Stay Positive When Responding to Negative Emails

• When receiving a negative or critical email, avoid reacting hastily. Take a deep breath and don’t reply immediately. Give yourself time to process the email and respond thoughtfully.

• Seek to understand where the other person is coming from. Try to have empathy rather than getting defensive. There may be a simple misunderstanding or miscommunication underlying their frustration.

Use “I” Statements When Replying

• Use “I” statements to take ownership of your part in the situation. This makes you appear more accountable and less confrontational. For example, “I apologize this report wasn’t clear” rather than “Your feedback was unfair”.

Find Something Positive in the Email

• Even in a critical email, try to find some positive intent or kernel of constructive feedback. Building on even a small area of agreement can create goodwill and lead the conversation in a more positive direction.

Thank the Sender for Their Feedback

• Whatever the tone of the email, thank the sender for taking the time to provide feedback. This helps diffuse negative emotions and makes you appear gracious.

Clearly Explain Next Steps

• Conclude your reply by outlining any next steps or actions you will take to resolve the situation. This shows you take the feedback seriously and are working to improve things.

To take the stress out of replying to emails, install the free Chrome extension superReply. It provides templates to simplify the process and ensure you always strike the right tone.