Coworker told me to stop using 'I think' in emails and it sparked a whole debate at our station

So I had a conversation with my shift lieutenant last week. He said every time I write "I think we should..." in an email, it makes me sound unsure and weakens my point. He wants me to just state the recommendation flat out. But then I talked to another crew member who said softening language is better for teamwork, especially when you're newer and still learning. We ended up going back and forth for like 20 minutes. Which side do you lean on? Do you use confident language even if you might be wrong, or do you keep the humble tone to avoid sounding like a know-it-all?

2 comments

2 Comments

ivanlewis5d ago

Does your lieutenant actually read the full context of the email before the "I think" part, or is he just skimming and reacting to the tone of that one phrase?

taylorm895d ago

@ivanlewis bro i barely read the subject line before i hit send lmao