Why the Silence? Reflections on Day 36

It's very late at night...or very early in the morning, depending on your perspective.

A thought crossed my mind as I reflected on the past 36 days of waiting for a response to a simple request.

Why the silence?

To be transparent, there have been a few responses along the way. Nextdoor Support initially communicated with me until I asked follow-up questions. @John T. Williams from Investor Relations responded after I mentioned filing complaints with the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, although I believe he is no longer with the company following an unrelated email mistake. NextDoor Service has also interacted through comments on LinkedIn.

But from others, including Jacob Chavis, the press team, and CEO Nirav Tolia, there has been no direct response.

That led me to ask myself a question—not because I know the answer, but because it's one possible explanation among many.

Do they see someone like me as simply not worth responding to?

Or is it something else?

Perhaps they're following company policy.

Perhaps they've been advised not to engage.

Perhaps they're overwhelmed with other priorities.

Perhaps they don't believe a response would change anything.

Perhaps they view me as a disruptor.

Or perhaps they simply don't know how to respond.

I don't know.

What I do know is the lesson I learned early in my career:

Treat the environmental engineer with the same respect you would give the Chief Executive Officer.

Titles change. Job descriptions change. Companies come and go. Respect shouldn't.

One of the best leaders I ever worked with told me that every interaction is an opportunity to reinforce a culture—or weaken it. Sometimes, a simple acknowledgment is all someone is looking for.

This post isn't about assuming motives. It's about asking whether responsiveness and respect should be part of a company's culture, regardless of who asks.

What do you think? When someone reaches out professionally, does every inquiry deserve at least an acknowledgment?

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.