1. Responding to an Email After a Slight Delay
You couldn't find the time to respond until now or couldn't address the email earlier. Either way, you're sorry and want to let the person who contacted you know that you didn't ignore their email.
The Wrong Response: "Sorry for the delay"
Such a response emphasizes your delay and might cause the person on the other side to view you negatively and judge your time management skills. Using the word "delay" highlights what you actually want to distract from and makes the reader think about it. While you may feel the need to apologize, and the apology may be sincere, this response can convey a lack of professionalism.
The Right Response: "Thank you for your patience"
Such a response emphasizes the understanding and patience of the other person, making it immediately positive. You show that you're aware of the inconvenience you caused but express gratitude for the flexibility of the person who had to wait. This strengthens your relationship and encourages future cooperation without negative feelings. It shows that you are professional and respectful of the other person's time.
2. Responding to a Request to Schedule a Meeting/Call
On one hand, you want to show that your schedule is important to you, but on the other, you don't want to impose a time that doesn't suit the other person - so how should you respond?
The Wrong Response: "Whenever works for you"
This phrase shifts the responsibility of setting a time to the other person, who likely already asked you to set a date and time. Not only does this suggest that you are passive and diminishes your status, but the time set might end up not suiting you, leaving you with a problem.
The Right Response: "How about..."
This approach doesn't require the other person to set a time, only to cooperate, considering your schedule and what works for you first. It shows that you are assertive while also respecting the other person's time.
3. Responding to a Thank You Email
In most cases, a short email with the word "thank you" is the end of the conversation, but it doesn't have to be that way if you want to encourage good relationships and future collaborations with the sender. There is a good way to do this and a less recommended way.
The Wrong Response: "No problem"
In everyday life, there's nothing wrong with such a response, but in a professional setting, it diminishes the value of the efforts you made to complete the task. It makes the action you took seem trivial or something that didn't even need to be thanked for in the first place.
The Right Response: "Always happy to help"
A small and simple phrase like this, or any response in a similar spirit, can emphasize your positive attitude and the support you provide in the professional relationship. It shows that you are always there and ready to help, which will encourage future collaborations and show that you are a reliable colleague.
4. Responding to a Suggestion to Take Action
The sender summarized that you should act in a certain way that you disagree with, or they asked how you intend to act—how should you respond in such a situation and say, "I know what I'm doing" in the best way without causing resistance?
The Wrong Response: "I think maybe we should..."
Words like "I think" or "maybe" can diminish the authority you have and show that you lack confidence, as well as convey hesitation and uncertainty. It shows that you are not 100% sure of what you're saying, which might lead the other person to question your knowledge, experience, and level of professionalism.
The Right Response: "It would be best if..."
This phrase shows that you are assertive and very direct, coming from someone who is confident in themselves and their abilities. It shows that you have considered several options and made a decision based on your experience and knowledge, with a lot of self-confidence that will only bring you respect and appreciation from the other person.
5. Responding to a Long Email Thread
Sometimes emails span a large number of messages, and one conversation can reach dozens of messages sent, sometimes over several days. What do you do when you see this happening?
The Wrong Response: Continue with another 40 messages
Not only is this inefficient, but it also wastes a lot of your valuable time unnecessarily. If your conversation hasn't been concluded within a number of messages you can count on two hands, there may be a communication problem that needs to be addressed differently.
The Right Response: "It would be easier to talk on the phone/in a meeting"
Suggesting a phone call or a meeting shouldn't stress you out, but rather the opposite. It shows the other person that the topic you're discussing is complex and needs to be addressed efficiently, without unnecessary delays. The meeting or call will allow you to explain yourself much better, solve any issues on the spot, save time, and show just how professional you really are.
6. Responding to Ensure the Message was Understood
Perhaps you explained a very complex topic in an email, and you want to make sure the person on the other side understood you correctly - how do you do that right?
The Wrong Response: "I hope I was able to explain myself"
Such a phrase shows a lack of confidence in the explanation you provided, which might already cause the person on the other side to doubt their level of understanding. Moreover, it diminishes your value as a professional expert in the subject, because if you are an expert, you should know how to explain it in a clear and understandable way.
The Right Response: "Let me know if you have any further questions"
This response keeps your door open for further clarifications if needed, without implying that there might be confusion. It shows that the topic is indeed complex, and the person on the other side might have questions, but if they do, you can answer them and continue explaining until the message is perfectly understood.
7. Responding Regarding a Mistake You Made
Admitting mistakes is not easy, but it's necessary if you want to be taken seriously and not seen as someone who makes excuses or doesn't care about the impact of their actions on others' lives and work.
The Wrong Response: "Sorry, that was totally my mistake"
Although you admitted to the mistake, such an apology is not professional and essentially sends a message that says, "Yes, I made a mistake, but it's not that serious." It shows that you're not taking the mistake you made or the responsibility given to you seriously.
The Right Response: "Thank you for letting me know, I'll focus on improving this"
In the case of small and common mistakes, it's likely that no one is really angry with you, so there's no need to apologize verbally to seek forgiveness. It's better to thank them for bringing the mistake to your attention, as it shows that you are willing to learn from your mistakes so that you won't repeat them in the future. This is better than any apology in a professional environment. It shows that you receive the notice of the mistake as feedback for improvement, not as a complaint, which increases the level of trust the person corresponding with you has in you.
8. Sending an Email to Get an Update
Here you are not responding, but rather initiating the conversation, and you want to get an update on the status of a project or task. Even in such a situation, your words can reveal who you are, and it will greatly influence the response you receive.
The Wrong Way: "I'm just checking in on our status"
Such a phrase first of all shows that there is no urgency to complete the task, and secondly that you are not necessarily asking for a clear response that will explain to you in detail where everyone stands. This lack of directness signals weakness, which will greatly affect the information you receive in return.
The Right Way: "When can I expect an update?"
This question demands a direct answer and sets certain expectations, as well as requires an immediate response. It shows that you are actively managing the project and that there is a schedule to meet, even if you didn't specify an exact date. The fact that you are expecting an update encourages those working on the project to work more diligently and meet your requirements, and you are more likely to receive the update you are waiting for.
9. Requesting to Be Released from a Commitment
This may not necessarily be a response, except in cases where you were required to attend a meeting. So how do you politely and respectfully say that you have prior commitments and can't meet a certain expectation?
The Wrong Way: "Is it possible to finish earlier today?"
Requesting permission to be released from the commitment in such a way first of all shows that your other commitment may not be that important, and therefore you may very well receive a refusal in response.
The Right Way: "I'll need to leave at..."
Such a phrase clarifies that you have a prior commitment that requires your full attention, and it requires the other person to respect your schedule. It's a professional way to say "Sorry, I won't be able to meet the expectations," without eliciting a negative response; rather, the team may be able to rearrange the schedule around what works for you.
