Okay. Now it is time to rant. This past week I received at least 15 e-mail messages with this simple one or two word response, “thanks” or “ok.”
Hey, I know folks are just trying to be nice. BUT – We have got to let go of our need to keep the trail going. With the average worker receiving anywhere from 100 to 150 e-mail messages daily, let’s do everyone a favor and stop with the one word responses.
I actually received this response — “Thanks — and how are the kids?” Puh-lease! It is bad enough that you send me an e-mail I didn’t need, but now you are asking me to comment on something absolutely and totally unrelated to the original stream of information.
The one exception that I can tolerate as a one-word response is something that relates to a meeting or scheduling or timing. I actually do like to receive a message that says “Confirmed.”
What are your pet peeves?
I have two: First, there are many people out there who should not use the “Reply to All” button without adult supervision. Very seldom do I get a message that was a reply to all where the whole group needed to see it.
Second is the overuse of the “high importance” label. Someone I work with probably labels at least half of his e-mails “high importance.” I stopped taking him seriously years ago.