(Current email excluded, of course!)
Remember this quote? “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” (Click here to see who made this quote.) Why did he say this? Because it is more difficult to write concisely and make a point than it is to use many more words and make the same point. Writing long emails suggests the writer is being intellectually lazy and chooses to use too many words because it is easier and “normal”.
So to differentiate yourself as a leader, write tightly worded, succinct and direct emails. I am not suggesting these be cold; I am suggesting that these be written for the purpose of allowing the reader to understand and digest the information in as short of time as possible. Here is a tip: When writing an email, write it from the perspective of the reader, not from your perspective as the writer.
The fact is most people don’t read past the first few sentences of an email anyway.