Musings on ‘REPLY ALL’
You have seen a fair share of emails that have gone awry due to the misuse of the "REPLY ALL" option. It's like a game of Jenga, one wrong move and the whole tower comes tumbling down. The same goes for email threads, one wrong "REPLY ALL" and the whole thread becomes a never-ending game of ping-pong. Yikes, what just happened?
Imagine you're at a party, and someone starts a conversation with you. You respond, and then someone else chimes in, and before you know it, the whole party is involved in your conversation. You can't escape, and you can't get a word in edgewise. One simple one-to-one conversation is hijacked and likely steered in a variety of different directions. That's what happens when someone misuses "REPLY ALL." Suddenly, you're stuck in an email thread with 20 other people, and your inbox is overflowing with messages that have little or nothing to do with you or, by now, the original topic.
Today’s example (and the rationale for this blog), an executive sent out a Congratulations note recognizing the contributions of one individual. A couple REPLY ALL’s joined in by adding their Congratulations. Then one REPLY ALL added after their Congratulations, “I’m on an airplane now to _______ (fill-in-the-blank).” Guess what the original conversation shifted to? You’ve seen it before and, unfortunately, you’ll see it again. Then there is the math: One email to eight people = 8 emails. Five subsequent REPLY ALLs now have created an additional 40 emails, even before the next round of discussion commences. [Someone is likely to find fault with my math …. It is entirely possible and warranted. Math was never my strong suit.]
It becomes then like a traffic jam. One car slows down, and suddenly the whole highway is backed up. That's what happens when someone misuses "REPLY ALL." One person sends an unnecessary message, and suddenly everyone else feels the need to respond. Before you know it, your inbox is gridlocked, and you're stuck sifting through emails that have nothing to do with you.
But why do people do it? Is it simple selfishness – it is all about me and my trip after all. Is it a lack of awareness? A momentary lapse in judgment? Is it a bad habit? Or is it something more insidious, like a desire to assert one's dominance over the email chain? Whatever the reason, the consequences are clear: lost productivity, wasted time, and a general sense of annoyance among your colleagues.
What can we do about it? For starters, we can all take a moment to think before we hit that REPLY ALL button. Ask yourself: is this message relevant to everyone on this email chain? Will it add value to the conversation? Or am I just adding to the noise? If the answer is the latter, then it's probably best to hit DELETE instead.
Another solution is to set clear guidelines for email communication within your organization. Establish rules around when to use REPLY ALL and when to use REPLY, and make sure everyone is aware of them. This can help prevent the spread of unnecessary emails and keep everyone on the same page.
Ultimately, the misuse of REPLY ALL is a problem that requires a collective effort to solve. We all have a responsibility to be mindful of our email habits and to respect our colleagues' time and attention. Let's work together to put an end to this email epidemic once and for all.
