“Any general
statement is like a check drawn on a bank. Its value depends on what is there
to meet it.”
-Ezra Pound
American poet and
critic who was a major figure of the early modernist movement.
(1885 – 1972)
How many times have you said “Did you get my email?” or “Did
you get my voicemail?” when running into someone after sending or leaving a
message? or how many times have you
heard “Did you get my email?” or “Did you get my voicemail?” from someone when
running into that person after s/he sent or left a message?
Either way, people can feel slighted and/or put on the spot. This type of inquiry typically leads to
excuses, explanations, and a lot of chatter that does not address the issue,
rather just answers the question posed.
If you are the one doing the asking, instead, please
consider changing that question to a statement. Greeting someone with a kind
“Hello” that is eventually followed by “You may or may not have received my email
and…”, or “You may or may not have heard my voicemail, and…”. This verbiage is kind, shares there was
previous communication, and doesn’t put someone on the spot. There will likely be no mention of whether or
not s/he read or listened to your message, and at that point, that’s okay, as
you can move to addressing the topic at hand rather the receipt of a previous
send.
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