At face value, certain words and phrases seem pretty harmless. Add some tone, underlying frustration, or a need to be right, and suddenly, you’ve got a category 5 passive-aggressive storm on your hands. And, if the conversation is in an email with no additional context? Take cover!
If you’re feeling frustrated in a situation, it’s best to take time to calm down before you respond. It will help you avoid putting the other person on the defensive, or casting blame and shame. The first step is realizing how some of our immediate response phrases can imply a different meaning. Below are some commonly used responses that sound professional but are still petty:
If you say these phrases -> this is what they really hear:
“Actually…” -> “Wrong!”
“Per my last email,” -> “Can you even read?!”
“See below” (followed by highlighting missed info in the original email) -> “I didn’t drop the ball, you did.”
Ouch!
Which words or phrases would you add? Let us know at ann@wardcertified.com.