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c/career-advice•cora518cora518•2mo ago

Honestly, my old manager told me to stop apologizing in emails and just state the facts

Ngl, I tried it for a month and got way clearer replies and less back-and-forth. Anyone else get a piece of simple advice that actually worked?
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4 Comments
paige331
paige3312mo ago
That advice is so spot on. It really cuts through the noise when you just say what happened or what you need instead of cushioning it. Makes me wonder how much time we all waste on unnecessary politeness in work messages. What other small changes have made your work life easier?
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ellis.faith
Tbh, calling it "unnecessary politeness" feels a bit harsh. I think being clear and being polite can totally happen at the same time. You don't have to be rude to cut out the fluff.
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avery_ross
avery_ross1mo ago
Wait, you actually went a whole month without saying sorry? I could never make it past day two without caving.
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henryp40
henryp402mo ago
Yeah, it's a hard habit to break... I used to start every other sentence with "Sorry, but" or "Just wanted to check." Cutting that out felt blunt at first, but people really do just answer the question faster. Like, instead of "Sorry for the bother, could you maybe send that file when you get a chance?" I just say "Can you send the file by end of day?" Saves everyone time.
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