How to reply to an “OK”?

Have you ever been in an uncomfortable situation where you poured your heart out or sent out a long and detailed message only to be cut down unceremoniously with a cold “Ok” ? Have you then sat there trying to piece together why you have been treated this way, while simultaneously worrying about the right way to respond to this show of disinterest? Well if you have, you will be happy to know that there are many more like yourself and therefore plenty of experience to learn off of. In this article we shall see How to reply to an “OK”?

From group messages to online dating sites, this two letter word is more common than one might realize. The general consensus is that this type of response is used in three different scenarios – an accepting “Ok”, a questioning “Ok?” or one that suggests disinterest. Hence when it comes to responding to these messages it is important to understand your reader and play your cards accordingly. For the purposes of our little study here, we will divide this into two scenarios: 

How to reply to an “OK”?

Work & Personal

 Work

Most companies today utilize informal methods to convey messages to and from its employees. Therefore proper etiquette while texting on social media websites could mean the difference between employment and unemployment. However the beauty of the problem is that both the employers and the employees are subject to this. For instance: An Employer may respond with a simple “Ok” when asked for permission, or use “Ok ?” to ensure that the message has been comprehended accurately. However it is often when the “Ok” is used following a detailed message, a report submission or other work related assignments that the employee is put into a paranoid frenzy, therefore :

  • AS AN EMPLOYEE , when faced with this response it is important to keep calm and approach this with a few responses that might help you communicate most effectively.
  1. Replying to an “Ok” that is in acceptance to your message is the easiest of the lot and can be responded to, with “Perfect”or “That’s great”.
  2. At the same time a positive response to an “Ok ?” can be  “Yes sir/ma’am” or     “ I’m on it” while a negative response could be a simple “I’m not so sure ” or “Can we take a rain check on that?”
  3. “Is there anything you’d like me to add” is a good way of understanding whether an ambiguous “Ok” was an unsatisfactory one or not and will often prompt a straight forward yes or no answer.
  • AS AN EMPLOYER  however,  a disgruntled “Ok” from your employee is not such a good sign and must be addressed immediately. Here one may use a : 
  1. Soft approach, where you may inquire with “Is something wrong ?” or  “Am I missing something ?” 
  2. Stern Approach, with “I would appreciate some enthusiasm”  

Personal

Whether it is speaking to a friend or a stranger you met online, “Ok” is often interpreted differently in different situations much like in a work scenario. However , in unofficial communication channels such as these , humor is a great way to tackle any awkwardness or uncertainty. For instance while interacting with :

A friend or someone close to you,

  1. You could never go wrong with versions of “Great”, “Cool”or “Okie dokie” while responding to a positive “Ok” or one that is in line with your message. 
  2. While being questioned with an “Ok ?” you may reply positively through “Definitely” , “Ofcourse” or keep it fresh with a “Hell yeah!”. However , when you need to disagree, responses like “ God no!”, or a more reserved “I’m not too comfortable with that” are good options.
  3. Finally as is often the case , when there is an out of context “Ok” or one that indicates some sort of discomfort, you can alway keep it lively with a casual “Wassup” or “Something wrong?”. You might also use phrases like “I’m sensing tension here” or a fun “So thats how its gonna be huh ?” 

A Stranger

  1. All of the same phrases from the work scenario and those from speaking to a close friend can be used while addressing an accepting “Ok” or even to respond both positively and negatively to an “Ok ?”. 
  2. However, when tackling a seemingly disinterested response , this needs a far more finessed approach. Be it a few minutes into a date or during casual text messaging an “Ok” often cuts conversations prematurely. To prevent this from happening it is always helpful to ask leading questions that cannot suffice with a simple “Ok”. At the same time when you are eventually faced with the word, some of the most fun and useful responses are “My back hurts from carrying this conversation” or a simple “You know it takes two to tango”. On some other occasions where “Ok” has been frequented far too many times by the other person, it is ok to take the “L”. Not all stories are fairy tales and you have to accept that.

Conclusion

Therefore, be it a professional setting or a casual one, tackling the different kinds of  “Ok” could really help build your skills as a social being. A perfectly executed response could be the difference between a casual conversation and one that blossoms into something more.  It is hence important to cater to the situation and contextualize each of your responses. Having said that, it is also important to remain confident and not over-think each of your responses because more times than not, a disgruntled “OK” is often a misunderstanding on your part. 

Frequently asked questions  

  1. How do I respond to an “Ok” from my crush after a long text, without sounding desperate?
  • More often than not, this is one of the toughest “Ok” situations to handle. It is always advisable in this scenario to keep calm. A funny line like “I can’t say that didn’t hurt” or “I’m gonna put that down to a busy schedule” is always a refreshing way to inform the person of your predicament with some wit. 
  1. What is the best response to an “OK” in work group chat?
  • When the response is in a work related group it is advisable to keep things a hundred percent professional but more importantly crisp and short. Since multiple messages are sent on the platform it is always beneficial to keep such messages to the point. An “ Ok” can therefore be positively replied to by “Thank you”, “That’s great “ and”Perfect “. At the same time an “Ok ?” may be addressed by “Sure” or a thumbs up emoji. However negative responses will require a little more elaboration, starting with “I’m sorry but I don’t think I will be able to do this”
  1. Is “Ok” a rude way to respond to a question?
  • While it may not be rude to reply with an “Ok” it is always advisable to extend your answer to a point where the reader does not feel any animosity whether you mean it or not. Additional words like “Great” and “Sure” will act as helping hands in this case.
  1. How do I respond to one word answers like OK while speaking to someone directly and not over text messages?
  • This is actually far easier to handle given that you are now able to utilize various non verbal signals that may spur on the conversation. You can pick up whether a person is interested in the conversation and through observation identify a way to gain their full focus. Methods differ from place to place and in most informal settings, one can wave their hand in front of the person’s face to get a response or even smile. However in professional settings it is advisable to stick to the earlier instructions and stay formal.