So, you'll be happy to know that i took your advice and decided i should tell the woman the error in her ways.
I drafted an email almost verbatim to what Sarah said. My manager just so happened to walk by before i sent it off so i asked her opinion because i was worried (I'm always worried about things like this) that i was being rude, too bold, or too assertive.
She read it and she said: "you're not being assertive enough. You have to tell her what you think in a way that doesn't ask for her approval. If she has a problem with the way you're doing things, then she can contact you."
I was shocked because i thought i was being too assertive, but this is what i wrote to her:
Hi X,
Please find attached to this email the second draft of the syllabus.
I noticed that you had made changes to the capitalization of some words in the titles. I have consulted with my colleagues who write collateral for publishing and along with my past experiences in writing and publishing event documents, it is not correct to capitalize words like "A", "As", "In", "To, "The" etc. The opposite is also true: The "major" (for lack of a better word) words in a title should be capitalized. Therefore, I did not make those changes.
When you have the other documents and information for the syllabus, just send it along and I'll insert it as quickly as I can.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Oh my gosh, i'm still shaking after hitting send...
I drafted an email almost verbatim to what Sarah said. My manager just so happened to walk by before i sent it off so i asked her opinion because i was worried (I'm always worried about things like this) that i was being rude, too bold, or too assertive.
She read it and she said: "you're not being assertive enough. You have to tell her what you think in a way that doesn't ask for her approval. If she has a problem with the way you're doing things, then she can contact you."
I was shocked because i thought i was being too assertive, but this is what i wrote to her:
Hi X,
Please find attached to this email the second draft of the syllabus.
I noticed that you had made changes to the capitalization of some words in the titles. I have consulted with my colleagues who write collateral for publishing and along with my past experiences in writing and publishing event documents, it is not correct to capitalize words like "A", "As", "In", "To, "The" etc. The opposite is also true: The "major" (for lack of a better word) words in a title should be capitalized. Therefore, I did not make those changes.
When you have the other documents and information for the syllabus, just send it along and I'll insert it as quickly as I can.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Oh my gosh, i'm still shaking after hitting send...
7 comments:
Good job!
I am such a chicken I would have just left it :-) You go girl ;-)
We actually capitalize prepositions (in titles) if they are part of a phrase, such as "in the box" or "in the chair" but for covers, design and asthetics come into play and, so it would seem to some, anything goes.
But gooooood job! You should be proud of you! No shaking!
That's a hard email to send. Good for you for having the guts to do it.
I think you worded it very nicely, it didn't sound harsh or rude...not too assertive that anyone would/could be offended. Good job. I think the fact that you consulted your boss just before it was sent alone makes it okay.
PS-I haven't had a chance to respond to your comment on my blog regarding the walk the walk post...I really thought about what you said...thanks.
I think you did great!! Way to go Roz!! Now you have to let us know when Ms. X responds!!
Where did you go?? Did the mean lady eat you??
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