PAASTUB Email Process-Step 2: Action-What and When?
BLUF: Make what you need and when you need it explicit in your email messages. If you are just providing information, clearly state so and what you expect people to do with it. If you want action, use the subject to telegraph the action and include just one sentence describing it in the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front). I will describe the concept of a BLUF in a future post and it is in Chapter 9 of the book, Step 7: BLUF-ing. The briefest definition of the BLUF is the briefest possible description of your email’s purpose and content. Stating the action clearly in your message makes it easier for recipients to learn what you want and decide if they can give it to you by your deadline (which always accompanies action).
The seven PAASTUB steps are:
Step 1: Purpose is Clear: a clear purpose (outcome in mind) is necessary for effective email
(you are here) Step 2: Action: make it easy for readers to learn what you want
Step 3: Audience: keep the right people informed
Step 4: Subject as Art: make the content clear from the subject alone [makes the message compelling, even better when you can add humor]
Step 5: Take Out the Trash: make the message easy to read quickly
Step 6: Ugly Remarks Edited: keep yourself and others out of trouble
Step 7: BLUF-ing: focus attention with a concise summary
This post describes step 2 of the PAASTUB (pronounced “paystub”) email process: Action. It includes
the key elements of action clarity,
communicating actions to non-native speakers of your language,
examples of action clarity for specific types of email messages, and
some considerations for choosing your action due date.
The second step of PAASTUB is to be crystal clear about the Action you want and when you want it. This is important because the first question that comes to mind when people read an email message is, “What do I have to do?” The second question is most likely, “Do I have time to do this?” The purpose of achieving clarity on what you need and when you need it is to make it as easy as you can for your recipient to answer both questions.
Don’t bury the action in the middle at the bottom of your email. The first two lines of text (not sentences) in any email should be what you want and when you need it. If you are not asking for something, state that clearly (“this is just FYI” or “useful background, read if you have time”). Dispensing with pleasantries (“Dear all, how are things? Today I accidentally set the house on fire”) is not abrupt, it is really considerate of your readers’ limited time and attention. Your readers will appreciate the fact that you get to the point quickly.
A proper action statement succinctly describes who needs what by when, in a single sentence if possible. The elements of action clarity are:
who has the action (be specific),
what the action is, and
the date it is needed.
The content of the action email answers “what needs to be done, exactly?” Is it a recommendation? Feedback on a document? Calling or emailing someone? For example, if you want something written, be specific about points to address, format, and length. Try to imagine yourself being asked to do what you are requesting and answer all the questions you might have. The better you can anticipate relevant questions from the action party, the more likely they will meet your requirements.
If you are asking more than one thing or one question, collect them all in one place. Where? At the top of the email, of course. Precede this block with “Action” or “Questions”. This is addressed in more detail in Chapter 11 of the book.
Be strategic about the action due date you choose. NEVER give the action party the latest date possible so you don’t get burned by people that miss the date. Request completion a few days or a week in advance of the real date in case you need to process the data or don’t get what you need the person the first time (it happens). Requesting completion of the action a few days early also helps you manage unforeseeable problems like power outages, garbage can fires, and meetings announced five minutes before they start. Action dates help the other person make space in their schedule for what they have to do to take the action.
For more details about writing emails with clear action and a full explanation of each of the seven steps, consider purchasing my book “How to: Become an Email Ninja,” $9.99 for the Kindle edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086XMJJ75. My next post on email will summarize Step 3 of the PAASTUB process: Addressees.
