Help me settle this gender-based email etiquette issue
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Anonymous
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... so - I keep hearing that you aren't supposed to say things like
I examined the report and I am letting you know that my conclusions are XYZ. but instead Examined the report; conclusions are that XYZ In other words, eliminate the "I" and the "Me." But it seems like this sets up other people to take credit. And that happens a lot where I work. At the same time I don't want to look like a jerk or unprofessional. Thoughts? |
Anonymous
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Depending on where you are in the chain, the idea might be to let other people take credit. When I was starting out I was very frequently asked to do research and report back in the form of an email that could be sent by my superior further up the chain.
Now I'm at the stage where my emails get forwarded, so I'm still doing the grunt work but at least my name is attached to it. If all goes well, eventually I'll be passing underlings' efforts off as my own. The 'Merican Dream! |
Anonymous
| It seems unprofessional and casual. I've never heard I'm supposed to do this. Also, how is this gender based? |
Anonymous
| How is this gender based? |
Anonymous
| Gender based because women are constantly getting credit stolen from them, and are notorious for saying "we wrote the report" when in reality the woman wrote 95% of the report. And men are notorious for letting them get away with it, or taking advantage... |
Anonymous
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... whoops, pressed send.
Men are- stereotypically, of course - more like to say something like "we did this report together" when their "help" was telling the woman to do it. Exaggerating for the sake of effect, of course. |
Anonymous
OP here. TO be clear, my example was casual, but basically the idea is that you don't directly say you did XYZ even when you did. Can I get over this hangup and just say I, I, I all the time? |
Anonymous
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"I examined the report" is fine. The "I'm letting you know" sounds a little casual and also redundant. I would say - "I examined the report and the conclusions are etc."
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Anonymous
| Is the goal to aim for passive voice whenever it's possible and not weird? |
Anonymous
| Who did the work? |
Anonymous
| But if that is how EVERYONE in your office write their email, then no one is taking credit, correct? So NOT gender biased and all in your head? |
Anonymous
| Petty |
Anonymous
| "I examined the report and concluded that..." |
Anonymous
| Removing the subjects from all sentences is insane. Don't do this. |
Anonymous
| "I am letting you know." Really? Isn't it obvious? |