Unprofessional

[Kearney]

I am a 'professional'. The organisation I work for is 'heavily invested in IT' but the systems are clunky and frustrating to navigate. They are not intuitive. The organisation has no process map or instruction manual so employees are reliant on memory or seeking advice. I asked a senior 'professional' in my multidisciplinary team in a different strand a question via email with regard to how a particular process worked. Senior wrote back, did not answer my question and told me that I was 'unprofessional' and was 'surprised' by my attitude and behaviour. I simply wrote an email seeing advice, guidance and clarity regarding a particular process. I have read and re-read my question and I cannot see how it could be interpreted as being unprofessional.
I am incandescent with rage by senior's response. I am also upset and surprised by my own reaction. I simply want to get a job done, and not let the people reliant on me down. I need to do something about this but I'm not sure what. Any advice much appreciated.

Difficult to comment without seeing your email and the tone in which it was written ...

Sounds like a breakdown in communication - email can do that - I’d advise you to talk directly to them

Is this in the NHS by any chance?

I can’t see what is unprofessional about asking for advice, surely what would be unprofessional would be to forge ahead without really knowing what you’re doing and potential causing more problems than you’re solving.

Can you run it by your line-manager, assuming not the same person? Or would that make it worse, depending on the culture of your organisation and the personality of line-manager. I agree, if we had a bit more info, without being outing, we would be better-placed to comment.

It’s an odd reaction, I’m not surprised you’re annoyed. Is there a process your supposed to follow to get advice then, and you’ve circumvented it? Trying to understand why you’d get that reaction.
Also how is a new person supposed to learn a process without any written procedures or manuals?

If your query was sent to a specific Manager and could have been perceived by them as a slight or criticism of them personally (if it was their role remit or domain of responsibility) then their response was not surprisingly a bit defensive especially doing it by email as it gives the perception that you've formalised your complaint. If you can see it from their pov it might help to understand why they responded that way even if you don't agree with their points.

It might have been better to book 30 mins in his calendar to talk through what you needed.

Email can be a good tool to confirm or formalise something or to send a quick piece of info to a group of people. It isn't good for expressing frustration as it's always open to misinterpretation

It sounds like you are lacking training if you are finding a computer system confusing but it begs the question as the why you have access to a system without the right training. I would have thought your line manager should be responsible for resolving that. Are you new in role?

I've been told I'm much too blunt in emails so always write and review before sending. I normally end up adding in the salutations, please and thanks that I left out the first time around.

Not helped by the fact that I often write in vaguely incomplete sentences.....

This is so vague that I cannot give a meaningful response.

This must be the NHS. I work as HCP and the NHS system is fit for nothing and your manager sounds like they would fit into the NHS management model.

Forward email chain to his senior and ask what you did wrong? State that you clearly
Can’t ask the person directly as they are unreasonable ( or words to that effect). Some people just respond defensively when they don’t know the answer to something and that fact is causing them to be snotty.

Or your own manager and state that as your support you hope they will deal with this appropriately...

I would approach my manager for advice.

It's possible that your question was interpreted as an 'ARE YOU DOING YOUR JOB PROPERLY OR NOT, PROVE IT' email, particularly if it concentrates upon shortcomings.

I would reply, apologising for my email giving any impression that you were criticising and that you were asking for their expertise so that you can achieve a/b/c. If it's relevant, refer directly to the specific case, so they can see it's for a purpose, rather than the sort of fishing for shit exercises some managers indulge in when they haven't got enough evidence for their appraisal folder.

If it is the NHS, it is customary to be incredibly polite to consultants - they are in turn very polite to one another in communications, until somebody breaks that convention and all hell breaks loose - hence the 'disappointed' response. Ignoring it wouldn't help, but a diplomatic response will help smooth things over.

Personally, I far prefer the old school consultants' conventions than the middle managements' tendency to bark at people in person and email. Like 'Could you do this quickly, please?' and 'Have you been able to finish x? Could you let me know if you need anymore time, please?'' are exactly the same as 'DO IT NOW!' and 'HAVEN'T YOU DONE X YET? WHY NOT?' in all but expression.

Could you possibly post the email (with outing details removed of course)

I would hazard a guess that you came across as frustrated and making a point by asking

It sounds like your email might have been badly worded? Can you show it to us with any identifying info removed?

Did the email possibly read as if you were slagging off the systems and protocols in your workplace?
Because the reply is really odd!

I also thought this might be NHS!

Very strange reply. Unless you were maybe slagging off the systems in your email or used a lot of slang or swear words or something, which I'm sure you didn't. Otherwise, I have no idea!

Have you stepped outside accepted protocols by emailing them? It's a very strange response.

Based on the OP, you don’t communicate well. What is the point of your post ?

If it is to establish you have been misjudged? Then say so and provide the evidence to support your contention. Otherwise I’m inclined to agree you probably were unprofessional.

Have worked for different companies yes some systems are clunky but it is what it is. Unless you can afford to upgrade or replace it for them I would keep quiet.

Senior wrote back, did not answer my question and told me that I was 'unprofessional' and was 'surprised' by my attitude and behaviour.

It’s pretty obvious, I’d have thought.

Senior hasn’t a fucking clue either, so they immediately resort to the blame game, rather than admit, they don’t know, as that would make them feel foolish and they mustn’t lose face at any cost.

I simply wrote an email seeing advice, guidance and clarity regarding a particular process

This could come across as complaining or criticism in a passive-aggressive way, obviously we don't have the details to make a definitive judgement here or why you approached 'a different strand' of the team, but it does sound like implied criticism of the procedure. Or it could be as simple as the recipient having a bad day when they received it!

Only you know whether it was a bit of a dig at the system or a genuine request for guidance and you don't have to admit to either on here. Does the person have form for this kind of response?

Your language describing the IT systems at your work is highly critical but it isn’t technical which leads me to think you don’t actually know very much about IT systems. It can be very easy to criticise from a place of ignorance.

If that attitude of judgy ignorance came across in your email I am not surprised that the recipient was put out. I’d email them again, apologise for having offended them and try to reframe your request in a more professional manner. Unless you are 100% sure that you have nothing to apologise for, in which case just ask again without the apology.