Notes to self - 003, Write each email as if it will reach your worst enemy

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Write each email as if it will reach your worst enemy because the chances are - it will!

Email might look like instant messaging or conventional mail - depending upon your background - but it isn't.

While it's not very common for IMs to get copied and pasted (although it happens) and conventional mails are only forwarded for a fee it is common practice to just press "forward" on an email. Considering that you might want to re-consider the idea to vent in an e-mail like "Hey Adam, I can't get Bob to do [whatever] - he's just to stupid and ignorant. Please do something about it".
Chances are that Adam just presses forward, adds "Bob, please do [whatever]!" and sends it directly to Bob.

If Bob wasn't your worst enemy before he probably won't be after - but I think the chances are high that your relationship with Bob won't exactly get better after this exchange.

As usual YMMV. I just had to remind myself about that yesterday. Again. (But at least I caught myself in time.)

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