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Why no reply?

We all know how annoying it can be not to receive a reply to a well-intentioned email. The default is the person is probably 'busy'. Busy can mean many things, but it is just one of many non-mutually exclusive reasons for not receiving that awaited reply in timely fashion or at all. For example, the person is:

  • Organized, but feels that your email is low priority or irrelevant

  • Can’t cope with huge numbers of emails

  • Not looking at email as often as you think

  • Waiting for a reminder

  • It's the weekend, a holiday, or on vacation


  • Didn't realize that you are expecting a reply

  • Fears that you will just send (yet) another email

  • Avoids an escalating conflict or embarrassing misunderstanding

  • Feels somehow uneasy about content or can't come up with an adequate reply

  • Views your email as annoying, aggressive or inappropriate


  • Did receive the email, but was the unintended recipient

  • Did receive the email, but waiting on someone or something

  • Did reply, but you didn't receive the message


  • Didn't get the email - inadvertently sent to someone else

  • Didn't get the email - changed email address

  • Didn't get the email – stuck in sender mail-box; spammed, trashed; address


  • Does not want to seem too interested, or just wants to look cool

  • Thinks that you or your email are unimportant or irrelevant

  • Has ego issues, low empathy, or is just a plain asshole


  • Has poor eyesight

  • Server or Wi-Fi is down

  • Is dealing with health, personal or professional issues

  • Has retired or passed

Regardless of which of these, your expectations may just be (way) too high.


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