Nothing drives me crazier than people who don't answer their emails. Why can't they hit the reply button and say, "No?"
Is it because they don't like saying "no" to people? Then why don't they respond, "I'm not sure. I'll let you know."
Or, "Crazy busy right now. I'll get back to you."
What is their problem? I've often wondered why people don't respond. What is their thinking process? So this why an article in the Times on responding to emails, caught my eye. Dr. Adam Grant concluded that people who don't respond to emails are rude. I agree.
A comment article in response by K. J. Dell'Antonia, "Why I didn't Answer your e-Mail," is cute. It's quite funny but I don't buy it. It takes little time to reply, "I'll get back to you."
The biggest problem, which neither Dr. Grant nor Dell'Antonia mention, is the fact that the sender doesn't know whether you've received the e-mail or not. Was it accidentally erased? Did you read it and delete it in disgust? Are you not speaking to me? Are you angry?
I had this problem once. I sent an email to someone asking if he could recommend someone. I half expected a negative response but you never know, he might have been able to direct me in the right direction. No response? Did he receive the email?
I resent it. Still no response.
I sent it to his personal email, not his business one. Still no response.
I sent a snail mail to his business. No response.
I sent a snail mail to his home. No response.
I left a phone message on his business phone. No response.
Why couldn't he just say he couldn't help me? I don't know. So I drove to his business and went into his office and talked to a secretary or somebody and you know what she said? "He's above the fray."
She told me to drop it. And I did. But reading Dr. Grant's article confirmed my opinion. He may be above the fray but that's rude and he's rude.
You know what I'm going to do. I'm going to print out Dr. Grant's article and snail mail it to him, highlighting the conclusion that people who don't reply to emails are rude. He'll probably wonder who
he didn't respond to, but people who live above the fray must be used to crypticness.
Is it because they don't like saying "no" to people? Then why don't they respond, "I'm not sure. I'll let you know."
Or, "Crazy busy right now. I'll get back to you."
What is their problem? I've often wondered why people don't respond. What is their thinking process? So this why an article in the Times on responding to emails, caught my eye. Dr. Adam Grant concluded that people who don't respond to emails are rude. I agree.
A comment article in response by K. J. Dell'Antonia, "Why I didn't Answer your e-Mail," is cute. It's quite funny but I don't buy it. It takes little time to reply, "I'll get back to you."
The biggest problem, which neither Dr. Grant nor Dell'Antonia mention, is the fact that the sender doesn't know whether you've received the e-mail or not. Was it accidentally erased? Did you read it and delete it in disgust? Are you not speaking to me? Are you angry?
I had this problem once. I sent an email to someone asking if he could recommend someone. I half expected a negative response but you never know, he might have been able to direct me in the right direction. No response? Did he receive the email?
I resent it. Still no response.
I sent it to his personal email, not his business one. Still no response.
I sent a snail mail to his business. No response.I sent a snail mail to his home. No response.
I left a phone message on his business phone. No response.
Why couldn't he just say he couldn't help me? I don't know. So I drove to his business and went into his office and talked to a secretary or somebody and you know what she said? "He's above the fray."
She told me to drop it. And I did. But reading Dr. Grant's article confirmed my opinion. He may be above the fray but that's rude and he's rude.
You know what I'm going to do. I'm going to print out Dr. Grant's article and snail mail it to him, highlighting the conclusion that people who don't reply to emails are rude. He'll probably wonder who
he didn't respond to, but people who live above the fray must be used to crypticness.
3 comments:
I hate to say this, but the official stance - the culturally appropriate behavior - is that email and chat is NOT real-time. It is socially acceptable - and often logistically necessary - for email and chat to be asynchronous.
Everyone accepts this.
We read emails when we can, and we respond when we are able to. That is what the official memo says.
:(
That's my point and complaint. "We read emails when we can, and we respond when we are able to." Respond when we are able!!!! But respond!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do agree with that. No response ever is sending a message in and of itself. Especially with email. You can always spam them! (hee hee!)
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