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BlackBerry @ Work: The Decline of Manners
By Randy | June 27, 2009
I thought this was an interesting post from the New York Times online:
To the Editor:
I am an executive coach who is working with professionals who are trying to either keep their jobs or find new jobs in this difficult economy. You made some interesting observations in “At Meetings, It’s Mind Your BlackBerry or Mind Your Manners†(front page, June 22).
The practice of using a BlackBerry or other electronic device in business meetings is part of a larger issue — the loss of politeness and manners in a 24/7 business environment.
I was told by a client, who is a former board member of a large cosmetics company and now a venture capitalist, that she had decided to refuse to help fellow alumni from her prestigious university. When I asked why, she explained how over an 18-month period, she had gone out of her way to help six alumni network into new jobs. In response to all her efforts, not a single one took the time to thank her.
This is a glaring example of how politeness and manners seem to have gone the way of the dinosaurs.
American businesspeople who forget common rules of courtesy and politeness can completely destroy a business relationship overseas. For instance, Japanese and Italian business cultures will not tolerate the rudeness that is unfortunately pervading the American workplace.
Paul Bernard
New York, June 24, 2009
Topics: Cell Phone Etiquette, E-Mail Etiquette, Etiquette in Public Places, Workplace Manners | No Comments »
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