” line should be replying. Anyone else that I want to put in there for information only, so that they can be part of the conversation, or at least hearing what the conversation is, I’m gonna put them on the “CC” line. So, if you’re on the “CC” line on one of my emails, don’t reply it’s not necessary. If you want to reply pick up the phone and call me talk to me and say “hey, I think this has something to do with me we should be doing this, and I’d like to get added to that,” alright? But, when you’re on the “To” line reply, when you’re on the CC line, do not reply.

There’s a third column, the “BCC;” I’m gonna tell you right now, don’t ever use it. “BCC” is subversive; it is tattling; it is, “I’m putting you on there and I don’t want anyone else to know that you’re on there.” So, all you’re doing is telling on folks to cover your own tail and it is a really subversive quality. So, if you’re ever going to use that “BCC” line… I recommend not, alright? Think about it; who you want on the “CC” line, who you want on the “To” line, and those on the “To” line, respond. Thank you.