Never apologize in emails
You get lots of assignments at work. But you start to get swamped, and you can’t get back to everyone. You prioritize, resulting in some coworkers being satisfied and others being upset. For the second group, how to get back?
Do not v. do
Per @Jasoncoderx, an AI educator and tools provider:
-
Don’t write: “Sorry for the late response, I’ve been swamped.”
-
Do write: “Thanks for your paience—here’s what I have for you.”
Why? It shifts the frame from guilt to generosity. The reader of the email now feels valued instead of inconvenienced.
-
Don’t write: “Apologies for the delayed response.”
-
Do write: “Here’s what you need on the topic [be brief]. Happy to go deeper if useful.”
Why? Nobody cares why you were late. Shift from self-centered to other-centered. Start with a Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) frame. Doing so gives the reader what they want first, and they forget the delay. It goes poof!
-
Don’t write: “My sincere apologies for not getting back sooner. I hope I haven’t inconvenienced you.”
-
Do write: “Checking back on this—here’s where things stand [insert update].”
Why? Don’t dwell on the delay. Acknowledge it, but don’t dwell on it or be overly apologetic for it. Get straight to the substance. According to @Jasoncoderx, “Clean, professional, zero groveling.”
Bottom line