I actually learnt a very valuable lesson that day. It was not “don’t put it in writing” as sometimes that is the most effective method. What it was though was to always pause and think carefully and review before I sent anything dramatic or emotional or dangerous (politically or otherwise) in an email. I learnt a method that many would benefit from: if you write a “dangerous” email, don’t send it immediately. Re-read it an hour later, and see if the words still feel right. If they do, send it. More often than not, they don’t.
I have sent quite a few “dangerous” emails using this method, and each time I did end up editing the email, it was a lot better than my first effort, and the results were usually very positive. It is often the emails/comms that we worry about the most that end up being the most effective: it is because they are bold and they matter. People who receive bold and purposeful emails in a sea of dross really react well and often take up whatever cause you are fighting for.
