How to write better emails and run more effective meetings

Executive overview

Most emails waste time through excessive length, vague directives, and weak subject lines. Most meetings fail because there is no agenda and no time discipline.

Keep emails to five sentences or less, bullet points only. For meetings: no agenda, no attendance — and treat every meeting like an Olympic event.

Clarity and brevity are the same thing: more words create more miscommunication.

Email writing rules

• Use bullet points; five sentences or less
• Delegate with time and budget constraints, not instructions — "spend 20 minutes, not two hours"
• Never tell people how long something will take; tell them how long you want them to spend
• More words increase the chance of miscommunication

Subject lines and tone

• Add an alarm clock emoji before the subject line — proven to increase open rates by 17%
• Use "URGENT" or "IMPORTANT" in all caps in the subject line when needed
• Drop smiley faces and emojis freely — they humanise communication regardless of seniority
• Skip sign-offs like "respectfully" or "warmly" — they feel hollow

Running meetings

• No agenda, no attenda: if the agenda is missing, reply tentative or ask for one
• Agendas must include topics, order, and time per item
• Start on time; end five minutes early to allow transition between commitments
• Phones are checked at the door — treat it like a first date
• If you need to check your phone, skip the meeting entirely