With coworkers like this, who needs to worry about office politics?
Ah, the maliciously CC’d email. It’s leaked like a plague into offices over the past decade. A coworker wants to burn you in front of the people that count, (or brag about something) so instead of addressing the issue like an adult, they send you an email that several key people are CC’d on. That way, they don’t feel like a tattletale but get the full satisfaction of ratting you out to your superiors.
It’s brutal.
It’s people of true moral character that are usually behind it. You know the email: “Hey Coworker Bob, great job on the piece. I took a quick look before we sent it to the printers and saw you signed it “Best regards” instead of “Sincerely” and that’s not our policy here. No biggie, but can you double-check next time?”
Sure, that sounds benign, and it’s probably warranted — when it was only directed at you. CC in half the staff and it becomes a game of malicious office one-upmanship.
Or, the suck-up-to-the-boss CC: “Hi Coworker Bob. Thanks for emailing that project to the client on time. I’m glad that we got it in on schedule. Good thing I put in all those extra hours on the weekend! Best regards, Betty.” That smelly Betty just wanted everyone to know she worked on the weekend, so she CC’d in her supervisor on the email. Awesome.
It’s a sad state of affairs, the malicious CC. If you want to be an office rat or shameless butt-kisser, at least to do it face to face. But that isn’t really their style, now is it?
On that note, check this out: “Misdirected layoffs email puts Carat on defensive”
And in response… “The upside to Carat’s layoffs email debacle”
KB
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about. This post spoke to me, KB.
Oh my god, this is so true.
p.s. Go Sumi!