One of many things I took for granted about my old advisor was how attentive she was in emails. She always answered my emails and always actually responded to what I wrote. I'm finding that is relatively rare.
It is so fucking annoying to send emails that I think are important (like when someone specifically asks for an email with certain information) and have them ignored or under-answered. Example: "do you want me to do A or B?" response: "yes". Or a message comprised of several items gets the reply "go ahead". Go ahead and charge your account? Go ahead and take the day off? Go ahead with the experiment? WTF!?
I get the feeling that people get annoyed with me for sending emails that are too long ("I can't read that much on my iphone" - gimme a break!). But I also feel like people don't have time to talk to me, so I send emails because that seems more efficient, especially when several people need to get the information simultaneously. I try to make them as streamlined as possible, with bullet points or numbered lists. Sometimes they get answered well and it's awesome, but plenty of times I get some kind of confusing bullshit. And then people complain when they feel left "out of the loop". I've also noticed that other people send the biggest piles of steaming nonsense in their emails to me, so I guess they do think I'm overdoing it. But when I can't even figure out what the point of your message is, as though you are continuing an in-person conversation that I didn't hear, I think you're doing the shitty job, not me.
End of rant, thank you.
P.S. Comments telling me that senior people get so many emails that they might just die if they have to reply to my (solicited) message are not welcome.
8 comments:
oh I hear you. Especially the "yes" as a response to three questions.
I wondered if it was better to do bullet points but it seems so... I don't knwo "look at this and tick off". But sure enough, if it gets you answers.
I've started, with a specific person anyway, only asking one (or two) things per email. It makes it a lot of emails, but at least I get answers.
Then again, how many times have you gotten emails with their comments inside your email? you know, the "I'll write with my font inside your email so you see where the yes goes". *shake head* of course, they're so important... duh ;)
Yeah the higher up a person gets, the more they lack the ability to read and respond to email. I find with those people it's better to say "this is what i'm doing, let me know if you disagree, otherwise i will assume this is the plan." That or just visit them in person and get a verbal response. Then if you want backup you can send them an email again "this is what we discussed and i will be doing."
Because, unfortunately, yes if your email is too long they will not read it. Just because it's important to you doesn't mean it's important to them. Many people are completely incompetent at keeping up with and responding to emails (of course they expect YOU to respond instantaneously).
Ugh, I totally understand EGF. Dr. Smooth was all about this - or, skimming the email and then replying to something that went directly against what I said. For example:
Me: "I can meet any time next week but Wed from 2-4:30"
Dr. Smooth: "Okay let's meet Wed at 3. See you then!"
Sigh. Then I would reply and get no response for over a week (past that Wed "meeting")
I think it's a sad truth that people won't read long emails. Have you tried sending separate (short) emails for everything you need? That might be easier for people to answer.
I use Psycgirl's last point a lot, sending separate emails. Also, I am absolutely SURE to make the title clearly about the main thing necessary for this email. It helps you and the recipient search for it later.
It's not the easiest environment to work in, but the only thing we can do is NOT be this way as supervisors.
Also, Gmail has a new priority inbox feature - maybe you can convince your boss to use that?
I used to send my advisor/committee/boss/clients emails with bullet points! Everything but "CHECK YES OR NO." Some people. Also one of the clients, I'd send her a list of directions and she would fucking skip items. Seriously, people! Read and respond!
I love love love your P.S. :)
Ha! I'm so glad you guys agree!
Heather, that's a good point about making subject lines crystal clear, and something I could probably do better.
I probably do need to break things up more, but it's SO unappealing!
that's why i respond back to multi-question emails individually. ie i will highlight 1), hit reply, answer and then move on. which might annoy ppl as they get more emails, but that way we can keep talking about each thing without ppl doing the "yes" crap.
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