We at BBall have been trying hard to dream up better and better ways to asserting hierarchy and pay-grade in emails. Presenting: the BBCC and the noBBCC.

Let’s review the uses of each address function to ensure all readers are utilizing PAHAT (passive-aggressive -hierarchy-assertion- techniques) to their fullest.

To: Not “From”

CC: to let both recipient and carbon copy know of the email. Assumption: equals in some sense of the word. The skillful can utilize this to assert rank but more often than not, it’s strictly a utilitarian field.

BCC: to let recipient know that email has gone out, while keeping involvement of BCC recipient, secret to primary recipient(s). Most favored technique of senior bankers to keep junior bankers in the dark. Read between the lines: “Let’s be real — I appreciate your work, but really I couldn’t afford to have your name on the same email as me.”

BBCC: obviously, a step down from the BCC. A BBCC recipient is not privy to the contents of the email whatsoever, but rather an email about the email notifying the BBCC that said email was sent. The focus is not on the content of the email but rather the missed opportunity — the BBCC recipient could have been BCC’d but sadly, wasn’t even good enough for that.

NoBBCC: Pack your things and go.