To be pissed off with a rude email.

[Wfhalone]

I am a junior in my team. Our work is checked by our manager before work goes out or emails are sent. I had a query which I wasn't sure about and a colleague said check with x for their opinion. I sent them and they replied asking for more some more info. I found further info which I believed to be correct which was put into an email and reviewed by a colleague.
I assume this has turned out to the wrong info (which is actually no big deal really) given I've had a really patronising reply from said person basically saying has anyone looked at what you sent me or have you even discussed this with anyone... Making me sound totally thick and like I just decided to do this off my own bat. They haven't actually said it's not the right thing but I assume so from their reply.

AIBU to tell them to mind their tone in future? 😠

Telling a collegue to mind their tone in future is never going to be a good move

Tone is difficult to read and write in emails. I suggest you just answer the question and be polite about it. Don't assume they mean something they haven't said.

You need to reply and say so and so checked it and you'd like clarification as to what the issue is so you can be sure that it doesn't happen again.

Don’t reply in the way you suggest or would like to. Emails are virtually permanent, or accessible for a long time and you are junior. Be scrupulously polite and friendly-always. If there’s a complaint, about anything in the future, you do not will not want your email to form part of that. Thank this person for their time. Explain that yes the email was checked and it was suggested to you that you should ask this person for their opinion. Leave it at that. Bad luck. It’s not you xx

Don’t tell them to mind their tone, don’t let them get to you. Some people are rude and don’t sugar coat emails.

Reply factually and be to the point and tell them, Yes, it has been checked and discussed as per process. Ask them politely if it’s wrong and what else is needed etc

You could even say, I’m assuming form your response that this is incorrect and put a smiley face if you want to be passive aggressive 🤣🤣

CC the person in that checked it, it’s their responsibility also.

The tone of emails is very easy to misinterpret. Last night as I was going to bed I read a newly arrived email and judged it as being arrogant. This morning I read it again and it's actually friendly and appreciative. Whatever, do not send an email telling a member of staff who is senior to you to watch their tone as that won't be misinterpreted at all and you'll be creating future problems for yourself.

Please do not put smiley faces in work emails where someone has pointed out there is a fault. It says you don't take it seriously. Be polite and professional.

If you think even for a second that it’s a good idea to tell them to mind their tone, then the job probably isn’t for you tbh.

Didn’t you say you are a junior in your team? It’s not up to you to set the tone. Get over yourself and knuckle down and gain knowledge - that way you won’t need to ask other people for help. Mind your tone indeed! 😂

I'd feel annoyed about that too, it's not a very nice email and you DID actually check with colleague. However, I'd just answer in a factual way as if they'd sent a normal email, laying out where I'd found the info and that colleague had checked it before sending and then ask for clarification on the issues or what process you should follow next time.

ETA it actually sounds like something they dashed off while feeling a bit pissed off (about this or other issues or life in general - who knows?!) and a normal response from you might make them feel a bit sheepish about that.

I'm junior in my team, by which I meant that my work is checked before issuing. This person isn't within my team.
Whilst I definitely won't call them up on their tone because at the end of the day that says more about them than me, what they were sent has literally zero impact on anything. It was just to get their opinion on something, in which case it is more likely to have been their job to find the information and give me the correct response.
Realistically all they had to say was I don't think that is necessarily the right information with regards to this not did anyone even check this.

I shall just quietly seethe and bite my tongue.

I would simply reply factually and say yes this information has come from xyz source and such a person has had input, and I’d copy those people in and suggest a call to discuss the discrepancy.

Well no it does impact them. You wouldn’t believe the amount of daft queries I get in a day which just waste my time - I don’t have time to waste. Pointing out the wrong info was sent isn’t rude OP. You need to get over yourself.

what they were sent has literally zero impact on anything.

Apart from their time of course.

Either way just reply with ‘Yes, someone did check it’ 🤷‍♀️

This is one of the issues of working from home alone (your username)

Junior team members are sitting at home without any proper training, structure, guidance. These questions should be dealt with in person not via email with everyone sitting around "seething"

Just reply and say yes I have discussed with X who told me to email you. Problem solved.

I wouldn't tell them to check their tone but I would cc in your email correcting their assumption all the people you'd like knowing that they've been rude to you

I've had a really patronising reply from said person basically saying has anyone looked at what you sent me or have you even discussed this with anyone... Making me sound totally thick and like I just decided to do this off my own bat. They haven't actually said it's not the right thing but I assume so from their reply.

Hi X,

Thanks for getting back - yes I reviewed the below with Y before sending. Am I right that the info may be incorrect/irrelevant to this situation/insert appropriate word?

I’ll follow up with my manager on it to fill my knowledge gap. Thanks for your help!

Regards,
Name

Their email sounds shitty but rise above it and keep them at arms length from now on. At the end of the day they’ve done you a favour showing you who they are. As you said it’s not important work, nobody’s going to die or lose money. Some people take their jobs way too seriously.

I completely agree.
Not to sound big headed but this is the only role where I've been treated and felt like a junior.
The reasons you have outlined are why I have such little confidence in anything I do and probably while this email has annoyed me so much.

I know if I had the office environment of previous jobs I'd be more content and confident.
It's not the environment for me and I'm looking for my way out.

I also get daft queries daily in my role. Difference is I am able to come across politely and with respect. I said the way they said it was rude not that they said it. There's a difference.

Is it possible that they think someone has given you poor advice/information, @Wfhalone, and they are peeved with them, not you?

none of us can comment without seeing the email. Just because you read it as rude doesn’t mean it was. Again, get over yourself.

Quite possibly from speaking with my colleague. They have also told me said person has form for this, so seems it isn't just me.

I'd avoid telling them to mind their tone. I've had similar interactions and more often than not, it's best to just say nothing. If something is in fact wrong, watch from the sidelines. Popcorn optional.

I think perhaps you need to step back and look at your own posts. You have taken issue with the way in which someone has phrased an email. You say you always respond ina polite and respectful manner to “daft questions “, do other people agree? From the general tone of your comments on this thread you come over as quite self important and patronising. You say a colleague has said the person “ has form” it sounds as though you have been gossiping. I would be worried having someone on my team who takes such an affront to being asked if something has been checked and who seems to think they can dictate how other team members respond to emails.