Navigating the business world can be tricky, especially when it comes to writing emails in a professional setting. While there are several rules you should always keep in mind, this two-letter term must be avoided at all costs. Turns out “no” is not one of them.

If you want to succeed, never type “Ok”. According to linguist and author Gretchen McCulloch, those two letters can make you come off as passive aggressive and dismissive.

She suggests adding something after the word like “OK, great” or “OK, sounds good,” even try an exclamation point.  If your boss puts “OK” in emails, then you’re in the clear says McCulloch, who calls following the lead, “mirroring”.

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