Don’t Take it Personally
• When receiving a sarcastic email, it’s important not to take it personally. The sender may be having a bad day or dealing with other issues. Assume positive intent and don’t let it get to you.
Take a Breath Before Responding
• It’s easy to fire back a sarcastic reply when you feel attacked. But that tends to escalate tension. Take a few deep breaths to calm yourself before crafting a thoughtful response.
Respond Professionally
• Kill them with kindness. Reply professionally and address the content of their message, not the tone. Taking the high road diffuses the situation.
Clarify if Needed
• If you’re unsure if their message was meant to be sarcastic, politely ask for clarification. Give them the benefit of the doubt.
Redirect the Conversation
• If the sarcasm continues, redirect the conversation to focus on solving the problem at hand in a solutions-oriented way.
When All Else Fails, Walk Away
• If someone is committed to communicating disrespectfully with sarcasm, sometimes it’s best to politely disengage. You can’t control their behavior, only your response.
The free Chrome extension superReply takes the stress out of email by helping you craft thoughtful responses quickly. It’s the easiest way to handle difficult emails while maintaining professionalism. I highly recommend installing it!
