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FROM THE FOUNDER
Non-responsiveness in professional settings can stem from various reasons but addressing it directly can improve communication. Those people who don’t respond
A t nearly 67, very little gets to me. I’m not as stressed out as I was when I was younger, nor am I nearly as easily upset or rattled. It truly is one of the benefits of aging. That said, if there is anything that does still get to me, it’s the people you reach out to – whether by phone, text, or email – who simply don’t respond.
Mark Zweig
When I say they don’t respond, I’m NOT talking about those you made an unsolicited proposal to – or a potential client you are aggressively trying to get something to. No, it’s the people you work with and for – and those who work for you – who simply don’t respond. These could be a business partner, your CEO, an old and well-established client, or a junior person who is a direct report. You make a suggestion, come up with an idea, or ask a question, and there is zero reaction. The young people call this non-response “ghosting.” I just call it frustrating. In any case, if you can identify with me here, how does it make you feel? First, let’s a take an honest look at why you could be getting a non-response. Sometimes it’s your fault, but
not always. Even though I would never deliberately do this to someone I cared about, here are some reasons I would guess for why certain people don’t respond: 1. They disagree with you. You may make a suggestion, proposal, or recommendation, or have an idea that you share. And the person you are sending it to doesn’t like the idea. So instead of telling you that and why, they just don’t respond. I guess they hope you will forget? Maybe you should privately ask the non-responder for a reaction if others were on the distribution for your original suggestion or recommendation. Maybe they don’t want to share why they disagree with your idea with everyone else but will reply to you individually.
See MARK ZWEIG, page 6
THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 30, 2024, ISSUE 1566
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