Almost every day I get e-mails from concerned Netizens all worried about how to nicely ask a “friend” to quit forwarding chain letters, hoaxes and jokes to them. To add salt to the wound, many of these “friends” take the liberty of sending these silly e-mails to their contact’s business e-mail addresses!
What happens when asked to please not forward those type of e-mail — especially to a business address? Hurt feelings. What is there to get “hurt” about? All the Sender did was click a name and add it to the list of others they sent to. There is nothing overly personal, time-consuming or thoughtful about these actions to take it personally when someone simply asks that the Sender refrain from doing so in the future.
There is a correct way to forward e-mails. If everyone followed these guidelines, there wouldn’t be any hurt feelings because there wouldn’t be this mass mailing of thoughtless dribble being forwarded to everyone who listed in another person’s address book.
One should never assume their contacts would want these e-mail in the first place. When asked to stop forwarding these type of e-mails, all one has to do is humbly apologize, honor the request and most importantly — not get hurt.
Today a site visitor asked if I agreed that “a simple request to stop forwarding e-mails like this shouldn’t destroy a friendship right?” To which I replied, “if it does, well maybe there wasn’t much of a friendship there in the first place.”
5 Rules for Forwarding E-mails
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Over my adolecent life time i learned that considering one’s feeling is very important. Over the years there many teens have lost thier lives due to cyber bullying throught social webcites and even emails. With this being said i ask that everyone please be considerate!!
Hey, Priscilla:
Good advice! If everyone just took a moment and thought about how their words and actions could be perceived or effect those who they are directed to it would make all the difference in the world.
I am a deacon at my church, so I get many of the emails regarding church business or matters. Our church has a membership of over 1,200. How do I respectfully ask the church staff to stop sending emails out that have all church leader’s email adresses on them? Sometimes these same people use our emails for personal matters that I am not particularly interested in. I thought of forwarding your message on email etiquette to them, what are your thoughts on this?
Glen
Hey, Glen:
Most folks have not had any exposure to the topics on this site or the fact that who you send to or copy is about discretion and making wise choices in regard to only including, copying, forwarding to those who truly need or want to receive your e-mail. How about having a staff e-mail etiquette mini-seminar? Then you can expose them to these issue so they can then e-mail on behalf of your church in a manner that respects others time and the privacy of their e-mail addresses.
You could print out my Business E-mail Etiquette Basics and use that as a basis for your seminar which will open up the discussion for you to share your thoughts and concerns. Then, having a basic e-mail etiquette policy in place so that everyone is on the same page will go a long way to improving their knowledge and skills on this important topic that so many underestimate. Feel free to forward them to this site, my Business Email Etiquette Blog or use any of the information on either site in your efforts. HTH!