This Product Is Making Sure Women Never Undermine Themselves On Email Again

Tami Reiss knew she had a problem. As CEO of Cyrus Innovation, a New York City-based consultancy that helps companies of all shapes and sizes build better products, she knew she was a powerful, capable woman. She led teams, made bold decisions, and pushed the envelope of what was possible in the tech world. Yet, she also knew that sometimes her communication didn’t reflect that. When she was worried about being too forward, she would be overly apologetic in emails, sometimes starting them with the undermining phrase “I’m so sorry.” When she was feeling less powerful, she would say “I’m just checking in,” as if she needed to justify her communication. “We put phrases in there with the intention of saying, ‘I want the other person to know I’m not a horrible, pushy person,’” she said. “What people hear is, 'This person talking to me or writing to me isn’t very confident.'” Reiss understood she was hardly alone. She was part of a group named League for Extraordinary Woman, made of female CEOs, managers, and entrepreneurs who support one another, and they would discuss the issue. Sometimes they undermined themselves on email intentionally; other times, subconsciously. Regardless, it had to stop quickly. So Reiss, along with engineers at her company, created a plugin for Gmail named Just Not Sorry, that automatically underlines distracting or demeaning phrases before an email is sent out. It also includes a short explanation given by an expert of why these phrases - Just, I'm sorry, I think, or I'm no expert, are just a few - could take away from your message. The plugin is barely two weeks old, and it’s already been installed 90,000 in 140 countries. “We definitely struck a nerve," said Reiss. "This is a way to give people a leg up."