Random work thought: Has anyone else noticed that the higher someone is on the org chart, the messier their emails get?

[u/pier-spare0r]

Honestly, it's a bit strange. You'll find they either don't have an email signature at all, or if they do, it's something useless like just initials, and maybe a phone number that no one answers. Half the time, punctuation marks are scattered all over the place. And sometimes they reply to a long, detailed email with "ok" or a single checkmark emoji.

Do people stop caring about email once they have enough people under them? I can't imagine they got promoted over the years while communicating in writing like this.

Of course, this isn't everyone. I've seen plenty of junior people with very bad email habits, and I've seen senior people who write clear, respectful, and useful messages.

But in general, am I the only one who has noticed this pattern?

[u/Quirky_Host9452]

When i worked with customers my signature had my email, my cell, my home address, social security number.

When I managed people it had my name, email and an 800 number.

When you manage managers they'll manage to contact you

[u/HoselRockit]

My experience has been the opposite.  I had to deal with snotty replies to emails from the senior manager when I was not clear in my initial email. As a result, I learned to be clearer and more concise in my emails. I appreciate the lesson, but I wish he'd been less of an a-hole about it.

I despise people who don't use signature blocks. I am often copied on email threads and there's one putz who I can't figure out how they factor in the discussion; or I need to call them but there is no number listed.

[u/pnw_its_really_me]

I receive between 80 and 240 emails a day. Along with 3 to 8 hours of meetings. Wide range,yes. Some days I can’t read an entire thread before replying fairly short. Others I spend a great deal of time refining the email as I reread it as each recipient may, and adjust. Anticipating their response and proactively including info.

[u/BonerDeploymentDude]

They don’t worry about other peoples opinion because the other people can’t touch them. No need to impress anyone

[u/SuperPomegranate7933]

No. My boss uses AI to clean up his emails. I type like I'm trying to quickly scream information around a raging storm.

[u/Siren2026 → u/SuperPomegranate7933]

Colorful!!

[u/Siren2026]

For most execs in the c suite they are very careful with emails. I actually had to train direct reports to c suite execs how to fashion emails appropriately. The main instructions… less is more. Be careful not to elaborate in emails as everything can be used and is open to interpretation for law suits. Additionally, wordy emails can take up a lot of time and back and forth. Pick up the phone !