Knowledge Base · Communication
How do I write an email that gets a decision?
Structure it like an SBAR: a subject line that states the issue, one sentence of situation, the background the reader needs, your assessment, and a recommendation that names the exact decision you want. Chapter 2 of the book teaches SBAR as a discipline for emails and project updates, not just emergencies.
Decision emails fail in predictable ways: the request is buried in the fourth paragraph, the background is a long story, or the email ends without asking for anything specific. Chapter 2 of the book offers SBAR, a structure built for clarity under pressure, as the fix for ordinary professional writing too.
Start with the subject line. The book's example format makes the content obvious at inbox level: the topic, stated plainly, so the reader knows before opening whether this needs them today. Then write the four parts in order: the situation in one sentence, the background the reader genuinely needs (usually two or three facts, not the whole history), your assessment of what is going on, and your recommendation.
The recommendation is where most emails go soft. The book warns against ending with thoughts or an open question. The recommendation ends with the specific action proposed and what is needed: approval, a choice between two named options, or a date. A leader reading a well-built SBAR email can decide in the time it takes to read it, because you have already done the work of removing rambling narrative and emotional language.
The book's practice drill is simple: take your next three non-trivial emails and build each one this way. By the third, the structure starts to feel like your natural voice rather than a template.
Related questions
- What does an SBAR message look like?
- What is SBAR, and how do I use it in an email?
- What are the three modes of communication in a team?
Source: Continuous Improvement in the Workplace, Ch. 2 (Effective Communication for Continuous Improvement).