вЂњOkayвЂќ reads as: Why donвЂ™t you crawl into a cave and die? вЂњGood jobвЂќ reads as: Congratulations, youвЂ™ve accomplished the bare minimum of what we pay you for. Similarly, omitting an exclamation point also transforms whatever youвЂ™re writing, by making it sound like you hate your co-workerвЂ™s guts. Adding an exclamation point, or two, or 15, transforms whatever youвЂ™re writing, by making it sound enthusiastic and fun.

Why? ItвЂ™s so easy, and it makes such a big difference. And while a lot of people already do this, others seem reluctant to adopt the practice. And even if they tell me that IвЂ™ve made a terrible mistake, or that IвЂ™m about to be let go, or that there have been more HR complaints about me pressuring everyone to get bangs, and this is my last warning to stop, seriously, the blow is softened by the fact that they used an exclamation point (!) and therefore I know they respect (and love?) me.Д®xclamation points - as well as adding letters, like вЂњheyyyyвЂќ, and casual repetitions, like вЂњhihiвЂќ and вЂњkkвЂќ - are the social lubricant of an office, cheery alterations that soften and smooth out online interactions with colleagues. Heartened by that sliver of punctuation, I prepare myself instead for what I believe will surely be a positive and productive conversation with a co-worker I respect (and love?). IвЂ™ve made a terrible mistake in one of my stories, or IвЂ™m about to be let go, or there have been more HR complaints about me pressuring everyone to get bangs, and this is my last warning to stop, seriously.Д«ut say I get a message from a co-worker that says: The greeting - short, blunt - makes me imagine that the other person is taking a deep, weary sigh before delivering a piece of awful news. Photo: Fred Lyon/The LIFE Images Collection/GettyДЇew things fill me with a greater sense of dread than getting a message from a co-worker that says:

Fallout 4 exclamation mark