Reputation COUNTS

On today’s “Sunday Morning” program (CBS), the lead story was about “sexting.” This is the practice by teens who send messages that contain nude or semi-nude photos of themselves.  I wrote about this in April 2009 emphasizing how reputations can be ruined by sexting, particularly if the pictures are posted and employers see them.

But in today’ story, the focus was on the legal ramifications.  One young man, who had just turned 18 and forwarded photos of his ex-girlfriend, is now listed on the Florida’s Registry of Sexual Offenders, and will be for 20 years after his probation ends.  He can’t find a job and is not welcome at the local community college.

What a tragic waste.  We all need to repeatedly emphasize what the consequences will be of actions like sexting.  In addition to promoting the importance of academics, more time should be devoted to behaviors that can help or hurt a person in life and at work.

Tags: reputation by Marcia Hall
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To help colleagues, clients and potential clients know how to get in touch with you easily, include your contact information in your signature line so that it goes out with each email.

People may want to send your address, phone number or website to others they know.  If they can copy and paste it, they don’t have to recreate the content.  This is a simple and effective way to make life easier for someone else and has the added benefit of you receiving a possible referral.

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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For the last two weeks I had the great fortune of vacationing in France.  My husband and I traveled by car, train and the metro seeing all the sights we could and enjoying the wonderful food and wine.  I was interested to see the differences in culture and how people approached business. 

Not speaking French very well, I had been concerned before we left about how we would communicate and if we would come across as Americans who hadn’t bothered to learn the language.  Nearly everyone we encountered knew enough English to talk with us and was gracious as we attempted to decipher menus, directions or purchase souvenirs.

Since my interest is soft skills, I was very impressed by the skills they do particularly well.  Specifically, we were greeted with a smile when they said hello and heard a cheerful good-bye and thank you.  This was not the case when we traveled on the metro, but when entering an establishment, without fail they said, “Bonjour.”  When leaving it was “Au revoir” even if you didn’t buy anything.  In restaurants, we heard “Bon appétit.”  There were several “merci’s” from them as well as from us. 

I loved our trip but it is always great to come home.  I’d just like to see the common courtesies we experienced abroad being demonstrated more often in the United States.

Tags: Soft skills by Marcia Hall
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