You Sent the Message. Did Anyone Know What to Do?

You wrote the email. Attached the report. Explained the background. Included the supporting information.

Then… silence.

Before sending “just following up,” look at the original message.

Could the reader quickly identify what mattered and what you wanted them to do?

We sometimes make people excavate our writing. The important point is buried beneath background, qualifications, and sentences wearing their most formal shoes.

Consider this fictional example:

“Following our review of the current arrangements, several opportunities for enhancement were identified, and management consideration would be appreciated.”

Consideration of what? By whom? Before the next ice age?

Now try:

“Three supplier accounts share the same bank details. Please ask Accounts Payable to verify the details independently before Friday’s payment run.”

The second version gives the reader a fact, a task, and a deadline. It also avoids treating a warning sign as proof of wrongdoing.

For messages that need action, use this sequence:

What happened? Why does it matter? What needs to happen next?

Add the responsible person and timing where appropriate.

Persuasive communication also needs sound evidence. Explain the consequence fairly, distinguish facts from assumptions, and make the request proportionate to the issue.

A dramatic sentence cannot rescue a weak argument. A clear sentence can help a strong argument reach its destination.

Try this today: Open an email awaiting a response. Underline the action you requested. If you cannot find it, rewrite the opening.

LG3’s Effective Executive Communications course can help you turn useful knowledge into messages people can understand and act on.

Which phrase leaves you guessing most often: “please advise,” “for your consideration,” or “as appropriate”? Add your own contender.

Learn it. Grow it. Own it.