Yes you should RSVP! My boss and I get so aggravated when we say please respond with interest and few answer. It means I have to contact each individually and ask. Most will say I am not interested and I always think, how hard would it have been to say "Thank you for asking, but I am not interested (using their words is really ok)". I'd rather get a plain Yes or plain No than nothing. Especially for an event. It's worse if they were interested and didn't let me know! A headcount is being done so that you have "enough" of whatever it is you need, e.g. chairs, food, etc.

I know I shouldn't be offended, but it bothers me 100% when my mom asks me for my opinion and doesn't follow it. Anyone else, not all that much. I get wanting a range of opinions, while you may just choose an amalgamation or something else. I consider to be like thinking outloud. Just one friend where it does bother me. She'll ask an open-ended question at a table, not directing it, but sometimes shuts me down when I am talking. She didn't want my opinion, but the other person at the table. She shouldn't have asked openly if the question was private. And if it is private, she should keep it that way.

So in what context would someone ask your opinion? I have learned, don't ask on a board if you don't want A) the gamut and B) advice you didn't ask for. Which is also ok, as I've learned to take it with a grain of salt :) or just not ask. The board is also where I see people not even acknowledging some opinions and it doesn't bother me at all, as they were likely thinking outloud.

I think you should respond to an invitation. By not doing so the sender could think you have not received it due to a computer glitch, you have received it but are ignoring it, which is impolite.
I I think the greater issue here is that you assume you have to give an explanation when you say no. You don't, you can just say sorry but thanks for thinking about me.

Your feelings are your feelings and it's difficult for you not to feel offended when you think you're giving really good advice. But you need to keep these feelings in check and try to understand that the person took the advice that felt like for them at the time.

Yes, you should reply to the email.
Try not to be offended when people do not take your advice. Often they "ask around" - looking for the answer they like the best.

I think if the email actually says "let me know if you are interested" you clearly are asking for responses from interested people. Although I would respond either way because I think it is the right thing to do I can't fault those who don't respond because they are not interested.
As far as advise given and not taken--advise is just anothers take on your situation and I don't think the recipient of the advise is under any duty to accept it. JMO
Satine

I agree -

Regarding the email, I think the "Let me know if you're interested" is poorly worded. That implies that the only response needed is if you ARE interested. But - common courtesy would indicate, I believe, that an acknowledgement of the email and a reply, anyway.

Regarding someone taking your advice, well, my advice might not sit well with them. I'm assuming that they may be asking other people for advice, as well, and perhaps acting on whatever pieces of the various responses seems best to him/her. However, if I'm the only person they're asking, and they don't take my advice, well, I'm not offended. It's advice only, not a directive.

If an email (or even a snail mail for that matter) said "Please respond if interested" then I would respond only if interested and I don't thing that's bad manners at all. If the sender wanted an actual RSVP, wanted to know EITHER way, interested or not, then they should say "Please respond and let me know either way", or just "Please respond" or "RSVP please". Anything but saying ".... if you are interested".

I also don't get offended if someone asks my advice and doesn't take it. Asking for advice does not commit a person to following that advice. They are just looking for ideas really. Sometimes you ask and someone gives you really bad advice. You never know til you do ask.

Turning that around to, "Let me know if you are interested," makes it clear that only interested parties are invited to reply.

If you expect everyone to reply you could say, "Let me know whether you'd be interested or not."

I'll take that into consideration and likely use the wording chi. The problem arises if someone doesn't answer, as you are left with what ellendi said. Did they get it? An answer will make sure they know.

On another note, if someone asks my opinion/advice on something, and they don't take it, should I be offended?

I can't think of a single situation where someone should feel offended. Either you're offended or you're not. I've always felt lucky that it takes a lot to offend me.

if someone asks my opinion/advice on something, and they don't take it, should I be offended?

heck, no.

When someone asks my opinion, I give an honest one, and let go.

When I ask for advice Iam usually asking for an different perspective. It can be because I am unfamiliar with the situation, or can't get a handle on the person I need to deal with or my own feelings are keeping me from seeing the whole issue. it may not seem I am following specific advice but usually I find it helps me look at the situation differently to see better understand it, make sure I move forward feeling good about my part (hmm does that make sense) So we don't always see the impact our words make on others don't be too quick to assume they didn't take your advise they just may not use it as you assume they should.....

When people ask for an opinion/advice they are just wanting your perspective on a situation~~does not mean they will take it and you should not be offended. They just want to see how others see the situation.

As for the invite, it is worded odd~~to me. It seems casual, like they are just throwing it out there and IF you are interested let them know. If they truely want a head count they should phrase it differently.

Hmmmmmm I agree with Yogalady...maybe you need to word your emails better or differently...I think Yogalady hit the nail on the head...

I agree with Satine and Yogalady on both issues. If I got an E-mail "let me know if you are interested" I would probably respond even if I wasn't interested, but frankly would not feel obligated to respond. The messaging is poorly worded leaving the recipient to believe there is no need to reply if not interested.

As far as the advice part goes, no I would not be hurt if my advice was not used. The asking party simply wants to hear all possibilities and make up their own mind.

On the Invite question:

I know I'm in the minority because this has come up before - but I haven't changed my stance. I hate it when someone else's actions COMPEL me or GUILT me into taking similar action. I didn't ask you to invite me, so don't expect me to reply. Don't like that? Don't invite me.

Yes, I know I sound grouchy. I'm not really. I'm just not social.

If it says RSVP, Id' reply......

Advice: I think people are always looking for better solutions. You may not be the only one giving them advice.

As for the "are you interested" type of request - when working for a company, and it was sent department or company-wide, of course I replied.

But the wording does matter - "let me know if interested" is vastly different than a "sign up here"! I also do not feel obligated if a casual acquaintance sends such an email - don't clutter up my inbox!

As for the advice - I can't see getting worked up over it. Likely someone is just asking for input to see if they might have overlooked something.

I once asked my sister for advice on 2 different green paints. Her advice was "Oh, NO! I'd paint it blue". So much for advice - I had decided on green already. She already knew blue was out of the question, but it was HER favorite color. Your "advice" could be so far away from the questioner's viewpoint it's completely useless.

HA, Mary C! I am chuckling about you asking your sister which green paint and she said blue! Talk about missing the point! That just strikes me funny.

Cheerful1, just curious if you were the "inviter" or the "invitee" - meaning did you tell someone to let you know if they were interested in something or vice-versa? (Doesn't matter and none of my business, but just curious). I still say that it's easy enough to hit Reply and just say, not this time, but thanks for thinking of me. Easy peasy.

Now, if the invitation were to a big group of people, I feel differently. But if it were to 1 person only, or maybe a few, how is it an imposition to take 10 seconds as a courtesy to a friend? (Rhetorical question)