Reputation COUNTS

There is nothing that annoys me more than people who send me an email asking for some sort of help, I provide what I think they are looking for and ask for feedback so I can make necessary revisions, and then they either ignore my email or think it is fine to wait several days before responding.

What is amazing is that these requests were not initiated by me.  I find it frustrating and think that a delayed or no response shows a total lack of respect. 

When they finally reply, the excuse is often that they’ve been very busy.  Who isn’t busy these days?  I know there is a philosophy that you shouldn’t look at your emails too often or first thing in the morning so you can concentrate on what you need to do.  But what about those people who are waiting for you to respond?

I don’t think it is a good use of time to check your emails every few minutes because that can impact your productivity. However, sometime during the day, I believe it is necessary to scan your messages and see which ones need immediate attention.  Then answer, even if it is to say you need more time.  A quick 30-second note to say, “Thanks for contacting me.  I’ll get back to you with the information you need shortly” demonstrates your character.  But then, of course, you need to follow through!

I’d love to hear your experiences with people not responding to emails, or phone calls too.

Tags: Respect by Marcia Hall
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A month ago my husband and I went to the airport to come home from our niece’s wedding.   It had been a wonderful weekend and we hoped to fly home without any problems.

It turned out that bad weather caused a major delay.  In fact, it was almost four hours.  The lightning quickly passed and the sun came out again so we expected the plane to arrive shortly, but we sat there and kept waiting.

This type of delay is a stressful situation for everyone, no doubt about it.  But I was struck by the fact that there were few updates, so passengers were left to wonder what was happening.  Should you go for a bite to eat, or wait there?

If they had made announcements every 10 minutes or so, that could have helped the situation.  People just want to know something – even if there is no change or nothing is new.  After boarding the plane we sat on the runway for another 30 minutes.  Again, no updates.   A quick acknowledgment that they knew people were being inconvenienced and how sorry they were about it would have helped.  I think it is disrespectful to not acknowledge inconvenience, even when they are not at fault.

It’s a simple action to take.  I often wonder why this type of respect gets overlooked.

Tags: Attitude by Marcia Hall
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I often talk to employers about how they form impressions about their workers and job candidates.

One supervisor told me she actually looks out the window as potential employees walk into the building before their interviews.  She wants to know what their body language reveals.  If a person is shuffling along with his/her head staring at the ground, the supervisor assumes this candidate lacks confidence or initiative.

If, on the other hand, the person has a good stride and good posture, the supervisor has a positive first impression and wants to interview the candidate.

How has a person’s body language affected you?

Tags: Body Language by Marcia Hall
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A couple weeks ago I stopped in a grocery store to pick up some fruit.  As I started to pick out strawberries and raspberries, a store employee came up the produce aisle with some un-opened cartons.

I asked the employee, “Is the fruit in those cartons fresher than what is already out?”

He responded, “Why would you ask that?  Our fruit is always fresh.”

He then proceeded to tell me the produce in other stores is not nearly as good and that I should always shop there.

My reaction, as the customer, was that he could have simply answered yes or no and added a smile while he was at it.  I immediately formed a negative impression of him because of the tone of his response.  It was as if he hears that question all the time and can’t understand why anyone would ask it.

It may be true that he hears it a lot.  However, it was the first time I asked it, and a friendly response was all I was looking for.

I don’t go to this store often and his “attitude” makes me want to avoid him at all costs. 

Have you had a similar experience?  How would you have reacted?

This blog is all about workplace behavior, etiquette, what forms an impression and the choices people have.  The smallest actions can make a big difference, so we’ll explore many of them in the coming weeks.  Hope to hear from you.

Tags: Attitude by Marcia Hall
1 Comment »