Polite way of asking my manager to read my email PROPERLY?

[Mls1984btc]

to all the clever peeps on mumsnet,

my manager has a tendency of scanning email content and reply according to what he thinks the content is, instead of what the content is. I had to quote my emails back multiple times to get him back on track.

I had this upcoming email which required his feedback, currently in draft. It is quite lengthy (necessary) but filled with information that he absolutely must know.I do appreciate that he got hundreds of emails every day but this lack of feedbacks plus short reply email to fob me off is getting to me.

All I want from him is to spend a good 5 minutes reading the email, then another 5 drafting the response.

Short of sitting down and go through the email with him (tempting), is there anything I should put on my email to grab his attention so that he will responds accordingly?

however this particular email is different. He will actually have to read it to understand what’s actually happening to feed that back to another team.

This is his problem not yours surely ?

As this is a particular issue, is it worth having a chat with him in person to let him know you need his lengthy input and you’ll send him the document about it?

Write shorter emails. If the whole thing can't be read on a mobile phone screen, do a meeting or a call instead.

Put the most important thing first
the send most important thing second
the third most important thing third…

think about what you want the recipient to know
and what you want them to do
always give timescales

use bullet points
keep sentences short
send your email five minutes after they start work

I work with someone who is very busy and just doesn't read emails properly. I make it clear in the subject what action is expected, such as "Please sign", "Please approve", etc. (not had to do "Please read in full" and keep it brief! If it's more complicated I call him on Teams and explain what's coming, etc.

Sorry but this is on you as well as him. It’s your job to communicate in a way that works for the recipient, and this isn’t working.

I have some dyslexic team members and clients. There is no point sending them a massive email- billet points or meeting. It’s not their fault, nor is it mine, but we have to work together to work out how to communicate.

You need to meet.

I ask my direct reports to send me a brief report summarising their work & progress eg task, progress, proposed timeline & input from me.

I read it before we meet, then we discuss.

It is often incredibly difficult to get people to use this format. They want to tell me every detail. But I don't need it, and I don't have time.

Equally; I am not a succinct emailer myself. I ask for meetings with my manager & prepare ahead so I can be too the point.

Emails are not a good medium in many cases.

With my clients that are crap at getting back to me with feedback or reading allllllll the words of emails etc - I add in UNIHOW.

unless I hear otherwise….

so unless I hear otherwise by X date and time I will use the above as your preferred copy/instructions/response.

that way it’s on them.

I informed them.
I told them when I needed a response by (normally give 3-5 working days if possible).
Im not waiting for them to learn to adult. UNIHOW is what stops me losing my shit with folks.

it’s taken some clients to miss the UnIHOw deadlines and me use something they didn’t respond about before they come to their senses when they realise I will just go ahead with whatever if they don’t step up.

good luck.

that is correct. I had to change my communication style so many times as I am never sure I hit the right note.

everybody want succinct and short but is not applicable for my job. All my written emails became the source documents the minute it was reviewed by the manager. This will then be verified by an external reviewer. And it is my fault if the reviewer does not comprehend why we choose to go down certain route. That’s why I tends to covered my back by being thorough as I am not in the same position as my boss. It is my project so even though you can argued that my manager signed it off, I will still be bearing the brunt if anything goes wrong.