Suck a little humor for suck a wonderful weekend – one suck office joke!

I narrated one hilarious incident to my friend.

This happened in my office over chain of emails that was circulated among us.

So the thing is, we have a culture to reply to the email sent by any team member who is sharing about the eventful or successful outcome of some project he or she is working on.

This is awesome as it encourages each one of us to look from our perspective towards what we could achieve.

So, while everyone replied, this team member too replied in gusto but that really did not go well! See screenshot!

When I was pointed to this email, for the next 4 hours, I and my colleague had some serious abs exercise (laughter can help you tone your abs!).

While I was regaining from this episode, I reached out to this team member immediately.

I replied stating I was dumbstruck with the words which were used and the expressions did not go very well with the scenario. I inquired further whether the person was intending to write “awe-struck” but missed t and r?

Pin-drop silence, no further comments came! It was like the silence when you give in respect of one’s loss (here the loss of important alphabetical members in “Struck”).

Finally, the team member replied.

Now, my colleague could not stop ignoring but had some questions to be answered from further investigation-

1. Why not check your email before hitting the send button?
2. If you wrongly typed once, would you not be alarmed writing the same word again?
3. If you make a genuine error (we all do), you could have emailed back vehemently apologizing only with the said correction? Why justify?

Here are some suggestions that one can take-away from this incident:-

1. Use the right words or it can change the meaning of the context entirely. Watch out!
2. Communication with presence of mind may save you with unnecessary attention or embarrassment.
3. Before hitting the “Send” button, read many times and contemplate that you are  not differing from the meaning or expression originally had.
4. Colleagues should point out the mistake immediately if their mentors fail to. Mistakes can be rectified but repeated mistakes will cost you your reputation.
5. Don’t use the language translator blindly. Get help for some review on your draft!
6. You do not need to sound like a pro, use simple words.
7. In the attempt to apologize, do that with the right person.
8. Re-send the exact comments/reply you actually wanted to write instead of justifying your mistakes.

Having said all this, if you Google translate the above statement into Hindi, following this all will be at your own risk. Don’t blame me! I cautioned you already!

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