EMAILING MISTAKES EXECUTIVES MAKE AND HOW TO FIX THEM

In today’s fast-paced business environment, email remains one of the most powerful and widely used communication tools. For corporate executives, it is not just a medium of passing information but a channel that reflects authority, decision-making, and leadership style. An effective email can inspire confidence, clarify complex ideas, and facilitate action. On the other hand, poorly constructed emails can confuse, delay projects, damage relationships, and even erode an executive’s credibility.

Despite its importance, emails remain underleveraged and executives unknowingly make mistakes that reduce their impact as a communication tool. In this write-up, we will explore some of the most common errors corporate leaders make in email communication and the strategies that would help ensure that messages are not only received but also respected, understood, and acted upon.

10 Common Mistakes

1. Overloading Emails with Unnecessary Details

Executives often fall into the trap of writing overly long emails that resemble reports rather than messages. While detail is important, emails are most effective when concise and direct. Overly detailed messages may overwhelm recipients, leading them to skim through and miss key points. Please bear in mind that long, unstructured content causes confusion and reflects poorly on the sender’s ability to prioritize.

2. Using Vague Subject Lines

Your subject line is your message’s first impression and often your only chance to ensure your email gets the required attention. An email with a subject line such as “Update” or “Quick Note” provides no clarity about the urgency or content. Executives who fail to craft precise subject lines risk their emails being overlooked or deprioritized. Remember that important emails with vague subject lines may get buried in crowded inboxes. Where seen, recipients may not act on time because they cannot gauge urgency.

3. Misuse of ‘Reply-All’

Many leaders misuse the “Reply-All” button, copying entire teams when only a few people need the information. While sometimes unintentional, this creates unnecessary email traffic and clutters inboxes. The phrase ‘need to know’ works perfectly in the corporate world, making it necessary to channel information to ‘only’ those that need it. Keep the email targeted to the right audience so that you do not waste the time of team members who are not relevant to the matter. Also, you don’t want to unintentionally expose sensitive information to the wrong audience.

4. Overusing Jargon and Buzzwords

Executives often resort to industry jargon or trendy buzzwords to appear knowledgeable. Phrases like “synergize core competencies” or “circle back with bandwidth,” “holistic approach,” “strategic alignment,” and several others can sound pretentious and dilute meaning when overused. These phrases also create barriers to understanding, especially for cross-functional teams. When a message is buried beneath a load of buzzwords, it may reduce clarity and cause a drag in decision making.

5. Ignoring Tone and Emotional Intelligence

Emails lack vocal cues and facial expressions, making tone difficult to pinpoint and therefore liable to multiple interpretations, some, totally wrong and unintended. Executives who dash off emails in haste risk sounding curt, dismissive, or even hostile. For example, a simple “See me.” can be read as threatening. The truth is that there can always be a more engaging and empowering way of saying something. Choose that way. Unless an email is sent to convey a disciplinary measure, keep your tone warm and professional.

6. Delayed Feedback

Executives with busy schedules may unintentionally leave important emails unanswered for days. While understandable, lack of timely response can slow down projects and frustrate colleagues. It also signals disregard for others’ time and priorities, portraying the executive as unreliable and lacking empathy.

7. Failure to Proofread

This may seem trivial, but grammatical errors, typos, or accidental “Reply-All” blunders reflect poorly on the sender. It undermines professionalism and authority, confuses meaning or changes the tone of the conversation. It also flags the sender as lacking attention to detail.

An executive’s email carries weight, and mistakes can be magnified in perception.

8. Not Using Email for the Right Purpose

Some executives try to resolve conflicts, give performance feedback, or negotiate sensitive issues through email. While it is convenient to send a mail, some topics often require a phone call, video conference, or face-to-face meeting.

9. Overuse of CC and BCC

Many executives use the CC and BCC as a form of leverage – they want everyone to know that they are working hard, or as a safety net – they want digital witnesses in the sad event of fault finding if the ball drops. Copying too many people in an email may create the impression of micromanagement or politics or a lack of confidence in the main recipient. It dilutes accountability as everyone assumes that the other person will act and blind copying (BCC), when discovered, can also breed mistrust.

10. Failure to Structure Emails Clearly

Executives often send unstructured emails — long paragraphs with no bullet points or clear divisions. Readers struggle to identify the key message, action points, and deadlines. This reduces readability (especially when viewed on mobile devices), and also increases the chances of miscommunication.

HOW TO FIX THESE

If emails are to remain effective tools, executives must master both the art and science of communication. Below are strategies to ensure clarity, professionalism, and impact in your emails.

1. Craft Clear and Informative Subject Lines

Subject lines should summarize the essence of the email and, where necessary, indicate urgency. Instead of “Update,” write “Q3 Sales Report – Review by Monday.”

Use prefixes like:

• Action Required:
• For Review:
• FYI:

This sets expectations for the email from the first click.

2. Keep Emails Concise and Action-Oriented

Executives should aim for brevity while retaining clarity.

A helpful rule is the three-paragraph structure:

State purpose in Paragraph One, provide key details in Paragraph Two and, specify required action or next steps in the last paragraph.

Use bullet points or numbered lists to highlight key actions.

3. Use the “To,” “CC,” and “BCC” Fields Wisely

Place only the directly responsible individuals in the To field.

Use CC sparingly; for stakeholders who need the information but do not need to act on it.

Avoid BCC unless absolutely necessary for legal or compliance reasons.

4. Proofread Before Sending

A quick re-read prevents costly errors. Executives should always check for:

• Correct names and titles, accurate attachment and tone of the text.

No matter how urgent, delay sending out the mail until you have read it over objectively. Where necessary, you can set a short “undo send” period in email settings.

5. Balance Professionalism and Warmth

Start emails with a polite greeting and end with a professional sign-off. Use language that conveys respect and consideration, even when addressing urgent issues. Instead of writing “Fix this immediately,” say “Please prioritize this issue so we can resolve it promptly.” Instead of a curt “See me,” you can write: ”Please let’s see on this matter and conclude it before close of business today.” Your authority is still intact but it reflects politeness and professionalism.

6. Set Expectations for Response Time

Executives swamped and unable to give attention to an email can communicate clear response expectations. A brief acknowledgment like “Mail received. I’ll revert fully by tomorrow” helps.

7. Choose the Right Medium for the Message

Not every issue belongs in an email. For sensitive topics, opt for a call or in-person discussion. Emails are best for:

• Confirming decisions.
• Sharing official records.
• Coordinating tasks.
• Documenting agreements.

8. Use Email Templates for Recurring Messages

Executives often send similar messages—status updates, approvals, meeting reminders. Templates save time while ensuring consistency and clarity.

Tip: Personalize the opening and closing to avoid sounding robotic.

9. Adopt a Reader-Centric Approach

Executives should always ask: “What does my recipient need to know or do after reading this?” Keeping the recipient’s perspective ensures relevance and avoids information overload.

10. Leverage Technology Smartly

Most email platforms offer features like scheduling, auto-responses, and priority tagging. Executives should use these tools to:

• Send emails at appropriate times.
• Mark critical emails for follow-up.
• Organize inboxes with folders or filters.

11. Avoid “Email Dumping” Late at Night

Many executives catch up on emails at night, flooding their teams’ inboxes. Instead, schedule messages for delivery during business hours. This promotes healthy work culture and avoids creating unnecessary stress.

12. Practice the “One-Email, One-Purpose” Rule

Emails are most effective when they focus on a single subject. Mixing multiple topics in one message risks losing track of action points. If multiple issues must be addressed, number them clearly and separate action items.

Emails are not just a logistical tool; they are an extension of an executive’s leadership brand. Clear, thoughtful emails can inspire confidence, foster trust, and build credibility. When used effectively, emails become more than communication—they become a reflection of executive excellence.

Conversely, careless or poorly structured messages can signal disorganization, detachment, or disregard for others’ time.

In a corporate world driven by digital communication, email mastery is not optional—it is essential. By avoiding common mistakes and adopting best practices, executives can ensure that every message sent strengthens their leadership image and moves the organization closer to its goals.

Fatherhood with Ibe

Who is really to Blame for the Moral Decline Among our Young Ones?

Across dinner tables, in staffrooms, public gatherings and even in the market places, one recurring lament often fills conversations: “children of today are not like the children of yesterday.” The degeneration in morals and values among kids and youths has become a troubling concern, not only for parents but for society as a whole. Everyone is quick to point fingers, but the truth is that the blame cannot be shouldered by one party alone. The rot we see in today’s youth is a reflection of a collective failure — one that demands collective adjustment.

The Blame on Media and Technology

A common accusation is laid at the feet of television, smart phones, and social media. Indeed, technology has fast-tracked exposure. With a click or swipe, children can stumble into a world of images, language, and attitudes far beyond their years. Characters on TV shows normalize disrespect in the name of humour; influencers flaunt luxury lifestyles that fuel greed, envy, and an unhealthy craving for shortcuts.

While it is easy to demonize technology, the truth is that screens do not parent themselves. They only magnify the absence of guidance. Television and smart phones can also be powerful tools for learning, creativity, and connection — when boundaries are set. The real error lies not just in their introduction, but in leaving children to feast on them unchecked.

The Blame on Parents

A lot of the blame falls on the parents — and not without reason. In the pursuit of financial stability, personal success and dreams, many parents have inadvertently left a vacuum at home. Children are often raised more by housemaids, boarding schools, and technological gadgets than by their own mothers and fathers.

In trying to compensate, some parents heap gifts and money on their children. The result: young ones who equate love with material provision, young ones with a huge sense of entitlement and who grow up with a distorted sense of responsibility. The absence of time, discipline, and authentic connection breeds insecurity, rebellion, and a hunger for affirmation from the wrong places.

Yet, parents are not to be painted only in black. The pressures of modern life are real: the father working long hours to stay afloat in the turbulent business world; the mother torn between career and household expectations; the single parent stretched to breaking point. In these realities, one finds not neglect born out of wickedness, but neglect born out of necessity – a need to survive and provide. Still, society must admit: children who are starved of presence, no matter how well-fed materially, often grow up wounded.

The Blame on Society and Institutions

Beyond the home, society itself has shifted. Community upbringing — the village square, the neighbourhood watchful eyes, the schoolteacher who acted as a parent — has largely disappeared. Today, correcting a child in public is seen as intrusion, and discipline in schools is shackled by accusations of abuse.

Even religious and cultural institutions, once the moral compass of society, are not free from blame. Too many leaders preach virtues they do not practice, and youths, ever observant, quickly notice the gap. Hypocrisy from those in authority breeds cynicism among the young. When honesty is not rewarded but corruption is celebrated, when respect is demanded but not reciprocated, values decay.

We are quick to find reasons and excuses for poor behavior. We label them as Gen Z or Gen Alpha and think that should help everyone to expect and tolerate rudeness, foul language and poor morals. Different kids are brought up in the same estate, by parents of similar financial ability and pursuit, yet some are disciplined and focused while others are lousy and bawdy. Of course that clearly shows that it is not quite the environment, nor the year of birth, or exposure to affluence that decides the attitude of a child. It is the little misbehaviors that we, as society ignore or explain away, that nudges them on.

The Blame on the Youth Themselves

It would be unjust to excuse the young entirely. In every generation, the youth must accept responsibility for their choices. Peer pressure, rebellion, and curiosity are natural, but deliberate indulgence in harmful lifestyles cannot always be excused by blaming parents, schools, or gadgets. At some point, a young person must decide: “This is the path I will take.”

The tragedy, however, is that many young people are trying to build their lives on foundations that adults themselves have left cracked. Society hands them weak models and then criticizes them for building crooked houses.

What Can Be Done to Correct the Narrative?

The degeneration is real, but it is not irreversible. Several adjustments are needed:

1. Parental Presence Over Presents.
   Children need attention, not just tuition. Dinner table conversations, bedtime prayers, weekend family activities — these moments, though simple, instill values more deeply than cash gifts. As much as possible, parents should strive to make time – quality and quantity – for their children.
2. Guided Technology Use.
   Parents and teachers must stop treating gadgets as babysitters. Filters, screen-time limits, and co-viewing media with children can turn screens into tools, not traps.
3. Restoring Community Discipline.
   We must revive the spirit of collective upbringing. A neighbour correcting a child should not be taken as an attack, but as support. Of course, correction does not always need to come with physical punishment which is where a lot of parents draw the line. Schools should be empowered again to teach not just academics, but discipline and empathy.
4. Value-Driven Leadership.
   Those in religious, political, and social positions must model integrity. Youths are quick to mirror what they see. Leadership, therefore, must embody the values it demands.
5. Youth Empowerment and Responsibility.
   Young people must also be taught self-accountability. Through mentorship, value-based education, and encouragement to volunteer or serve, they can be steered towards choices that build resilience and integrity.

The rot among today’s youths is the result of a web of influences that together create fertile ground for moral decline. To reverse the tide, every hand must be on deck — parents, teachers, leaders, communities, and the youths themselves. If the young are failing, it means we all, in some way, have failed. But failure is not an irreversible end. With honesty, collective adjustment, and intentional effort, the values of respect, discipline, and empathy can be rekindled in the next generation assuring a brighter future.

Cheers!