Thursday, May 6, 2010

Manners Online

Being polite in a digital world.To quote:
Be gracious. Being a good sport, even when others aren’t, will serve you well. It’s tempting to want to lash out at a rude comment, but resist. Doing so only brings you down to that person’s level. Strive to maintain a professional and open demeanor, even when those around you do not. Some other pointers:
  • Keep in mind that the written word doesn’t allow for tone of voice. It’s possible that the person did not intend for the comment to be rude.
  • Remember that social media is public. Anything you say on a LinkedIn discussion group, Facebook wall, etc. open for all to see.  Be professional at all times.
  • Cut people some slack.  We’re all still learning the “rules” for social media.  One person’s criteria for “friending” someone is another person’s personal rebuff.
Emily Post, whose name is synonymous with good manners, once said: “Etiquette is the science of living. It embraces ethics. It is honor.” Use this as a guiding principle in your social media use and you’ll build a personal brand for impeccable manners.  It won’t banish the boorish behavior of some colleagues, but it will ensure that your interactions are of the utmost professionalism.
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3 comments:

Julygirl said...

David Frost once said that we, through the media of Television, allow people into our homes that we would never invite in real life, and the same is somewhat true for social media. People SAY things to one another that they would never say face to face.

Anonymous said...

Terrific advice! I'd also add: always give others the benefit of a doubt because, yes, it is so true that tone of voice does not convey in text. Keepin this in mind would avert many misunderstandings online.

Anonymous said...

July girl, that is true-- I have talked to all sorts of people online that I most likely would never have spoken to in real life!