Woke up to an email CC’d to 72 people to tell me my work is wrong

[CcWanker]

It literally just says

“This is WRONG Jane. WRONG”

I send out a report each week to all 72 people. One of those people has found an error and replied to all 72 with the above.

The report is literally a rundown of figures sent to me from different people which I collate into this report, it’s basically a weekly sitrep.

1. the error is so minor it makes no difference to anything
2. it isn’t my error it’s the error of the person who sent me that part of the report

This report goes out to exec level people all the way down to the bottom of the food chain. The person who has cc’d everyone is a very senior manager.

Do I respond to just her or everyone and make it clear it’s not my error?

@Bluesheep8

That is incorrect. The word “everyone” is singular - every ONE - so “...everyone double-checks...” is perfectly correct, in the same way that “The pupil double checks...” is correct.

Correct!

No, you are wrong. The phrase “Everyone double checks” is preceded by “Could I please ask that” which means it takes the subjunctive, which is “check” in the third person.

So yes to “The pupil double checks his homework”
But it is “I ask that every pupil double check his homework”.

Same with “require that” “order that” etc.

www.englishclub.com/grammar/subjunctive.htm

“I ask that you be here on time” is a clearer analagous example due to the irregular verb form. Nobody would say “I ask that you are here on time”.

@Bluesheep8

That is incorrect. The word “everyone” is singular - every ONE - so “...everyone double-checks...” is perfectly correct, in the same way that “The pupil double checks...” is correct.

Correct!

For all normal purposes the above is preferable. Lol

What do you mean “normal” @Janegrey333?

You appear to use the comma splice errors in another of your posts I have just viewed. Hmmmm.

Wtf 🤣🤣🤣

Next time the report is due, I'd find it very difficult not to say something along the lines of

'Please find attached the [Monthly Sales] Report for the period from 29th January to 28th February 2021, as collated from returns submitted by each regional office. Kind regards'

@Bluntness100

Sending it to ME! Not “myself”. FFS. Faux formality at its worse

Good Lord, calm down.

Why? It needs to STOP!

Fist bump @Nanny0gg

I would usually say 'everyone checks' but I do agree that 'everyone check' is technically correct in that context.

However, after writing 'everyone checks' I would change it back and forth several times, getting increasingly frustrated in the knowledge that whatever I wrote, someone would think it was wrong. Then I would stress-eat a grab bag of crisps and delete the whole paragraph.

@JesusInTheCabbageVan . It is easily avoided by writing “Could I please ask everyone to check...”

Of course, if the person you're emailing is in a mood to be awkward, they could reply: "Yes, of course you may ask me to check..."

Too late to be of any use, but 4am had the perfect advice on how to handle this.

I am quite surprised that so many people thought alternatives involving cc'ing all with anything other than a corrected report were appropriate or professional. Ditto, denying any responsibility for the accuracy of something you are issuing to 72 people. No one needs to know the specifics of how the report is compiled, nor do they care, I expect. Correcting the error promptly and Mai Taino g professionalism will make the best impression.

(As in - you're not yet asking them to check. You're just asking if you can ask...)

Jeez, thanks auto correct!

*maintaining

@geojellyfish

Jeez, thanks auto correct!

*maintaining

Mai Taino This is WRONG jellyfish. WRONG!

Correcting the error promptly and Mai Taino g professionalism will make the best impression.

Very aware of how I undermined my point somewhat, though at least I corrected it promptly!

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

Of course, if the person you're emailing is in a mood to be awkward, they could reply: "Yes, of course you may ask me to check..."

Yup. I have been known to mutter that to myself in response to that phraseology!

@geojellyfish

Very aware of how I undermined my point somewhat, though at least I corrected it promptly!

@NoSquirrels

I might reply with something like

Thanks for noting that, RudeManager.

Could I please ask that everyone double-checks their data before sending through as I collate what’s sent in to me but have no way of checking for accuracy of figures provided.

Many thanks,

Jane

This is what I'd advise too. I'd seriously also cc it to all 72 who got the original email.

Go with either @NoSquirrels or @4amWitchingHour. Both good replies. But might be worth speaking to your manager first laying out what has happened, that it doesn't seem appropriate but how you plan to address the issue i.e. get their buy-in and support.

Very well put!

It's worth noting senior managers are out high up, out of the way. So they can cause less damage. Also Worthing noting, this person probably suffers from imposter syndrome and has low self esteem. You've got to feel sorry for them, he/she also has no people skills. If you don't want to say it yourself tell them I said they are a and fill in as you see fit

This thread is two months old and people are still replying with suggestions