Show Posts
1
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Dealing with rude emails
« on: Mar 03, 2012, 03:50 pm »
I've been searching around the forums but haven't found anything specifically on this topic.
I need some help on how to deal with rude and inappropriate emails. I am a student stage manager at a University, and right now I'm working on a main stage production. In my department I'm used to getting emails with people complaining to me through email. But this show seems to be worse than usual. I'm getting complaints from faculty design advisors (who I am required to cc on any communication), designers, shop supervisors, and our TD, sometimes they complain about things that have nothing to do with them or their department. And all of them feel it is necessary to cc the entire production team, and sometimes unrelated faculty. From my point of view it feels as if they are trying to call me out, or put me on blast for mistakes I've made or they feel I am responsible for. And some have just been completely inappropriate. Here's an example of the types of emails I get. I've replaced sensetive information with italicized caps.
-----------------------------------------------
From: FACULTY COSTUME DESIGNER
To: STAGE MANAGER
Cc: ENTIRE PRODUCTION TEAM AND DEPARTMENT HEAD
STAGEMANAGER,
So, I'm here to take photos. All to find out, we're not taking photos tonight. I've received no notification at all. I don't have a rehearsal report from last night. There's no email or phone call letting me know it's been moved to tomorrow. There was no response to my message to you with my photo request saying it was moved. I don't have junk mail on this account, so I don't think it went there.
Do I sound pissed. I am. It would be best if you didn't respond.
-----------------------------------------------
In no way am I trying to say I did nothing wrong. The report did not get sent out, it got stuck in my outbox (server problems) and I was unaware. But I feel emails with this tone, and to everyone, are unnecessary and unprofessional, especially from faculty. And this is not a rare occurence, nor is it only this person.
My question is how would you deal with something like this?
I need some help on how to deal with rude and inappropriate emails. I am a student stage manager at a University, and right now I'm working on a main stage production. In my department I'm used to getting emails with people complaining to me through email. But this show seems to be worse than usual. I'm getting complaints from faculty design advisors (who I am required to cc on any communication), designers, shop supervisors, and our TD, sometimes they complain about things that have nothing to do with them or their department. And all of them feel it is necessary to cc the entire production team, and sometimes unrelated faculty. From my point of view it feels as if they are trying to call me out, or put me on blast for mistakes I've made or they feel I am responsible for. And some have just been completely inappropriate. Here's an example of the types of emails I get. I've replaced sensetive information with italicized caps.
-----------------------------------------------
From: FACULTY COSTUME DESIGNER
To: STAGE MANAGER
Cc: ENTIRE PRODUCTION TEAM AND DEPARTMENT HEAD
STAGEMANAGER,
So, I'm here to take photos. All to find out, we're not taking photos tonight. I've received no notification at all. I don't have a rehearsal report from last night. There's no email or phone call letting me know it's been moved to tomorrow. There was no response to my message to you with my photo request saying it was moved. I don't have junk mail on this account, so I don't think it went there.
Do I sound pissed. I am. It would be best if you didn't respond.
-----------------------------------------------
In no way am I trying to say I did nothing wrong. The report did not get sent out, it got stuck in my outbox (server problems) and I was unaware. But I feel emails with this tone, and to everyone, are unnecessary and unprofessional, especially from faculty. And this is not a rare occurence, nor is it only this person.
My question is how would you deal with something like this?