Is earliest convenience passive aggressive?
Michele Kuphal
2025-08-02 13:54:15
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: 20
For better or worse, digital communication, whether it's through email or direct messages on platforms like Slack, don't let us see each other's immediate reactions — which is why we look for ways to politely express irritation. The key word is politely, but it isn't always interpreted that way. It's likely that you've used one of these phrases before without even realizing that it could be perceived as passive aggressive. Don't respond to messages or emails when you're angry or frustrated. Assume good intent. Show empathy and encouragement. Avoid digital ghosting. If you can answer in 60 seconds or less: Respond immediately. If it's a matter lacking urgency: Don't stress; block out time to follow up after at your convenience.
Anita Boyle
2025-07-24 09:13:27
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Earliest convenience is not necessarily about being polite, it is more about the sender wanting to clog up your inbox with unnecessary reminders and documents you already own. I do not just want to clog up your inbox with unnecessary reminders, I want to clog up your inbox with documents you already own. Feel free to cry at your desk at the earliest convenience. This phrase can be seen as a way of dumping something on someone without taking into account their current workload or priorities.
Nikita Osinski
2025-07-24 08:56:03
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It’s a cliché opening that can come across as passive-aggressive, so we recommend avoiding it in favor of a more direct opening like “We previously discussed …”
In a more personal context, you might encounter “just checking in” as part of a longer phrase such as “I’m just checking in to see how you’re doing.”
In this case, it’s not asking the other person to do anything but rather asking about their well-being (emotional or physical) in a friendly way.
Jonathon Bartell
2025-07-24 08:52:42
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I just received the most passive-aggressive email of my career.
Subject line: "Just a gentle reminder...":
I'm sure you're very busy, but...
Translation: Whatever you're doing can't possibly be more important than my request.
Nothing disarms passive-aggression like radical professionalism.
The sender has chosen violence, just with perfect punctuation.
Reply with facts only
Keep responses short
Document everything
Kill them with genuine kindness
Cory Block
2025-07-24 08:12:20
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: 11
I’m not exactly sure how I came across fairygodboss.com but I did and 10 Unprofessional Email Phrases That Are Ruining Your Reputation at Work sounded like it could be interesting to someone overly concerned with their reputation at work. Says fairygodboss.com: Many factors contribute to a hostile work environment including, office gossip, sexually- and culturally-offensive behavior and conduct that is NSFW. But to add to that list is another — often overlooked — contributor: the passive-aggressive email.
1. “I’m re-attaching for convenience” This phrase basically translates to, “I know you ignored it the first time, so I’m going to send it again to hold you accountable for actually opening it.” Unless you’re someone’s boss or manager, you probably shouldn’t convey this passive-aggression in writing.
“I’m re-attaching for convenience” is another one that is code for “are you dumb?” which many could argue is far more professional than typing out “are you dumb?” and hitting send.
Dameon Kutch
2025-07-24 06:06:26
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Passive aggressive behaviour is a frequent complaint in the workplace. It was coined by William Menninger, a colonel in the US army in 1945.
What people loathe so much about a passive-aggressive boss is the duplicity.
They present themselves as giving a kindly nudge in the right direction.
But they also make it clear that underneath it lurks a real threat.
But what is often more disquieting about a passive-aggressive boss is they have a knack for implying we are incompetent idiots who are not able to keep on top of our lives.
Think about an email asking you to look back at past correspondence, usually this implies your intelligence is so limited that you were not able to take in this precious information.
According to a recent survey by the software company Adobe, 25% of us loathe the phrase “not sure if you saw my last email”.
The nine most loathed phrases in emails all had one thing in common: passive aggression.
Stopping this kind of passive aggression might seem tough.
However, if you do have to ask someone to do something, then just come out with it.
Be polite, but be clear.
This will get rid of passivity that enrages people.
It will also likely to dispel the aggression that can fester in any relationship.
Sally O'Conner
2025-07-24 06:01:54
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: 25
At your earliest convenience is like one of the passive-aggressive phrases. Other passive-aggressive phrases are just to clarify, just circling back, as previously discussed, thanks for the input, just a few things, a friendly reminder, and at your earliest convenience. Younger workers say these messages sound aggressive, condescending and rude. For instance, per my last email reads to them as why didn’t you read it the first time. Hope this helps, means to never ask for anything again. Thank you for your feedback, is like saying your criticism is totally incorrect.
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