Professional communication
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Set a delay rule of 30 seconds or 1 minute on outgoing emails.
It allows time to correct mistakes right after hitting send.
- You might still forget sometimes.
one person who lived it
Admit to students when you do not know something and offer to find out together.
Students know when it is being faked.
one person who lived it
Do not send items you are unwilling to lose when requesting autographs.
There is a risk of never getting the item back.
one person who lived it
In professional settings, explicitly state what steps you will take to find the answer after admitting you do not know.
Leaving it at 'I don't know' can make you look stupid, lazy, or unwilling to help the client.
2 people, independently
- In professional settings, state that you will find out the answer rather than simply saying 'I don't know'.1
Instead of saying 'I don't know' to a boss or customer, say 'I will find out for you' and return with the answer.
3 people, independently
- Tell sales teams never to guess or bullshit answers to customers.1
email, names, helps, address26
Use 'At your leisure' for a sophisticated, non-urgent tone.
It provides good context with quaint charm.
- It can come off as pretentious or passive-aggressive.
one person who lived it
Learn and use the phonetic alphabet when dictating your email address.
It is slow but much easier, and once learned, you know it for life.
one person who lived it
Write your name on RSVP cards if they do not already include identification fields.
The host needs to know who is responding.
one person who lived it
Choose an email address that avoids obscure rhymes or teasing potential.
Even obscure rhymes can lead to teasing, as seen with unique names.
one person who lived it
22 more on this
Number the backs of RSVP cards and keep a corresponding list to track responses.
This helps with the frustration of tracking who responded.
one person who lived it
Avoid using 'Sir' or 'Mr.' when addressing VPs or higher executives.
It can seem weird.
one person who lived it
Enter the recipient's email address last when composing an email.
It serves as a final checkpoint.
one person who lived it
Ask for contact information when promising to find an answer so you can follow up directly.
This has come in handy over the years.
one person who lived it
Include the recipient's name in the email body to avoid appearing like a spam message.
Omitting the name and just saying hello or good morning looks like spam nowadays.
one person who lived it
Print photos on photo paper and ensure the image is large enough to maintain quality when printed.
Small images may turn out poorly when printed.
one person who lived it
Add client and company names to your device's dictionary.
It helps avoid simple spelling mistakes.
- This may not apply to all people or all devices.
one person who lived it
Ping or message a colleague to ask if they are available before initiating an impromptu video call.
Calling out of the blue assumes availability and can signal disrespect for their time.
one person who lived it
Undersell your capabilities and never guarantee 100% certainty to allow wiggle room and manage expectations.
You'll usually overdeliver.
one person who lived it
Be cautious when guessing gender from names, especially non-Western ones, as rules of thumb have many exceptions.
Guessing gender seems impolite, and some ethnicities place the family name first.
one person who lived it
Use 'When it’s convenient for you' to indicate no specific deadline is required.
It avoids implying an immediate reply is needed upon finding a free moment.
one person who lived it
Claim common misspellings of your email address as aliases and forward them to your primary inbox to prevent missed messages.
People often misspell email addresses, leading to missed emails despite warnings.
one person who lived it
Match the greeting and closing style of the other party in business correspondence to maintain credibility.
Using overly formal or mismatched greetings can make it difficult for others to take you seriously.
one person who lived it
Develop the habit of proofreading all written communication.
It solves many problems before they occur without taking much extra time.
one person who lived it
Include both first and last names on envelopes or packages to ensure delivery.
Carriers often rely on last names for sorting, and omitting the first name increases the risk of non-delivery, especially for apartments without unit numbers.
one person who lived it
Underline key phrases in the autograph request paragraph, such as 'photo of blank', 'autograph', and personalization details.
This ensures the celebrity can see exactly what to sign if they skim the letter while in a hurry.
one person who lived it
When asked specific questions in meetings without warning, promise to provide the exact verbiage or answer after reviewing the documents privately.
This prevents people from acting on potentially incorrect information given under pressure due to embarrassment.
one person who lived it
Avoid blaming the other party immediately after a scheduling misunderstanding; allow room for explanation.
Accusatory language jumps to blame rather than allowing for explanations.
one person who lived it
Reserve high-energy responses for occasional use; use simpler acknowledgments like 'awesome, thank you!' for routine interactions.
It is less forced.
one person who lived it
Add emoji flags next to contacts from specific countries or exchanges to easily identify them.
It helps identify friends from specific locations or exchanges, such as for sharing inside jokes.
one person who lived it
Proofread entire emails before sending to ensure clarity and correctness.
It prevents looking foolish and avoids disrespecting the recipient by forcing them to clarify things already stated.
one person who lived it
Prepare email templates for common professional scenarios to prevent nerves from coloring your tone.
Having something ready helps avoid letting interview nerves affect communication.
one person who lived it
ignorance, help, don't, admitting15
When admitting you do not know something, explicitly state that you want to learn.
Be honest about your knowledge level at work rather than lying.
Being honest is efficient.
one person who lived it
When admitting you do not know something, explicitly state that you want to learn.
It avoids the frustration caused by those who claim ignorance but make no effort to improve.
2 people, independently
- Admit when you do not know something rather than letting ego or fear of appearing unintelligent stop you.1
- When you do not know something, reach out to the person or department that handles it instead of faking it.1
- Seek out situations where you are the least knowledgeable person and ask questions.1
Say 'I'm not sure' instead of 'I don't know' when you have some clue or can make reasonable inferences.
It is more true.
one person who lived it
Reframe being wrong as a positive opportunity to learn something new.
It reduces shame by focusing on the moment of learning.
one person who lived it
8 more on this
If you lack expertise in a specific area, surround yourself with knowledgeable people and listen to them.
This approach allows anyone to perform well in a role, provided they are humble enough to do so.
one person who lived it
Embrace uncertainty as the rule of nature rather than seeking absolute certainty.
Uncertainty is the rule, not the exception. Doubt is unpleasant, but certainty is absurd.
2 people, independently
Focus on knowing who holds the information rather than memorizing all facts yourself.
It reduces stress and allows people with different skills to help each other.
one person who lived it
Admit ignorance in job interviews to avoid giving wrong answers that make you look worse.
Candidates who bluff often provide incorrect answers, whereas honesty can help you secure the job.
one person who lived it
Ask questions about acronyms, connections between facts, or industry standards rather than staying silent.
Staying silent to avoid looking uninformed is the surest way to remain out of the know.
one person who lived it
Contribute to professional discussions by answering with 'let's find out.'
This approach can be a powerful contribution in your career.
one person who lived it
Listen and ask questions to impress people, as many enjoy teaching.
Many people like teaching, so this approach often impresses them more than displaying existing knowledge.
one person who lived it
Verify information found online or given by others rather than assuming it is truthful.
Mindlessly assuming people give truthful answers makes you gullible.
one person who lived it