In the world of professional correspondence, email etiquette goes a long way in creating goodwill. Jenny Dreizen is a 21st-century expert in communication, connection, and relationships. She even suggests that starting off an email with just a greeting name and comma, open with “Ben,” could be considered uncivil. Unfortunately, this approach often fails to strike the desired balance and leads to ineffective communication.
Dreizen makes a persuasive case that releasing a name this way is the equivalent of “shouting into the void.” It deeply misses the friendly, professional touch that something as simple as a custom email greeting would add to it. Most business etiquette experts would advise you that starting an email with “Hi” or even “Dear” is a much more polite way to start communication. A lack of these pleasantries makes emails feel harsh and actually passive-aggressive.
One anonymous Reddit user expressed their sentiment about this email practice:
“I tend to find it slightly rude if someone starts an email with someone’s name and comma. For example: ‘John, could I get an update on this? Ben,’”
As one other user put it, going from a full description to just a name is a bit “jarring.” Such an approach may not be disrespectful, but it surely lacks the courtesy and connection that engender trust and lead to more productive engagements. The user noted:
“I wouldn’t say rude, but it’s abrupt and not a good tone.”
Dreizen goes on to explain that these kinds of phrases usually do more harm than good, often sounding passive-aggressive at best. She notes that instead of saying “just checking in,” individuals should consider being more specific, such as saying:
“Wanted to know how progress was going on [action item].”
This change in language makes for less confusing, more accurate communication, while sounding more professional. This goes a long way in creating a more collegial dialogue that will only improve the quality of the responses you receive from recipients.
Keeping communication friendly goes a long way to building trust with your audience. One Reddit user remarked on the significance of these small pleasantries:
“Those little rapport-building pleasantries are like the grease that helps keep things moving smoothly.”
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