Paying Due Respect in a Professional Setting

The following is something I wrote for a team of people I work for in a web software project. You could probably figure out what project with minimal detective work. This isn't anything like the first two things I wrote, however it's been awhile since I've posted anything on here, so I figure a less formal writeup wouldn't kill me.

Basically what I say here I feel can apply to almost any professional environment where there is a lot of online discussion where you do a lot of typing (such as on a message board).

Hello peers, I've noticed little things that get me a little discouraged with the occasional lack of manners and respect going around on the team boards.

First of all, if you want to be taken seriously, please type in comprehensible English. If you do not know English very well, that is understandable, but do try your best! I have seen some posts with so many typos that I literally feel like discrediting immediately anything said in the post because of the lack of effort that the poster put into their post. These are posts that come from people who I know can write in English with no problem. Frankly I find it rude to make a post with very poor grammar and several typos. Please read through what you are typing, I have seen some posts where I am sure that the poster didn't bother to even really look at the screen while they typed and never checked their post once.

Now I am a bit overly paranoid with my posts, often reading them 3 to 4 times over, but I don't expect people to be that careful.

The other thing is I expect everyone here to have the utmost regard for being completely respectful, even to a point where it seems almost comical. Truth is people can get sensitive over anything, and to avoid these problems it really does help to plaster your posts with phrases such as "With all due respect" ... "I appreciate your suggestions, however."

For a good example, think of a time where you may have said "There's no point in that." We all have done it. However as less harmful as you meant for that post to be, what you really are implying is that the person who made a suggestion made a very pointless and stupid suggestion. Now, you may actually think this, but you never want to imply such a thing. Hopefully the person with the suggestion is reasonable enough not to read too far into it, however, it could help to cover all grounds such as "I respect your opinion, and see why you could think that way, however I think your suggestion has two problems that you may have not thought about..."

Call me crazy but I would feel ten times better seeing something like this:

I respect your opinion about why we should add the "Awesome" mod to the default package, and understand your reasoning, but I think your suggestion has two issues..."

Over this:

"There is no point in adding the mod to the default install."

See my point? Please be extra careful to word your posts to be as respectful as feasibly possible as well as making an effort in writing in complete English sentences with proper grammar. Honestly it is a lot harder to read your post and understand it when it is filled with typos and lack of capital letters and punctuation, and I will just have to not take the post as serious as the ones where people took the time and effort to write properly and read through what they wrote at least once to make sure it read properly. Would you type like that in a resume? I would hope not, and the team boards here are a professional enough setting to not act like a 10 year old.

And a good example of me trying out the respect card when someone replied to what I wrote and claimed I was taking things too far with the grammar expectations:

Can you explain what you mean a little bit more? By no means am I trying to say it is a crime to have the occasional typos in a post, no one is perfect after all. What I mean is more when the quality of a post seems obsessively sub-standard for what I know the poster is capable of.

Also I respectfully challenge your claim that I am taking things too far with the basis that I am not mandating anything. I question your reasoning as what I state in my post are merely suggestions, not mandated rules that everyone has to follow. If I personally decide that I will not take posts as seriously when I have to make a huge effort to comprehend them, that is my decision. Quality pays off, trust me on this. There is also a difference between a post with a few small typos and a post with no structure or flow to it. By flow, I mean the ability to follow the train of thought.

I could have lashed out at the individual and called him "lazy" and "irresponsible," but from experience I know no good can come out of trying to outwit someone by throwing them insults. Instead I tried to reason enough with him while still remaining firm to my own opinions. There is a point where you do not wish to disqualify your views just to keep someone happy, but when doing so, I would suggest trying to as respectful as possible.