What do you do when a partner asks you to change your writing style? Do you adopt the changes, or continue with your old style?
I recently had a partner tell me I use too many question marks in my e-mails. I think there is truth to that, but I often do so to add a subtle softness to my e-mails. Instead of saying “I believe this is right,” I phrase some things as “I think that this is right, don’t you?”
I’ve always felt that makes me appear to be less abrasive. But maybe I’m too soft.
What do you do when you are confronted with this situation? My current take is to take every tip with a grain of salt. Perhaps I do use too many question marks. But will I completely stop using them? I don’t think so. I think it adds a quality of softness and genuineness that sometimes the legal profession is lacking. By including question marks, I’m inviting a response where someone otherwise might feel uncomfortable voicing their opinion.
What’s your take?