I must admit, email communication can be a funny thing.
For example, I recently learned that email bullying is a thing in an office setting. No, not from the office I work at, but from an article I came across online called,
“Email CC Field: The Passive-Aggressive Email Tactic That All Office Workers Abhor”
Basically, two people would have an email conversation about a minor thing. Then out of nowhere, one of them cc’s the other person’s boss for no good reason, as if they’re saying the other person’s incompetent to the point where a higher up has to get involved.
And that led my mind to think about something else.
Email euphemisms.
I’m sure you’ve heard of some common phrases people often use in emails. And when they’re read, it sounds polite, but some people might interpret it in a passive aggressive way.
Here are some of my personal favorites (And shoutout to BoredPanda.com for this):
Thanks in advance = This has to be done, and I’ve decided that you’ll be the one doing it
Just following up = Clearly you thought I was joking when I asked you the first time
Great = It’s far from great, but there’s nothing I can do about it
Friendly reminder = It’s nowhere near friendly. This had to be done yesterday!
Correct me if I’m wrong = I know I’m not wrong and there’s no use in trying to challenge my opinion
This reminds me of that Text Message Confusion comedy skit from Key and Peele, where the texter sends a text with a positive tone, but the recipient reads the text in a negative tone.
But at the end of the day, words are words. The way you interpret the tone comes from your own projections.
Just some useful information if you ever feel the need to passively bully an associate through email, but it certainly won’t help you make any sales.
But you certainly can if you use the info inside How to Become an Email Titan.
-Ellisen