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From the Desk of the President
So last week I started a 10-week series on things we can each improve upon as shared by me with the CFWC Executive Committee. Now, here we are in week #2 and as promised, here is this week’s tidbit item we can all work on in order to improve.
Let’s start a discussion about “blind copy emails” and “reply all emails”. Have you ever received an email that has been sent to more than one person? Many of us have, we open an email from a friend only to see that email went to 3, 6, 30, sometimes 70 plus people. Right there, in the email is your name and email, even worse: you can see everyone’s name and email too. If you have to print the email, your page may be covered with email addresses and names. It’s just bad form to put out everyone’s information on the world-wide-web, when you are really only in charge of permitting your own information to go out…not theirs.
A “blind copy” email, or “Bcc” as it is referred to on most email platforms is an easy way to send an email without showing all of the emails and names of the recipients. You can start by sending the email to yourself, then click on “Bcc” and fill in the recipients there. This keeps your list of recipients private and hidden from the sight of all receiving the email. You should always let people know it is a “blind copy” as a courtesy. Sending out a “blind copy” email also restricts those receiving the email from replying to anyone other than the original sender.
Next question: Have you ever received an email where upon opening it up you find yourself smack in the middle of discussion? Or worse, there are 50 emails replying to everyone when only the original sender should be getting the replies. When we use “reply all” in answer to an original email: everyone on the list of known and seen recipients gets to read your email. This causes a lot of problems, you are the recipient of 50 emails on one day you must delete, or you get too much information about something or someone, as does every other recipient. I have seen weaponized “reply all” emails where arguments go and never die.
Both of these little fixes if practiced will be an improvement on our computer skills, especially now when we are spending so much time on the computer. Think about it, you decide. I have personally asked the 2020 – 2022 CFWC Executive Committee and this Administration’s District Presidents to really get a handle on this topic. Let’s work together and make it happen!
Luv, Pam
