#EmailEtiquette #ProfessionalCommunication #ProofReading #DecisionMakers
Have you ever received an email from a Director or higher decision-maker that was riddled with spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and unclear language? 🤔 It can be quite surprising and even frustrating to receive such emails from individuals in important leadership positions. So, why do Directors and higher decision-makers send emails without proofreading them? Let’s delve into this perplexing question and explore the reasons behind this common communication faux pas.
##The Time Constraint Factor
One of the primary reasons why Directors and higher decision-makers may send unpolished emails is the sheer lack of time. In a fast-paced corporate environment, their schedules are often jam-packed with back-to-back meetings, strategy sessions, and other crucial responsibilities. As a result, they may prioritize speed over perfection when firing off emails. After all, crafting a well-proofread and articulate email takes time, something that many high-level professionals simply may not have.
##The Prority Over Polishing
For these decision-makers, the content of the email may be of more importance than the grammar and punctuation. In their minds, the urgency of conveying the message or decision may simply outweigh the need to meticulously proofread the email. This can be particularly true in high-pressure situations or when dealing with critical issues that demand immediate attention.
##Delegating the Proofreading Task
Another possible reason for the prevalence of unpolished emails from Directors and higher decision-makers is the delegation of proofreading tasks. These individuals may have a team of assistants or support staff who handle their correspondence, including the task of proofreading and polishing emails. Therefore, the responsibility for ensuring pristine communication may fall on the shoulders of these support team members. However, despite their best efforts, mistakes may slip through the cracks, leading to the email gaffes that leave recipients scratching their heads.
##Leading by Example Failures
Additionally, some Directors and higher decision-makers may simply undervalue the importance of polished communication. If they themselves do not prioritize proofreading and professional language in their own emails, they set a precedent for the rest of the company. This lack of attention to detail can permeate through the corporate culture, resulting in a broader acceptance of sloppy communication practices.
##Perception vs. Reality
The impact of sending unpolished emails as a Director or higher decision-maker cannot be understated. Your email is a reflection of your professionalism, attention to detail, and overall communication skills. If recipients consistently receive poorly written emails from leadership, it can lead to negative perceptions of the individual and, by extension, the company. This can erode trust, credibility, and even affect business relationships with external partners and stakeholders.
##The Importance of Professional Communication
In the digital age, where email is a ubiquitous form of business communication, the value of professional and error-free correspondence cannot be overstated. The clarity and professionalism of your emails can influence how your messages are received and interpreted by colleagues, team members, clients, and other stakeholders. As a Director or higher decision-maker, your emails carry considerable weight and can shape perceptions of your leadership and the organization as a whole.
##Tips for Directors and Higher Decision-Makers
Given the significance of polished communication in the modern business landscape, it’s crucial for Directors and higher decision-makers to pay greater attention to the emails they send. Here are some actionable tips to improve professional communication through email:
1. Set aside dedicated time for email communication, allowing for proofreading and fine-tuning before hitting the send button.
2. Leverage the support of assistants or team members to review and polish important emails before they are sent out.
3. Consider using email editing tools and software to catch spelling and grammar errors automatically.
4. Lead by example by demonstrating the importance of professional communication in all email exchanges, setting a high standard for others to follow.
5. Seek feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors on your email communication style and make continual improvements based on their insights.
By implementing these strategies and recognizing the significance of professional email communication, Directors and higher decision-makers can enhance their leadership effectiveness and contribute to a more polished and credible corporate image.
In conclusion, the prevalence of unpolished emails from Directors and higher decision-makers can stem from a variety of factors, including time constraints, prioritization of content over polish, and perhaps a lack of awareness regarding the impact of professional communication. By addressing these root causes and embracing a more attentive approach to email correspondence, these influential individuals can elevate their leadership presence and positively influence the communication culture within the organization. After all, clear and polished communication starts at the top and cascades throughout the entire company, shaping its internal and external perception in significant ways.
Because no one really cares. I know people who are worth 300mm + who will say things like “se u at 3”
And just send it. Frankly they got to upper levels by what matters most with their time (yes or potentially nepotism) but outside of school or a few roles grammar and sentence structure isn’t that important
Bc they can
1) Time constraints – lots of stuff to attend to, so if it’s not an audience they’re trying to impress they aren’t proofing emails. They probably aren’t trying to impress you.
2) Many probably aren’t all that smart or great grammarians in the first place. Senior people don’t get their roles for pure intelligence, this isn’t an engineering or science profession. These guys are salesmen – they have their roles for relationship reasons and their ability to bring money into the firm. Sometimes thst requires intelligence, many times it doesn’t require that much or it and in some cases very little of it at all.
When you first start out you have no reputation and no perspective, so you treat every email like life or death. It is not.
This was a timely post. My director sent me a direct email yesterday asking me to do something that seemed way out of bounds and my role and wanted it asap. I also didn’t have much context on the ask and the clarity in the email was confusing. I had to push back to say I would like to talk this through with my lead before delivering because I knew this would bite me.
Because deez nutz don’t care
Response time>content
If you respond to a question from your boss in 5 minutes with “let me get back to you on that” it will be much better for your career than responding a week later with an actual answer. For this reason I believe they prioritize getting emails out over getting them perfect
My Md and I are pretty good friends/been working together for awhile so he’ll email/text me short hand all the time. I view it as a circle of trust thing, personally.
We are there to make money. That’s it.
If we hit our figures, our email styles don’t matter. If we don’t hit our figures, there are much bigger issues than emails.
I used to be anal retentive about emails, but after 3 billion of them all I care about is if I can discern the point quickly and clearly.
Because they don’t have to neurotically be perfect all the time they dont have someone breathing down their necks. They can think of an email write it and hit send. They don’t need to make sure it’s worded perfectly because they already have the job people are fighting for by being perfect.
Because most of them are not in their position because of their ability to write elegantly.
The tradeoff between efficiency and accuracy
Decision makers don’t really need to prove their competence like someone early career.
Responding fast while relaying the message that needs to be sent gets priority over grammar.
If it’s going external they’re just shitty writers I guess. Internally I will be much more informal with the team to save us all time from standing on ceremony.
A couple of things come to mind. One is what others have said…they’re focusing on what’s important, not grammar. They go to be a senior by focusing on important things and getting them done timely.
Second thing that I think of is the DISC analysis. This is an overgeneralization, so don’t crucify my here. Many of the higher ups and seniors fall in the D (dominance) category. A characteristic of this personality is that the result is more important than the details. If you get the point of the email with a couple grammar mistakes, they don’t care. They care that the result they desire is achieved.
Emails to some people (my team, folks who I’ve worked with for a long time) are the one place I don’t need to be perfect. Gotta save my dwindling brain cells when I can.
Becauee we dont have tome to do that
Sent from my iPhone
Grammar is not a good reflection of someone’s ability. No when my director sends out an email with grammar mistakes i don’t assume he is any worse off at closing deals. That’s crazy