Start Your Week: Better Emails, Better Relationships

Three AI tricks you can apply to any email this morning

To kick this week off, I wanted to share a few tricks people can use on their emails to make sure their messaging is delivered in a way that leads confidently through the week.

Try these out on your emails and would love to hear the feedback. These are ways you can get started with AI today. Just copy and paste your emails directly into ChatGPT / Claude and see what it comes up with.

Owner Emails: Position Yourself as the Expert

The Prompt: "Review this email to the Owner. Make sure I sound like the expert who's guiding them to the right decision. They shouldn't have to think hard - just trust our recommendation. Check that I'm: 1) Presenting solutions, not just problems 2) Using confident language that shows I'm in control of the situation 3) Making their decision easy by clearly recommending the best path forward 4) Avoiding any language that makes them worry or second-guess our team."

You want the Owner feeling confident they picked the right team, not stressed about having to make tough calls. Your job is to present clear options and guide them to the best choice.

Before: "We have a problem with the foundation. What do you want us to do?" After: "I've identified a foundation adjustment that will improve long-term performance. Based on my experience, Option B gives you the best value. I recommend we proceed this week."

Architect Emails: Keep Them Looking Good

The Prompt: "Check this email about the architect. Am I showing them in a fair light and not throwing them under the bus? Make sure I'm: 1) Framing any issues as coordination items, not design problems 2) Using collaborative language like 'we're working together' instead of 'they messed up' 3) Giving them credit where appropriate 4) Positioning both of us as professionals solving things together for the Owner's benefit."

The architect is your partner, not your enemy. When issues come up, frame them as technical coordination items, not design problems.

Before: "The architect's detail won't work. We need a change." After: "We're coordinating the installation detail with the architect to ensure it meets field conditions. We'll have an updated approach by Wednesday."

Subcontractor Emails: No Blame, Just Standards

The Prompt: "Review this email to my sub. Make sure I'm not blaming anyone - just reinforcing our jobsite standards professionally. Check that I'm: 1) Stating what needs to happen without pointing fingers at who caused the problem 2) Using clear, direct language about expectations 3) Offering support or clarification if needed 4) Maintaining a tone that keeps our working relationship strong while getting results."

When subs mess up, your instinct might be to point fingers. But that just creates defensive attitudes and more problems.

Before: "Your crew screwed up the layout again. Fix it." After: "The layout needs adjustment to match our project standards. Please coordinate with my foreman to get it corrected by end of day."

The Bottom Line

We're all busy and sometimes fire off emails without thinking. AI just gives you a quick sanity check before you hit send.

Give one of these a try this week. I think you'll be surprised how much better your emails land.

Which type of email gives you the most trouble?