Part of the Voice I Almost Lost – Blog #18
by Alana Pierre Curry
There is a kind of communication that has quietly become common in professional spaces, and I can’t help but wonder: when did this become okay?
I’m talking about no response at all.
The unanswered email.
The ignored message.
The silence where acknowledgment should be.
Of course, not every message demands a lengthy reply. We all get flooded with emails, and not everything requires action. But when a direct question is asked… when a clear response is needed…when the respectful thing to do is to acknowledge someone’s time and effort—choosing silence is not neutral. It’s dismissive.
And in my eyes, it falls under disrespectful communication.
The “Flex” That Isn’t
Somewhere along the way, not responding has turned into a kind of flex. A way of signaling, “I’m too busy,” or “I’m too important to respond.”
But let’s be honest—silence is not leadership.
Silence is not strategy.
And silence is certainly not respect.
As leaders, our responsibility is not just to meet deadlines or hit targets. It is to model the kind of communication we want to see ripple throughout our teams. When we ignore, we teach others to ignore. When we dismiss, we give others permission to do the same.
Respect Is a Leadership Standard
- Respectful communication doesn’t take grand gestures.
- It’s answering the email—even with a brief, “Thanks, I’ll review and get back to you.”
- It’s acknowledging the message—even if you can’t act on it right away.
- It’s turning on your camera in a virtual meeting when it’s requested, or at the very least, offering a note in the chat: “Apologies, I’m unable to have my camera on today because…”
These small actions matter. They say, “I see you. Your time and your voice matter.”
What Leaders Should Remember
Being a leader is not just about holding authority—it is about setting tone.
Disrespectful communication erodes trust faster than almost anything else. A lack of response may seem small, but it compounds. It tells your team or professional contacts: “Don’t expect to be acknowledged here.”
And I don’t know about you, but that’s not the kind of culture I want to lead.
At the end of the day, communication is respect in action. Responding is not about being perfect—it’s about being present.
Because ignoring emails or messages doesn’t make you look busy.
It just makes you look like you’ve forgotten the basics of leadership.