We in the etiquette world are excited about National Business Etiquette Week (June 5 - 11). It gives us a chance to showcase what is new and exciting in the field of etiquette. This year's focus is on social media, text messaging and business e-mail.
Let's start with Facebook. Facebook is seen by all, and can be a great tool for mass communication. However, as with any form of communication, there are disadvantages. Without proper privacy protections, everybody - including a potential employer or client - can see what you post on your wall, and what your friends post. Facebook offers privacy settings, but these are often difficult to master, and not always fail-safe.
When putting together your Facebook page, keep in mind what you what to let people see. Project yourself in professional manner by keeping your page clean. It's OK to brag about yourself a bit, but always keep your page positive. Don't post a picture of yourself you would not want your mother to see, and don't let your friends do so either. Also, do not use language that you would not use in an interview.
The Library of Congress is collecting tweets to preserve them for posterity. This does not mean that they are looking at your tweets, but keep this in mind if you're in doubt about whether to send those 140-or-fewer characters. Always know who is following you, and consider making your account private. The same rules as to what to post on Facebook apply to Twitter.
Text messages and e-mails are some of the simplest things to use. They are great for that for "I forgot to pick up whatever, can you?" note, or to ask for assistance from the office when you're on the road. However, their ease of use and their original one-to-one nature has led some to rely on them a bit too heavily. Things best handled in a face-to-face meeting, or more traditional method of communication, are slowly, and unfortunately, being moved to e-mail and even text messaging.
Serious office business, such as performance evaluations, hiring and firing decisions and the like should be done in person if at all possible. Of course, legal concerns may prevent this from happening in all instances, but even then, consider whether the communication can be done personally, with a follow-up e-mail or letter. Remember, even if the form of electronic communication you've chosen isn't designed to be social, as Facebook and Twitter are, those messages can be relayed and republished in an instant to thousands of people.
On the topic of e-mail, here are some tips on how to properly compose and address one:
• Don't use all capital letters. This comes across as shouting and may elicit a response in a tone far more harsh than what you are expecting.
• Always use the subject line. This gives the recipient an idea of what is in the e-mail and how to prioritize the response time.
• Don't use flags that indicate the message is of high priority, unless it really is.
• E-mails aren't usually the best way to send thank you notes. These still should be handwritten, unless time is of the upmost essence, and you need to convey your thanks in rapid fashion.
• Finally, don't forward joke or chain e-mails to your entire address book. Consider whether the person about to receive the e-mail would really want it. What is funny to one person may be offensive to another, and not everyone in your contacts list shares the same political viewpoint you do. Chain e-mails are also notorious for inaccuracies.
For many, if not most, these suggestions are simply a reminder about how to use electronic communication and social media to their best advantage. However, even if you think your Facebook page is clean, take a few minutes to make sure, and keep an eye on it. Also, when composing an e-mail or text, pause before hitting the send button and consider if this message is something you'd be OK with the world knowing you sent. This may save some grief and miscommunication down the road.
Anne Ward is a certified by the protocol School of Washington as an etiquette and protocol educator and consultant. She lives in Juneau, and can be reached at 957-3583 or at abward@me.com. She is married to Charles Ward, the Deputy Managing Editor of the Juneau Empire, a sister publication to the Capital City Weekly.