Is this Canberra’s quietest power move? The read receipt request
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Anyone who lived through the early internet remembers read receipts – that needy little box that appeared the instant you opened an email, demanding you to admit you’d read it.
While dated, the practice is still fairly common – and according to leadership coach, Dr Kim Vella, it’s a quirk that can quietly shape trust and the way a leader is perceived, even without them knowing it.
“Requesting a read receipt from certain people in certain circumstances is completely understandable,” says Kim. “For instance, if you’re engaged in a formal audit, a legal matter, misconduct processes, and so on. For compliance reasons, it makes sense.”
“However, using read receipts automatically or on an ongoing basis may appear to be more of an attempt at control than compliance. This is especially true if they’re being used as a substitute for something harder, like a difficult conversation. Or as a type of shield – perhaps due to fear of being blamed, or as proof that you’re trying to do your job.”
The trouble, Kim observes, is that using them continuously does little to address the underlying issues and a lot to undermine your leadership potential. Read receipts can become an excuse not to engage, and it’s in those moments that real leadership has the chance to shine through.
“You might think a read receipt is a genuine replacement for a conversation, though it isn’t. It’s just using micro-IT interventions in a way that avoids building trust, and that perpetuates distance,” she says.
“If you find yourself in a workplace where it feels unsafe to confirm whether an email has been read, or ask for a response, make expectations clear, or check in with your team, you need to ask why.”
Kim notes the implications of read receipts, and the best way to address them, depends on your level of leadership:
- Emerging leaders need to ask: Why do I do this? Who did I learn it from? Is it consistent with the type of leader I want to become?
- Mid-level leaders should ask: Is this really helping me navigate up and down the hierarchy or just sidestep the tougher questions? What kind of leader am I becoming?
- Enterprise leaders can ask: What is this telling me about the culture of the organisation I’m leading? How can I pay more attention to what’s rewarded or avoided here, and what people are signalling and why?
“Whether read receipts have become a habit of yours, or you notice them being used by your team, it’s time to have those deeper conversations,” says Kim.
“Real communication demands thought – knowing when to follow up, when to escalate, when to ignore. These are subtle leadership skills, but they can be learned and applied very effectively to help you become a more confident leader and build the leadership brand you aspire to.”
And while Kim believes that read receipts have a place, and can feel like a reasonable way to protect yourself in a complex system, she says that it’s important always keep in mind that leadership doesn’t happen in the outbox.
“It happens in real life. if you’re relying on this tool, think about the signal it’s sending to others. You’re stuck in a loop that might be eroding trust and your potential, and that’s a loop worth noticing.”
Take charge of your leadership journey with the Leadership Strategies Workshops – exclusively for public sector leaders. Learn more at Kim Vella Leadership.
