We've all written one. Or received one. The infamous SYA e-MAIL

The one you send “just in case.”

The one someone told you to write “because you never know.”

The one that carefully recaps everything… not to align, but to protect.

𝗦𝗬𝗔 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝘀. (We all know this)

A practice we’ve normalised in many workplaces. Not to share. Not to align. But to protect.

You get out of a meeting, and instead of picking up the phone to clarify, or aligning directly with the person involved, you’re told to write “an email to document it.”

✔️ Just in case.

✔️Just to cover yourself.

✔️ Just to make sure that if anything goes wrong, the responsibility is parked somewhere else.

I’ve seen people send emails they don’t fully believe in, just to stay safe.

Emails written in cold, cautious language that pretend to be summaries but are really subtle disclaimers.

 Emails where the tone says more than the words.

And I think… this is the most uncorporate, unfair, and un-leadership habit we tolerate.

What kind of culture are we building if our first reflex is to defend ourselves, instead of talking to each other?

There’s a better way.

One that requires courage, but also builds trust.

1️⃣Pick up the phone.

2️⃣Talk.

3️⃣Clarify.

4️⃣Align.

 Then, if needed, write a real recap, not a legal note, not a silent accusation.

 A shared confirmation of what was discussed. Something both sides can read and nod to.

Simple. Human. Accountable.

So next time we're about to write a SYA email, pause for a second.

Ask ourselves: Am I writing to protect myself, or to move us forward?

Because if it may feel smart to write “just in case,” it’s definitively smarter to speak just in time.