Emails from concerned site visitors ask why they are not receiving responses to their emails. At a time when more folks are at home and not working than ever, what else do they have to do but reply to your emails?
Their emails are ignored and they do not like it. They think it is rude. And in some cases they are right.
Okay, first let’s look at the formal definition of “ignore”.
ig-nore: To refuse to pay attention to; disregard.
With the above in mind, if someone is not responding to your email, yes, technically you are being ignored. They are disregarding your communication. They have made the decision to not pay attention to your email.
It isn’t always personal…
In many cases the person you emailed isn’t sitting there thinking “I’m going to ignore them!”. They are living their life, dealing with their own concerns and challenges. Maybe they don’t want to burden you with that right now so it is easier to not respond.
The other side of the coin says “I’m too busy…”, “I don’t have to respond…” or even “Yes, I choose to ignore some people and don’t care if they like it or not!”. I actually had someone make that comment in regard to one of my articles on the topic.
Then there are those who are away from their computers. Or are dealing with difficult times and don’t feel like communicating. That’s pretty common right now.
So try to think beyond the fact that you want a reply before you assume why you don’t have that reply. It may not be about you.
Before getting upset, stop and ask yourself:
- Did I email the correct address?
- I wonder if they are okay?
- Could they be away from their computer?
- Are they on extended leave?
- Could my email have landed in the spam folder?
Be concerned about the right things…
Let’s say for this discussion that your emails are blatantly willfully ignored? Certainly that hurts. But we cannot control how others choose to act or prioritize. We can only respond to those decisions.
Time to select who is worthy of your concern. First of all, why be concerned about anyone who is too busy or does not care how they make us feel? The answer to that is don’t be concerned with people who treat you in this manner.
We live in an “all about me” culture. During difficult times we see the true nature of many people that we thought we knew well. Some disappoint while many others rise to the occasion and are there for others.
Choose Wisely
We never can know what another person is going through. Nor can we surmise the reasons for their actions or lack thereof. I prefer to always give the benefit of the doubt and not assume bad intentions. But, I know, that’s not always the case.
To those who don’t like being ignored, move on. Focus your efforts on and communicate with those who have the time and courtesy to respond to your communications.
For those who ignore with intent, know that by not taking the time to offer the courtesy of a response to those who email you will reflect your priorities. As a result, don’t be surprised if those you ignore decide to return the favor.