Context:
Your immediate supervisor, Andreas, a mid-career professional, recently lost his beloved Black
Labrador, Finn, to a sudden illness, and he is very upset. Not only was Finn a valued pet, he was
also a certified therapy dog Andreas took to assisted living and nursing homes to bring comfort
and joy to residents. One of Andreas’s office bookshelves displays pictures of Finn with his
biggest fans.
Andreas had Finn euthanized on Thursday morning and emailed your team to say he was taking
a personal day on Friday. One of your co-workers is circulating a card to send from the entire
department; however, you need to contact Andreas immediately because you are in the middle of
an important project, an analysis of current sustainability initiatives’ success and new
recommendations. You and Andreas have a high-stakes meeting to present the project to several
key executives on Tuesday.
Before you knew Andreas was taking a personal day, you had planned to stop by his office on
Friday morning to check in about the presentation the two of you will be delivering. You’ve
completed your section of the PowerPoint about the successes but are unable to perform the
advanced data analysis that Andreas has been doing for the recommendations. Andreas doesn’t
know how much work you’ve completed, and you don’t know how much the two of you will
need to collaborate to finalize the presentation.
It’s currently Thursday afternoon, and Andreas has not returned to the office. He is signed out of
your usual Teams chat, but you know he checks his email at regular intervals.
Task:
Email Andreas to let him know you sympathize with his loss and politely request information
about how he wants to prepare for the meeting. Be mindful of how you craft your subject line
and how you transition from your condolence to the request. Remember that Andreas is your
boss, and you have a professional relationship with him.
You may use details from the prompt in your message but must use your own words rather than
merely repeating the language above.
Subject: Sympathies and Request Regarding Project Presentation
Dear Andreas,
I hope this email finds you, albeit in a somber mood. I recently learned about Finn's sudden illness and his unfortunate passing, and I wanted to express my deepest sympathies to you during this difficult time. Finn was not only a cherished pet but also a remarkable therapy dog who brought great comfort and joy to the residents of assisted living and nursing homes. I can only imagine the impact he made on their lives, as well as yours.
I understand how important Finn was to you, and I recognize that your focus may currently be elsewhere. Therefore, please take all the time you need to process your loss and find solace. Your well-being is of utmost importance to me, both personally and professionally.
With regards to our upcoming high-stakes meeting on Tuesday, I would appreciate some guidance on how you would like to proceed. I have completed my section of the PowerPoint presentation, which highlights the successes of our current sustainability initiatives. However, I am unable to perform the advanced data analysis that you have been working on for the recommendations. Unfortunately, I am unaware of the progress you have made thus far, and it is crucial that we collaborate to finalize the presentation.
Whenever you feel ready, I kindly request your input on how we should proceed with the project. I want to ensure that we deliver a comprehensive and impactful presentation to the key executives. If there is any way I can assist you during this challenging time, please do not hesitate to let me know.
In the meantime, take care of yourself, Andreas. Your well-being matters to us all.
Warm regards,
[Your Name]