Dance Like No One is Watching; Email Like It May One Day Be Read Aloud in a Deposition

Olivia Nuzzi tweeted, "Dance like no one is watching; email like it may one day be read aloud in a deposition" in response to hacking of the Democratic National Committee emails. With the possibility of open records requests and the ease of resharing digital communications, it is important to remember there is limited expectation of privacy anywhere online especially when it comes to your professional communication.

When using district email and chat, remember that everything is on the record. For this reason, it is wise to think before you hit send.


Here are some tips for keeping email professional and avoiding any embarrassment in the event that your communications become public:

• Keep your language professional
• In many of the recent high profile email hacks, public figures have been criticized not only for using vulgarities or obscenities, but also, for their overall tone, spelling, punctuation, use of emojis, etc. While your intended audience may allow you to communicate informally, think about how others might perceive your communication style. Does it reflect how you'd like to be judged as a professional?
• Avoid venting
• Email is a great tool for sharing information and creating an ongoing dialogue. It is not a good place to vent. When you feel the urge to vent, it is best to take a deep breath and refrain altogether. If the need doesn't pass, it is better to seek out a face-to-face or phone conversation. 
• Add your email recipients last and double check 
• Adding your intended recipients last helps keep your email as a draft until you are ready to send. As an added precaution, I also recommend enabling "undo send" in your email settings to create a short delay. Finally, while our global address book is convenient, it is also easy to select a recipient with a similar name. Make sure to double-check that you have selected the proper email address.