Looking for perspective on professional email etiquette...

[marriagehelpplease]

For 2 years, a senior manager has:

• Never addressed me by name in emails (just "Hi")
• Never used courtesies like "hope you have a good weekend"
• Kept communication minimal and basic

However, I just saw their email to a junior colleague where they:

• Used their name ("Hi [Name]")
• Added "hope this is ok"
• Wished them a nice weekend (in two years never done this?

For context - I'm more senior than the person, the report to me directly.

Am I reading too much into the difference in communication style?

Interested in others' professional opinions, especially from those in management positions.

And contra to what I just said, this is actually more true not I’ve thought about it some more.

I think I'm clearly looking too much into it perhaps. Some posters who said it's clear Theres a dislike and that definately wouldn't surprise me.

Although they're currently due for assessment of their role and I will have a decision to play in it and part of is about conduct so I find it odd given this, hence why I'm also trying to work out if it's an issue or not. As I want to be fair

I work with someone like this. Smiley face emojis and couldn't be more helpful to others, I get minimum text, often rudely phrased.

If - and when, as it has happened on a few occasions - they are pulled up for their rudeness, I make sure my messages are always completely polite and professional.

One day they will go too far...

Maybe they are more friendly with the other person or the other person has a different style when emailing them so they are just matching their tone. It's nothing to get worked up about.

but you're only comparing with this one email you saw, to one junior colleague. And assume they don't like you. How do they email to all other colleagues? Maybe they are also writing hi and being brief, and just being extra friendly to the junior colleague?

How somebody else addresses your team member in an email has absolutely no bearing on an appraisal of their performance.

You need to be very careful jealousy doesn’t cloud an objective assessment.

For 2 years, a senior manager has:

• Never addressed me by name in emails (just "Hi")
• Never used courtesies like "hope you have a good weekend"
• Kept communication minimal and basic

Sounds good and professional. I presume s/he respects you as a fellow professional and pays you the courtesy of assuming you understand that this is a business communication and 'Have a good weekend' and the other empty pleasantries one used when dealing with juniors aren't required.

When communicating with a junior the same manager may use a more 'friendly' and less businesslike style in order not to seem formidable or brusque.