Reputation COUNTS

You may not be aware that optimism is celebrated during the month of March. While there are certainly many problems in the world, it is worth thinking about how positive you appear to others during trying times.  For example:

• Do you smile when you meet or greet people?
• Do you show enthusiasm for what you’re doing?
• Do you help others?
• Do you say thank you?

These simple actions create a perception about you as a person who is upbeat, friendly and nice to be around.   That is worth celebrating.

Tags: Attitude by Marcia Hall
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Most days you can read a story about a celebrity or sports figure who has been caught in some scandal or lapse in judgment.  Obviously, they have not heeded Warren Buffet’s advice who said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.  If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

Many people are not aware that simple behaviors can negatively affect how others perceive them.   For example, they might consistently arrive five to ten minutes late to appointments.  Maybe they rarely smile.  Perhaps they fail to follow through when an important client requests something of them.

It doesn’t take long to hurt your reputation, and it is not only famous people who could benefit from understanding this truth. 

Tags: reputation by Marcia Hall
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Lately I’ve been hearing stories about the competitive nature within some companies.  These people describe their workplace cultures with the words, “Everybody is out for themselves.”

An example is the employee who felt compelled to copy the boss when responding via email to a co-worker.  This co-worker previously took credit for an idea that wasn’t his and the employee wanted to make sure the boss knew where the idea came from. These employees have learned that individual contributions will be rewarded in some way; unfortunately, that type of workplace has a culture that pits one employee against another and discourages teamwork.

I once had a boss who said, “I wish all of you could be more like “Julie.”   What we ended up doing was talking about “Julie,” not trying to be more like her.

A consequence of this struggle is that employees lose sight of the fact that their efforts should be for the good of the company, not for personal gain.

Tags: Workplace culture by Marcia Hall
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I’ve just read an article about high school students texting in class.  One senior estimates he sends between 70-100 messages a day while his girl friend texts around 400.  While cell phones are not to be used in class, students find creative ways to do just that.

The teachers say it is a “constant battle” and that it is a sign of disrespect. This lack of respect was also noted by some commentators who observed our elected representatives twittering during President Obama’s speech to Congress.   The nonstop texting and twittering are even being called obsessive by some.

While texting may be fun and efficient, it is hard to get around the lack of respect employers have said they or their clients feel because of it.

Tags: Respect by Marcia Hall
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