This post is going in a slightly diff direction, & hopefully even deeper than the topic of ghosting I wrote abt months ago. Instead I’m talking abt how many: USE a non reply, as a communication vehicle for saying their “no,” as if it’s now a socially acceptable from of communication.
I often share that these posts come from my own experiences, in real time, & I just share observations in the hopes you can relate, hence: same here.
In Stories I mentioned we’re in the midst of filming this docuseries based on the topic of SameHere Stories & Science (more to come on that down the road). We have relationships w many athletes, which has made getting interviews w that group quite easy. Outside of sports (bc we ALLL have our “stuff” & need to show this is not an athlete-only topic), we’ve been so fortunate to be intro’d to – either the source (someone we’d want to interview), or their agent, or publicist, whomever.
These were connections one person away (we know X, they know Y, we’re directly connected with Y). So it’s not a cold connect at all.
In the space of pitching an idea – especially a sensitive one like MH story sharing, you have to cast a wide net, bc you’re only gonna end up w so many ppl (of public prominence), willing to be vulnerable. We’re asking for way beyond: a name, a label/disorder, an endorsement, like we see so often. We want ppl who’ll deeply share “their stuff” so others can relate.
So, we’re gonna get a lot of “No’s.”
The problem is, & this is in BUSINESS, where it’s a small world, ppl talk, & ya never know where you run into one another again, ppl think that just not replying is socially acceptable. I’m not talking to a first convo or email.
I’m talking deep in talks 3 or 4 times. Back & forth. Vetting taking place. Then, in very pragmatic ways, being nice & flat out asking: “it’s ok if it’s a no, but we’d need an answer X date”…& literally no reply.
This happens in biz, but it happens in personal life too. If someone gives a polite request for a response & even an out to take, have the decency to reply! We can be better to each other.
