[Closed] Co-workers who 'cc' bosses into emails with simple requests

Do what you would have done if he hadn't cced anyone.

Sign his email address up to a nice range of "mail order brides" websites.

At least it's a cc. I once discovered a colleague bcc-ing the boss.

I usually just reply, removing the cc'd folk that don't matter.

It is entirely possible that the cc was at his boss's request.

For me, that's an escalation event. I sometimes use that tactic if the person I am mailign is being obstructive or unresponsive to an assigned task, but otherwise, I deal with things myself.

[quote=Nobby ]It is entirely possible that the cc was at his boss's request.
That

Is it something your boss would see as a priority, if not park under the 'non-priority' requests...

Our American owners cc every ****er in the organisation no matter how trivial the subject. Their sense of self-importance is staggering.

If you want somebody to do something or seek their opinion just ask them no need to tell everyone else about it 🙄

Also entirely possible that the bosses have a filter that puts anything that they're CC'd on into a separate folder as they CBA wasting time wading through this sort of dross to find the things that are important.

Depends, I guess.

Some people are serial CC:ers. I get CC:ed into random guff all the time. Starts off with "can anyone help with xx?" and you end up with twenty emails where two people are having a protracted conversation.

In the situation you cite, it could be that one boss has asked him to ask you something, so the CC: is his way of saying "I've done that" and your boss is CC:ed to account for your time; could just be that they're being as arse too, ofc.

Depends how your company works, if someone else in another team wanted help from someone in my team I'd expect to know about it (email cc would be fine) if it would take an hour or more as we have timesheets and hours need to be accounted for (fortunately there's a couple of management bucket codes so my own STW time goes in those :p ).

Reply to his boss and just CC him in on it and continue to do so on all of your email exchanges relating to this matter.

It's probably because you have a reputation for not doing stuff 😆

In the situation you cite, it could be that one boss has asked him to ask you something, so the CC: is his way of saying "I've done that" and your boss is CC:ed to account for your time; could just be that they're being as arse too, ofc.

This is the most likely explanation, I just think its a very poor way to communicate - regardless of whose idea it was, all it has served to do is remove any goodwill I had in assisting this person with a simple, quick-to-resolve request. Its simply unfriendly.

It's probably because you have a reputation for not doing stuff

Sorry, what?

😀

Go and speak to him. Lean close and whisper in his ear that if he ever does that again, you'll cut his balls off.

It's the only proportionate response.

This has worked for me in the past especially as we all sat in the same room

As ever I am happy to help [insert name, although I am very surprised even shocked that you have had to email me and my boss to ask for my assistance with a routine task especially when I am in the office sat at my desk.

Some times it’s good to chat.

Best regards

I then asked my manager for a meeting to understand what was meant by the email?

The knob didn't do it again

[quote=2tyred ]
This is the most likely explanation, I just think its a very poor way to communicate - regardless of whose idea it was, all it has served to do is remove any goodwill I had in assisting this person with a simple, quick-to-resolve request. Its simply unfriendly.
A number of possible, and perfectly reasonable, explanations have been put forward. It's only "unfriendly" because that's how you want to see it.

cc'ing your boss in mundane trivial e-mails?

either your boss has asked for it to monitor what you're doing, or your colleague is insecure and trying to prove to your boss that they're actually doing something constructive. Or, your colleague's just a bit of a twit.

This is the type of scenario a 'punch in the face' was designed to resolve.

You missed the lol smiley at the end of that one.

The bloke who lives in the flat below has been complaining that the noise of me walking around in the mornings before work is 'ruining his life' and insisting that I have thicker carpets fitted.

He likes to cc everyone else in the building so that 'they are aware of the situation'. He gets quite aggressive and rude, he's a prize tool and others in the building have issue with him.

I just reply very politely to all the cc'd people and apologise for this bloke involving them unnecessarily, it winds him right up.

It's psychological warfare and he's winning.

I'd reply to all but address his question the ask Boss1/Boss2, do you need to be kept in the loop on this request?

Shows that you're on the ball while getting all passive aggressive on his ass

@ 2tyred - do you work with Kryton57? 😉

It's all part of the ritual game playing. What they're really doing by coying the boss in is saying "hey look how busy I am" and "look at me I've reached the dizzy heights of delegation", or even just "hey Mr boss you know I exist right?"

Ourmaninthenorth has the best advice.

never having worked in an office i have no idea what cc on an email means, if its derogatory, or a petty minded act of spite against somebody.

Advice required.

joao3v16 - Member

either your boss has asked for it to monitor what you're doing, or your colleague is insecure and trying to prove to your boss that they're actually doing something constructive. Or, your colleague's just a bit of a twit

Or he's overly full of his own importance.

Of course, the sensible response is to 'keep calm and carry on'.

We have a person at work who does exactly the same, copies in the boss for the most mundane of things. The other annoying thing he does (and probably inspired by the same state of mind) is to make a point of taking his lunch box up to the fridge in the rest room to coincide with when the boss is in his office each morning. Everyone else does it first thing before settling down at their workstation. He will hang around until the boss is in place then make a point of having a little banter/chat in passing. Without fail. The boss once said to me whilst this guy was on holiday 'thank god I don't have to put up with ----'s little chats every morning when he's on holiday'. Am I thinking about this too much... 😕 🙂

Ourmaninthenorth has the best advice.

I aim to please.

Hold on. Sorry, that's the poison dart advice for people who ask for things to be "sent to myself".

ourman's advice is sound - but wasn't it him that previously suggested telling them that you've got their name biro'd on your willy. Perhaps lean in close and say that instead/aswell ?

it's nearly lunchtime.
send an email to yourself asking yourself what you want for lunch.
cc him in.

What I would do instead of doing the task is come on a bike forum in work time complaining about colleagues. Always a winner.

I work on the premise that nobody needs to be cc'd. If they can't bring something to the party they don't even need to know about it. If someone is being difficult I would pick up the phone.

Failing that the boss would be in the "to" not cc'd.

As Onion says, the boss may want to know things are happening to time scales but not want to get involved.

Hence, i will request i am cc'd to things so i can make sure goals are reached.

I usually just reply, removing the cc'd folk that don't matter.

Sensible answer: Ask you boss in a sarcastic way if it's OK for you to do that mundane/routine task (face to face) that way you and your boss can share the knoweledge that the cc'r is a ****t.

Benign alternatives

1 - CC him in on every conversation/email you send just to make your point..
2 - just aks him why it was neccessary

Knobend answer:- wait till he goes to lunch and stick tacks on his chair

ourman's advice is sound - but wasn't it him that previously suggested telling them that you've got their name biro'd on your willy.

Much as I'd like to take the credit for that, I don't think I can.

I always use permanent marker.

[i]Depends how your company works, if someone else in another team wanted help from someone in my team I'd expect to know about it (email cc would be fine) if it would take an hour or more as we have timesheets and hours need to be accounted for[/i]

This is the situation at our place. Are you sure you're not being a bit oversensitive?

[i]Nobby - Member
@ 2tyred - do you work with Kryton57? [/i]

VGLOL!! (Very genuine LOL) 😀

I only CC in bosses if I feel I need visibility re the task/update I'm mailing about. I.e. someone isn't doing what they should be doing or someone higher up needs to make a call on whatever is at hand. Simples.

Sometimes its easier to do this than say to peers

Look: you have a history of non or poor delivery in this area, this is important

I know which I do 🙂

Ignore it, complete the request, and move on.

Person is probably just trying to get his/her 'name in the frame' (is it review time at work possibly?). Or possibly like peolpe have said, just being asked by the boss to do something.

I'd have a quick chat with your boss verbally to check it's okay to the work if you need to assign the time to some sort of budget key. Ask if they want to be kept in the loop and just reply to all back in a nice manner.

Personally I think you're getting too wound up about something little, but if you don't copy in their boss you run the risk of springing the 'trap' if there is one. Boss A - "Did 2tyred do that job I asked you to sort out?", Underling "No I don't think so, but let me look proactive and chase it up for you bossman. Oh, and can I have that 10% payrise this year?"....

toxicsoks - Member
Nobby - Member
@ 2tyred - do you work with Kryton57?

VGLOL!! (Very genuine LOL)

🙂 You might laugh, but in the scaenrio I descrined the other day, this has worked in my favor. Said person sent me and email cc'd to his boss and my boss basically saying "I need you to tell me how to do my own job, urgently"

😯

Here's my ill informed opinion

He is either a knob, and your boss will agree that he is a knob for CC'ing said boss.

Or said boss requested the CC (He may also be a knob)

Ha found out what CC means = carbon copy, obviously the one who is sending CC to your boss as well as you has few freinds, is insecure and needs to show others just what he is doing or done.Sad muppet he must be.

If he was working for me his name would imediately go to the top of the prat list.

Ha found out what CC means = carbon copy, obviously the one who is sending CC to your boss as well as you has few freinds, is insecure and needs to show others just what he is doing or done.Sad muppet he must be.

If he was working for me his name would imediately go to the top of the prat list.

IME, CC's are used;

a) to justify to colleagues / boss some work is being done

b) as a passive agressive move to tell YOUR boss I've asked his staff member to do something.

Generally I'd say both are a sign of insecurity and a lack of confidence, however depending on the scenario, people can use this as evidence that they have done as they've been asked (by cc'ing thier own boss)or that they can't do something becuase the person, not under thier authority says no (maybe legitamately) therefore forcing the person to want evidential data to support thier claim they couldn't progress due to someone else's agenda.

IME, CC's are used;
a) to justify to colleagues / boss some work is being done
b) as a passive agressive move to tell YOUR boss I've asked his staff member to do something.

Don't let it annoy you just do it back.

For instance, i get emails that start with my name only or some without any adress whatsoever but straight in to the text.

I always, always make sure I return the email in exactly the same style as the original.

Polite gets polite reply and vice-versa - simple.

how about pick up the phone or....this is really a bit left field but.... walk over and 'talk' to the person

[quote=mega ]how about pick up the phone or....this is really a bit left field but.... walk over and 'talk' to the person
how about....this is really a bit left field but....you read the post?

the colleague is located in a different city

gah all you duffers got me confused with the tales of people emailing each other sat it in the same room

pick up the phone, call them and wee down it

You're over reacting. Answer all enquiries in person.

My rule is the more people they cc in, the less likely it is to jump the queue.

This is well known in my project team now, so they tow the line.

tldr - chill, it could be innocent enough. The boss may have asked to be in CC or the boss needed to be aware.

CC is for info only, To: is for action or people directly involved.

i have worked, for a short time, a boss who wanted every email cc'ed to him.

Now emails get cc'ed if it contains something useful for them to be aware of, whether or not they asked, when they have explicitly asked to be copied in, and finally when asking nicely has failed to get something done, i will to cover my back cc the relevant managers in and leave it to them to deal with the politics.

Do reply all asking the douche bag how your glad he has his drinking under control, then ask he brings his boyfriend round for tea

there's a guy at our place who does this...

if he wants you to do something he emails you directly.

if you don't reply within an hour he then cc's in your boss asking if you've seen his earlier email and can tell him when you will do it.

if you still haven't don it the next day* he sends another email cc'ing his boss and your boss reminding everyone that he asked...

problems is, he's such an idiot he doesn't seem to know who my boss is so picks people vaguely in my area of the business (but not my dept) and more senior than me, but rarely my actual boss, making himself look even more of a tit than we already think he is.

*regardless of it's actual importance/priority

One of the PM's I'm currently doing work for is quite happy cc'ing loads of people when he asks stupid questions to which he has already been given the required information. So I take great pleasure in replying to all when pointing him to the information in a previous email, or explaining something in very simple terms that everyone else understood the first time.

One of the PM's I'm currently doing work for is quite happy cc'ing loads of people when he asks stupid questions to which he has already been given the required information. So I take great pleasure in replying to all when pointing him to the information in a previous email, or explaining something in very simple terms that everyone else understood the first time.

Maybe you have a reputation for not responding?

I sit directly opposite a guy who communicates only over email. Literally every question or query is sent by email. Muppet.

I work with one of these...every single simple message he sends me is cc'd to our boss.

He also called out our maintenance department today to investigate the source of a rather pleasant smell...

Context is everything here.

Not wanting to blow my own trumpet here, but I consider myself fairly helpful and willing to help others at work. So I do find it a bit insulting if people cc the world into their requests to me.

I don't tend to cc the world in unless I am getting nowhere with someone and they are holding up stuff that I need to get done and it looks like my fault. In fact, I still don't do this unless they're really getting on my tits - you can always forward sent messages to your boss to prove that you are chasing what you need.

It's a judgement call really - if you ring a call centre where they clearly just want to fob you off, asking for the name of the person you are speaking to often seems to upgrade their willingness to be helpful.

I sit directly opposite a guy who communicates only over email. Literally every question or query is sent by email. Muppet.

Oh god, I'd long for an office full of those.

Email I can answer at my leisure, and deal with in bulk. So, eg, if there's an outage, I can get on with fixing the problem and update people en masse as and when there's progress, rather than having to stop and answer the phone every five minutes to people who seem to think that preventing me from working with their inane babble will get the problem fixed faster.

Political BS. My boss got so fed up with people CCing him for no reason that he's just told us to stop. Good chap.

It's a judgement call really

This.

I'll sometimes CC: my boss in when I see something and think "ah, he needs to be made aware of this." Usually though, I'll tell him independently if there's such an issue. Day to day, he's better things to do than listening to reports from me every time the wind changes direction.

Never mind all this email protocol dick-swinging.

Has the sender had his balls cut off yet?

I'm a great believer in the simplest answer usually being the correct one- ergo, the guy who emailed you is a dick. Really don't think it's likely to be anything more complicated than that.

I'd probably just cc the unnecessary staff out, why waste their time.

We cc anyone involved, including bosses as they need to know which resources are doing what. That and the fact that pretty much everything needs to be logged and double checked for quality purposes but I suppose we are relatively rare in quality demands (one off products that have to work first time, cant be retrieved for repair and have to pass stringent tests on the way).

Missed pge 2, so sorry if already covered.

Reply to all -

"Happy to help. Lets discuss first thing tomorrow morning. I think this is very easy to sort out. So I would recommend not wasting boss/bosses time with copied emails. Lets just jointly provide them with the solution. I am sure they will appreciate that. Look forward to sorting this out tomorrow. Great idea!"

I suppose we are relatively rare in quality demands (one off products that have to work first time, cant be retrieved for repair and have to pass stringent tests on the way).

In many cases, the cc-ers are the ones doing a crap job and feel the need to pretend to their bosses. Good bosses know that! 😉 They (the cc-ers) are most likely pissing the bosses off more than you!

I can't believe there are three pages of genuine replies on this subject.
Colleague CCing in the Boss?
Let's go have a cry on the internet. 😥

Jesus H ****ing Christ, have you all got tits?
There's so much oestrogen in here I'm surprised you haven't all slid off your, no doubt orthopaedically correct, office chairs.

Get your waxed arses down the pub whilst you still have a chance.
🙄

😈 😉

Jesus H **** Christ, have you all got tits?

This is SRS BIZNIS!! This is exciting, manhood pumping, white knuckle stuff that clearly has to be discussed online.

I'm consistently bemused by some of the genuine threads on this site. "Which socks should I wear this morning" etc. and petty gripes about co workers.

OP, grow some balls, if it's an issue deal with it. If not, spare us the dreadful monotony of a constantly bumped chat thread about petty work disputes that an ovary gland would solve with more gusto.

I bet sbob cc'd that ^^ to Chipps.

I normaly cc the line manager if its a repeat request to a job not done.
Personally hate forwarded emails with FYI at the top.