Jeff partnered with Harvard Business Review to share practical email etiquette tips for improving professionalism and efficiency in workplace communications.
The session covered eight actionable strategies for composing better emails, drawn from Jeff's own experience in management consulting.
Emphasis was placed on clear calls to action, organizing information for recipients, and leveraging email client features to prevent common mistakes.
Action Items
No specific action items or assigned owners were mentioned in this session.
Benefits of Good Email Etiquette
Efficient email communication demonstrates competence and saves colleagues’ time.
Well-crafted emails reduce unnecessary back-and-forth and increase overall productivity.
Eight Professional Email Etiquette Tips
1. Add a Specific Call to Action in the Subject Line
Use clear, actionable subject lines specifying exactly what is needed and, when possible, the estimated time it requires from the recipient.
Example: Replace “Action Required: Feedback for Project X” with “5-Minute Survey Feedback for Project X.”
2. Keep Email Threads Consolidated
Use a single email thread for the same topic to preserve context, prevent inbox clutter, and help recipients track related information.
3. Clearly Communicate Changes in Recipients
When adding or removing recipients from an email thread, explain the change at the top of the email, optionally using parentheses and italic font for clarity.
4. Lead with the Main Point, Add Context Second
State the main request or point at the beginning of the email, followed by relevant background information, to respect the recipient’s time—especially when emailing senior colleagues.
5. Summarize Disorganized Emails Before Replying
If you receive a lengthy or unclear email, first summarize the sender’s key points in your reply to confirm understanding and aid clarity.
6. Hyperlink URLs Instead of Pasting Raw Links
Embed hyperlinks for web resources to keep emails cleaner and reduce the chance of errors.
7. Change Default Email Setting to “Reply” Instead of “Reply All”
Prevent accidental wide distribution of replies by making “Reply” (not “Reply All”) the default action in your email client.
8. Extend the “Undo Send” Option to 30 Seconds
Increase the window for recalling sent emails from the default (e.g., 5 seconds) to 30 seconds to catch and correct last-minute mistakes.
Decisions
Outlined and recommended eight specific email etiquette tips — Based on first-hand professional experience, aiming to improve workplace communication efficiency and professionalism.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
None identified in this session—viewers were encouraged to share feedback and favorite tips in the video’s comments.