The Digital World Has Consequences - Replace F with R
A gentleman worked his way up to Director, from a young age, at a large and successful European company. He started off working for the company for free, and proved his strengths through time and dedication. Fellow colleagues immensely respected him and valued his work. Well, just recently, one email cost him his job. One email.
As this gentleman responded to his colleagues in a “Reply All” email, he didn’t realize a client of his was CC'd in on the email – and, this client was the topic of conversation.
He instructed his colleagues how he would “deal” with this client, and how he would target his sale’s approaches, and he had no idea that hitting send would be a life-turning moment for him. And, this “client” was a biggie.
As quick as the email was sent, the consequences happened, and he was fired. All those years, working so very hard, climbing the ladder, all ended because of one email.
No one wishes the F word on a hardworking, dedicated individual, and that’s why it’s time to give a friendly reminder to everyone out there that the digital world has serious consequences. So, here are 5 quick reminders why you need to stop, breathe, and slow down. Replace F with R.
1.) Review
Work's fast. Phone calls are fast. Emails are fast. And guess what, mistakes are easy. Don’t forget to keep up with proficiency and professionalism. Review, review, review.
If you want to give yourself some peace of mind when you send your emails, apply a rule to defer your message by a couple of minutes, so should you realize you did something wrong in that email, you can fix it or delete it.
2.) Re-Think
Your emails aren’t really private. Should it be requested, there are circumstances where your messages can be seen by others. Do you have any emails you wouldn’t want shared with others? If yes, re-think the way you’re using your email.
3.) Request
Do you feel uneasy about a message, or a way to handle a situation with a client? If you’re even slightly uneasy, that’s a good enough reason to ask for senior advice. Maybe it’s even a case of having someone tailor your message so the intent of the message is delivered as wanted, without having those unsettling miscommunications.
4.) Remind
What do your social media platforms say about you? Does your LinkedIn say you’re super professional and a hard worker, but your Facebook suggests otherwise? Take the time to review your online information and remind yourself what the intent of your platforms are. If you need a reminder of some inappropriate content from years ago on your platforms, maybe use this App to help clean that up: http://www.simplewa.sh/facebook#
5.) Refresh
Just like your wardrobe, it’s good to refresh your platforms. If you’re no longer using a platform, get rid of it – Like the old trick of tossing clothes that have been left on the hangers for months. Maybe what was working for you last season isn’t this season, so refresh your look. What’s trending now? What represents you best? What makes you look and feel the greatest? Refresh your platforms.
Follow us @PFRecruiting, and Like us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/PeopleFirstRecruitment. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at: http://goo.gl/knNJ8k.