There is nothing I hate more than emailing someone and not getting a response. It especially irritates me when that someone is a fellow PAO, a fellow communicator. Sometimes I joke that they could at least tell me to “shut up” or “F off,” but no response is unacceptable. It’s like a big “F you” for the work you put in to contact them, solve an issue, prepare and polish language for them, etc. After all, it does not take long to respond.
Have you ever received an email that says, “Did you get this?” It’s super annoying, but whose fault is it for this annoying email? Think about it.
One of my favorite journalism professors and one of the greatest teachers I ever encountered, the late and great Matt Duffy, told his students that they better be the last ones to respond to an email from him and that we needed to apply this to all of our communication because we are professional communicators. I took this to heart. Why wouldn’t I? This guy graded my papers and I was paying him to teach me stuff. I should listen.
Acknowledging that you received information, are working on something, etc. shows that you care. And guess what, that is half the battle, or sometimes more, in our career field.
How often have you heard from fellow staff officers that “the previous PAO did not seem to care”? Don’t be that PAO. Acknowledge receipt, communicate and take action. Plus, following up is another opportunity for your boss to see your name and how you contribute to the fight. It only takes a minute.
