Them: Hey Nick! How are you? Enjoying the summer?
Them: One small favour. That report you shared at the all-hands earlier? Can you add the timestamp column? It would be super helpful for my team.
Me: You clearly don't care about how I am doing and are only slipping into my DM to ask me for something, so just say it next time. Kthxbye.
Me (for real): No, because the timestamp column would be misleading here as it's not updated whenever the entity is updated via Ops.
This is the kind of exchange that I find irksome, because it's obvious that you are talking to me only to get what you want from me.
I don't trust people who do this. It's a signal to me that they are the kind of person who will say anything to get you to do things for them. Instead, I'd trust someone who cuts straight to the ask.
If you genuinely mean to ask someone "how are you" while at the same time have an ask, well, don't. Or at least flip the order.
Do this:
- Actual ask
- (done)
Or, if you must, do this:
- Actual ask
- How are you
Just don't do this:
- How are you
- Actual ask
I leave you with an example of what not to do...
