When Your Manager Doesn’t Reply: How to Get Answers Without Chasing Them All Day

Have you ever asked your manager something—by email, WhatsApp, or Slack—and they simply didn’t reply ?Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

This is just one more of the challenges we face in our day-to-day work. We’re not talking about big projects or proposals, but those everyday questions you need answered to move forward… and that end up stuck in limbo.

As an Executive Assistant, this silence can block your work and create frustration. But there are ways to get answers without chasing them every 10 minutes or losing your cool.

This is often VERY frustrating, especially because in our position, even though we have a certain level of autonomy, there are some aspects where you absolutely NEED their confirmation. So, what can we do?

The first step is to understand why this might happen:

• They might not have seen the message.

• They might be prioritizing another urgent matter.

• Or they might not have the answer yet and are postponing.(real example): I asked in chat to confirm a time for a client meeting. They ignored me all day. It turned out they were waiting for the client to confirm before telling me anything.

To try to “avoid” this situation (although I’ll tell you now—it’s something you’d better get used to), we can ask more clearly.It’s not the same to say: “What should we do about the event?” as “I need to confirm today by 5:00 PM whether we should book room A or B for Thursday’s event.”

• Phrase the question so it’s clear what you need and by when.

• Use a closing format: “If I don’t get a reply by X time, I’ll assume Y.” This prevents bottlenecks.

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One thing that has worked very well for me is using an “emergency” channel. That way, when you contact your manager through it, they know it’s not a minor detail and you NEED a clear, urgent answer!

Another important point is to avoid bombarding them with questions throughout the day, because if you do, they won’t prioritize your messages. Try to group your questions (yes, I know, sometimes that’s not easy). Put them together and ask them in a single message or at an agreed time (for example, at the start of the day).

And finally, the most important thing is to remember that you’re not necessarily doing anything wrong. We often think our matters are the most important (and I’m not saying they aren’t), but it’s normal for the person we support to have a thousand things on their mind, to have read your message, and to be thinking about how to solve what you’ve brought up.

The key is to communicate precisely, choose the right channel, and establish habits that avoid constant chasing.

Remember: asking well is just as important as getting the answer.