Corporate Communication Protocol: Step 8

Step 8: The Art of Passive-Aggressive Email Responses

Objective:

Craft a response that simultaneously conveys disinterest, annoyance, and a hint of veiled aggression.

The goal of Step 8 is to craft an email that says "I'm not really interested, but I'm also not really not interested, so let's just do it anyway."

Key takeaways:

• Use the phrase "That's a great idea, but..." followed by a lengthy explanation of why it's not actually a great idea.
• End the email with a sentence that implies you're doing the person a favor by even considering their suggestion.

Example Email:

From: [Your Name]

To: [Their Name]

Subject: Re: Your "Brilliant" Idea

Dear [Their Name],

That's a great idea, but have you considered the logistics? I mean, have you actually thought through the logistics? I'm not sure I've ever seen a project like that succeed without a team of experts in a 10-year development cycle. That said, I'm willing to humor you and take a look at the proposal, mainly because I'm not busy enough already and I'm pretty sure it won't actually happen, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

CC: [Their Manager]

Also, please let me know if you have any more "brilliant" ideas.