If You Wouldn’t Say It To Their Face…

Amazing how bold some onliners are while safely hiding behind these screens! The lack of face-to-face contact makes them bolder than they normally would be allowing them to type in a manner in which they wouldn’t dare speak.

Ask a question they don’t like — they can safely ignore you. Point out an issue of concern and that too gets overlooked while they type back with venom and vigor about what they perceive to be an issue they want addressed on their terms. Selective replies abound.

Why do onliners ignore what one has stated or advised to only in turn make additional demands or accusations based on no facts or basis in reality? Simply because they can. If they were face-to-face, they would be required to listen to what you have to say and respond to that information. Online they can ignore the facts to continue their emotional tirade.

Is this the type of communicator you want to do business with? Is this the type of customer/coworker/supervisor/boss/manager you want to be known as? That saying that the “customer is always right” does not give tacit permission to communicate in anything less than a professional manner.

Nine out of ten times when I run into an onliner who communicates like a bully, you can count on the fact that they have no intention of paying attention to my response. Their sole motive and goal for the moment is to make their point; regardless of info to the contrary. Who cares what the facts are? Who cares if what they perceive to be true isn’t?

If you want to be taken seriously, always make sure that you are clear, that you state facts, that you make the effort to type in such a manner that you won’t be misunderstood. This includes full sentences, proper grammar and spelling as well a standard greeting and closing. If you can’t take the time to communicate like an educated human being, take a deep breath, wait until the next day — or better yet don’t e-mail at all.

And when responding to these type of e-mailers, hold your head high and show them the professionalism and courtesy they are unwilling to offer to you. You are better than that. Remain unemotional while stating the facts and remember that “killing them with kindness” does in fact allow you to rise above those who communicate in less than a respectable tone.

And most importantly, if you wouldn’t say what you are typing to your contact’s face — don’t type it in an e-mail. Doing so will only make you look like an uneducated inconsiderate bully.

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