Q&A for How to Respond to Rude Email at Work

Just talk to them. That's really got to be the first step unless they're acting truly egregiously. Working through the issue with the person directly is always preferable to any other solution that involves other people getting involved.

It's possible that you're simply misinterpreting what's going on. I don't think very many people wake up every day and go, "I'm going to be rude today." Take a step back and consider the possibility that you're not acting on complete information or you're not aware what's going on there. They could also just have something going on in their personal life that's influencing their behavior.

It certainly could be. At the very least it's unprofessional. Review your employee handbook to see what the privacy policy is. Then report this behavior to the HR department or the manager's boss if necessary.

Thank your manager for clarifying his/her expectations. It is important not to lose your temper.

Most email programs have a number of tools available for layout. Select the text you want to align, look for the button that aligns the text and click it.

Be as professional as you can so you can stand up for yourself without offending the client.

Politely tell your manager that you were not rude to the customers. Wait until he cools off a bit if he's mad, because this may be due to stress. Also, think about the wording you used with the customers. Maybe you didn't mean to come off as rude, but you did. If so, explain this in a polite manner to your manager. I'm sure he'll understand.

Try to explain in a calm manner what you didn't do, and if that doesn't work, ask for proof of your "abusive email."

Just ignore it, and if it becomes a real problem, confront your boss about it.

It could be that it actually has been an ongoing issue, but that you were simply unaware of it because no one communicated with you. Apologize, if appropriate, and explain that you'd be happy to rectify the matter. Say also that you would have done so sooner, had this other manager brought the issue to your attention.

You did the right thing by letting your boss know that the employee was wasting time. I'm not sure how to answer the last question -- it's strange.

Take it in stride. Say, "Thank you for taking the time to evaluate my work. I appreciate your feedback and think some of these points are really helpful. I will try to take them into account going forward." Do not retaliate. It doesn't get you anywhere, and it legitimizes his role to criticize you. You can talk to your manager, too; in professional situations, giving feedback is reserved for the hierarchy. Same-level colleagues are not allowed to criticize each other; they must go to the manager, who must decide if and how to talk to you.

You should get more info, but you shouldn't push for it. Just do your own work, and let others know when their work will fit into yours. Just let this person know when you need it, and that's the end of it. If the deadline passes with no result, then you use the correct hierarchical channels to address this.

You don't have to dignify it with a response; you aren't obligated to explain yourself to this person if you don't want to. However, if you do wish to respond, tell your supervisor that you were hurt by the comments and feel the accusations made against you were untrue. Offer to talk in person about it if you really want to go above and beyond.

Just write back with something like: "Hi, I noticed you wrote to me in capitals last week. I wanted to let you know it's considered to be impolite to do this because it is a form of yelling in writing. Maybe check the CAPS key is off next time?".

Business is easy in that regard. If you are indeed obligated to report to her, then you must do so, and in your response to her snarky e-mails, you can say "I have been reporting to you as is my job, but I do not appreciate the tone of your e-mails." If you are not obligated to report to her, let her know that, put your direct superior in copy, and also include a line to point out that the tone of her e-mails is disrespectful.

Rudeness is not allowed; not in society in general, and especially not in a professional work environment. Whether it's an equal or a superior, this behavior is unacceptable, and management is expected to lead by example. Initially, I would respond with some sarcasm "Thank you for your polite and formal request, here is the info you asked for." That should get the message across. In today's business world, this behavior is ever less tolerated, so if it persists, address it specifically, clearly, and concisely. "Dear manager, kindly abstain from being rude." If that doesn't help, go higher up.

Avoid talking down to others. If a sentence needs to be ended with an exclamation point, change it. Avoid emotional charging.

You must both escalate and deescalate. "Thank you for your constructive criticism, I appreciate you taking the time to help me understand the areas where I can still grow and am motivated to learn more and continue to accumulate experience. Do you perhaps know of any useful courses I could take to further improve my skills?" But when you send it, put more managers in cc. The point is to turn the negativity around and use it as an opportunity to learn, while at the same time pointing out to this line manager that this rudeness is not appreciated. It's also illegal, or at the very least against most companies' policy.

Kill them with kindness should be your motto. Act extremely professional and keep it short and simple. Do not fall for her bait by replying in an even snarkier tone. Be polite because you will be doing your future self a favour. At the end of the day, you will be the better person and there will be a record of you behaving in an exemplary manner the entire time.