What Not to Say in an Email

Tech executive Roger Matus offers a top ten list of things you should never put in an email. One significant reason is that these will likely raise red flags for e-discovery sleuths.

• Delete this email immediately.
• I really shouldn't put this in writing.
• We're going to do this differently than normal.
• I don't want to discuss this in e-mail. Please give me a call.
• Don't ask. You don't want to know.

Matus says, "If you find yourself typing one of these phrases, perhaps you should delete the entire e-mail." (Death by Email via ABA Journal.) Good advice for Ombuds and their visitors.

Related posts: Don't Send That Angry Email; Using Email in Dispute Resolution; Wharton Study on Managing Workplace Emotions.