We’ve all groaned when we’ve gotten that “reply all” that we REEEALY didn’t need to see… Someone copying everyone, telling the meeting organizer that he can’t make a meeting… Someone hitting “reply all” with a mere Thank You… Another sending a note of congratulations to 30 people, when it was intended for just one.
This all goes back to — “THINK before you send!” combined with some business etiquette that respects the recipients. Why does e-mail give people an excuse to be careless or lazy? Even more than that, don’t they realize that when others see people hitting reply all, they draw (negative) conclusions about that person? Can be career limiting!
Consider what you thought when you got those “reply alls” that made your eyes roll. Yup. You though less of the person. You may have even resented the person for wasting your time.
And you don’t think hitting “reply all” can be career limiting???!!!
Think again. And… remember…
THINK before you send. EVERY TIME.
Well said!
And for those senders who can’t grasp this simple concept, a few organizations (Nielsen being the most famous) have removed the Reply to All button completely from the interface… sure, it takes two seconds to cut and paste all the addresses, but hopefully after the first second it dawns on people that doing so is a bad idea!