Why it matters
“CC everyone” habits are a symptom of cover-yourself culture — a sign people feel they need protection rather than permission. Leaders act as a thermostat, not a thermometer: each private trust reply resets the climate a little.
How to run it
- Notice defensive CCs — routine emails where you add no value.
- Reply privately and warmly: “You don’t need to copy me on this. I trust you to make the call.”
- Back the decisions people make on their own, including imperfect ones.
- Watch the CC line shrink. It’s one of the simplest signals of rising trust.
Watch out for
- Replying publicly, which can feel like a reprimand
- Then criticising the person when a decision goes wrong — that undoes everything