I just spent a good portion of my afternoon reading and responding to a flurry of emails because the recipients who were “copied” misunderstood their role in the communication. Was I not clear? Or did they misunderstand? This is debatable, but I will take ownership. However, most of the confusion could have been easily avoided if the “cc” function was (1) better understood by human beings in general and (2) used properly in the first place.
Some of the questions the recipients had were:
1. Who does what?
2. Am I supposed to act on this?
3. Should I “reply to all?”
In the hopes that I can spare others the time-wasting agony that I went through today, I would like to offer three quick tips on how to use the “cc” function.
Who Does What?
Use the “cc” function when there are people who need to see the information you’re sending but do not need to act on it. If there are people who need to act on your message, include them in the “To” line. As a rule of thumb, the “cc” field is for information purposes only.
Am I Supposed to Act on This?
If your name is in the “cc” field, you don’t have to do anything. You’re being informed, and you do not need to take action. The recipients in the “To” field are expected to respond or take action.
Should I “Reply to All?”
Use your best judgment. If you have been “cc’d” and you need to respond to the message, do not select “reply to all” unless everyone included in the “To” and “cc” fields needs to see your response. When in doubt, ask for clarification to avoid the flurry of inefficient “reply to all” responses.
