Don’t Take it Personally
• When receiving a condescending email, it’s important not to take it personally. Remind yourself that the tone likely says more about the sender than it does about you or your work.
Take a Breath Before Responding
• It’s natural to feel defensive or angry when receiving a rude email. But these reactions often lead to unproductive responses. Take a few deep breaths to clear your head before crafting your reply.
Focus on the Facts
• Stick to the facts and issues at hand in your response. Don’t get dragged into an emotional tit-for-tat exchange. Calmly restate your position supported by evidence.
Be Constructive
• While setting the record straight, also look for opportunities to find common ground or resolve issues constructively. This can help diffuse tension and lead to better outcomes.
Maintain Professionalism
• However they communicate with you, always take the high road and respond professionally. Making character judgments or reacting defensively tends to escalate conflicts.
Assert Yourself Respectfully
• Be confident and self-assured, not combative. Clearly state if a communication seems inappropriate, but avoid accusatory language. Polite assertiveness commands more respect.
• Ultimately, maintaining composure and asserting yourself in a calm, factual, solution-oriented manner allows you to stand your ground while taking control of the conversation.
The free Chrome extension superReply helps compose thoughtful responses by suggesting relevant talking points to address issues professionally and productively – taking the stress out of difficult emails.
