For Matthew Carter, a careful edit of what he shares with clients (and how) is a shortcut to avoiding project slowdowns and setbacks.

Maybe the subject line tips you off. Or maybe there’s no warning—you open your latest email from a client, and bam, it’s crystal clear: They’re livid, and they’ve got a lot to say about it.

Matthew Carter once got an email like that, and it stopped him in his tracks. “I had never received that strong of an email,” says the Lexington, Kentucky–based designer. The client was challenging, and the project had already hit several roadblocks as a result. The message in question went to the entire team—including the architect, contractor and kitchen consultants. “The client was upset about progress in general,” adds Carter. “I wouldn’t say it was directed at me in particular, but I was on the email.”