Your company’s online presence is multifunctional: it can serve as a first impression for new or prospective clients; in addition, it keeps your existing partners, clients, shareholders, and any other relevant contacts connected to your business and updated on your current work. And if you want your company’s name known on the web, a website alone is not enough to make a mark. Using several social media platforms for professional promotion will allow you to share more information with a larger and more diverse audience. It will also enable you to actively engage with your users, more so than a website that does not accommodate feedback or posts from readers. Below are a few platforms you can use to maximize your company’s social media presence – with added tips for respectful conduct and content on the web.

Facebook

Even if you already have a personal account on Facebook, start a new page for your company. With a professional Facebook page, not only can you share information on your business and updates via news and photos, but you can also dialogue with your contacts. Users can post on the wall of your page, allowing you to respond directly on their posts. This is a great way to make connections in a more informal setting with business contacts. Also, Facebook pages will accommodate more than one administrator who can edit the page, enabling both you and your colleagues to keep tabs on the site.

Etiquette tip: Generally, Facebook is a casual and social forum – so if you do have a personal account, be sure to keep it distinct from your professional page. On your company page and status updates, don’t write about private life or update personal photos; instead, keep it strictly business-related.

Twitter

Since Twitter is a space for short updates only (each tweet is limited to 140 characters), it works well for sharing brief quotes, related facts, and relevant links. It also acts as a tool to keep your various social media platforms connected and to direct users to your other company pages: for example, you can program most blog sites to automatically tweet when a new article is posted; you can also have your Twitter feed as a sidebar on your website or blog homepage. In addition, dashboards such as HootSuite or Tweet Deck allow you to pre-load tweets and conveniently shrink long links, so that your company Twitter is active and presenting new information, even when you don’t have the time to update regularly.

Etiquette tip: Tweet often, but not constantly. Too many tweets can appear overwhelming and even attention-grabbing, and users may become annoyed when they see unlimited tweets from one source. You don’t want to risk losing followers!

Blogs

Blogs can be customized and designed to fit your company objectives. For example, if your company is visual or design-based, blogs like Tumblr have templates to streamline or arrange images in interesting formats. If your company’s product is content-based, platforms like WordPress or Blogspot can accommodate long texts, either written by you or uploaded from an external source to share. Blogs are one of the best ways to share extended articles or detailed information, and still provide a space for feedback and discussion with readers.

Etiquette tip: If you post content on your blog that is not your own work, be sure to properly cite the article and author, and also provide a link to the original source.

Related Articles

E-body language

Minding your PDA P’s and Q’s

 

We send and receive dozens of work-related emails every day. Messages – often ones that are internal communications – crowd our inboxes and our time. But how many of those incoming emails are truly necessary and important? When does the amount of spent reading and responding to colleagues’ emails become counter-productive? These questions have surfaced as companies have begun to explore new ways to improve efficiency and to relieve their employees from daily floods of redundant messages. In this post I will discuss one CEO’s sweeping change to internal communication in his company – plus a few small ways that you can improve email techniques among your own colleagues.

Email has become such an indispensible part of internal communication that it is hard to imagine abandoning it entirely. Yet one CEO has done just that: last month, Thierry Breton, the CEO of Atos, an information technology services company, announced the implementation of a company-wide internal ban to begin this year. This is no small feat, as Atos has 80,000 employees spanning 42 countries.

The announcement caused a stir both within the company and from the media, yet Breton strongly defended his decision during an interview with the BBC in December. He explained that the grounds for the internal email ban was to “enhance the quality of working conditions” for all 80,000 employees, who are regularly swamped with emails. Another concern was for the quality of his company, which was spending “too much time on internal emails and not enough time on management.” In addition, external emails will still be a primary form of communication with clients.

What, then, are the alternatives for efficient internal communication, especially within a company where employees span multiple continents and time zones? Breton cited a range of tools that Atos has begun to incorporate and will continue to implement over the coming months, which Breton himself now uses entirely over internal email. The options include instant messaging, internal social networks (such as Yammer, about which you can read more in an earlier blog post), cloud computing, and micro blogging. Among my favourite options are document sharing sites, which cut out email attachments and provide an online forum where colleagues can post comments and questions about documents.

Most companies are not ready to eliminate internal emails. Even Breton predicts it will be 10 to 15 years before all business adopt such methods. Instead, here are a few suggestions on how to trim down your own emails – and feel free to share them with colleagues!

-       Start with a descriptive yet concise subject line. If the subject line clearly states your purpose, it will help you to cut down text in the body of the email.

-       Before you “Reply All” or CC others on the email, consider whether all recipients really need to see the email. It takes a while to read through long email chains and is an inefficient use of time if the conversation is not relevant to the recipient.

-       If you are about to reply to an email with simple “thanks,” reflect first on whom you are sending it to. Some people appreciate a concluding email of gratitude; others find it unnecessary and a waste of time and space.

-       Reread and edit emails before you send them. Work emails should be concise and to the point, and each time you read through you will discover more words to eliminate. This is especially important for emails sent to a mobile device.

If you have a few points to discuss, break down your email into bullet points. This organizes your thoughts in a clear fashion, and your recipient will appreciate reading a few bullet points instead of long-winded paragraphs.

More articles on email etiquette

E-body language

Minding your PDA P’s and Q’s

How do you build strong relationships with your clients? For many, networking with clients outside the office is as important as the work done during business hours. This often takes the form of extensive dinners or late nights of eating and drinking. However, as we head into the New Year after a season of hefty holiday meals and endless Christmas cookies, dining lavishly with clients may seem unappealing. But just before the holidays I read an article in the New York Times that provided an intriguing alternative: taking a client to the gym for networking and working out. It’s an unconventional option, but also one that could seriously strengthen your client relationships and your health.

The business developers, traders, and account directors interviewed for the article all had begun to feel the same exhaustion with countless late nights and indulgent networking parties and dinners. Trying out healthy activities with clients as a substitute – from spin classes to early morning runs – proved to have benefits beyond incorporating a workout into the work day. One business developer pointed out that workouts reveal “a different side of you” in front of a client: showing that you are willing to take on new, different, and intense challenges. A trader who switched from dining to cycling with clients appreciated the regularity of a weekly workout, noting that he was able to meet more often with clients at the gym than over dinner once per month. And, of course, no one will check their email or take calls during a workout – allowing the focus to remain on you and your client.

This kind of alternative networking activity gives you the opportunity to impress your client. It allows you a chance to stand out and show your creative side, as dining and drinking is a standard and predictable means to network. Also, you can adjust your workout to fit your client’s tastes. For example, if your client likes to dance, sign up for a Zumba class. If the client is not a serious athlete, try something with lower intensity such as a yoga class. Customizing your workout will add a personal touch, and your client could recognize your extra effort and considerate gesture as a positive indication of your business methods.

Of course, casual attire is necessary and expected at the gym. But donning sweats and a t-shirt around clients seems counter-intuitive. So how do you dress up a notch when working out becomes a business affair? The article briefly addresses this concern, but it is worth further discussion. First of all, wear your highest-quality workout gear. This means a well-fitting yet modest athletic shirt and appropriate bike shorts, leggings, or stretch pants of a solid colour – and no old sweats or oversized baggy t-shirts. For both men and women, stores like Lululemon or Helly Hansen offer great choices for athletic gear that looks sharp and fits well. You can also find pre- and post-exercise pieces like a matching zip-up or pullover.

Plan for appropriate accessories and appearance as well. Don’t apply perfume or cologne before exercising, and for women, minimal makeup is best – opt for any waterproof makeup that won’t run when you sweat. Pack your essentials (water bottle, headband, towel, makeup bag, change of clothes and shoes) in a sleek gym bag or tote. Keeping your gear neat and organized will make for a smooth transition from gym to office.

Though this form of networking may sound unusual, it certainly is gaining in popularity. Would you try signing up your clients for a spin class or taking them out on a morning run? What other ways do you network with clients? Exercise activities could help you to strengthen your bonds and build relationships with your clients – not to mention, allow you to stick to your New Year’s resolutions!

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Are you vacationing this Christmas on a sunny beach or in a faraway romantic city? Or will the New Year bring business travels to out-of-town meetings or conferences? Wherever your travels take you, most likely you will choose to stay in a hotel as your accommodation. There’s nothing new about a weekend in a standard hotel – we’ve been checking in and out of them since our childhood vacations and continue to frequent them on our business trips. Even so, a reminder of the protocol for hotel visits is always beneficial when packing up to leave home. Whether on holiday or business, one must remember that staying in a hotel does not allow for the same privacy and personal space as being at home – and must be aware of how to act accordingly.

For either vacation or a business trip, here are a few tips for a courteous and appropriate hotel stay:

• Always acknowledge that a hotel is a public space. Dress accordingly when in the common areas such as the restaurant, lobby, and hallways. Even your private room is not necessarily your personal space – out of respect to the guests staying in adjacent rooms, control the noise levels of your TV, radio, and voice, especially at night and in the early morning.
• It is important to treat the hotel staff with consideration as well. Demonstrate kindness to those assisting you simply by thanking them for their help, as well as remaining calm and level when ordering or discussing reservations. In addition, even though a housekeeper will tidy up your room, clean up your own garbage and keep your laundry clearly separate from the hotel linens.
• Be sure to tip the hotel staff appropriately. Tip anyone who handles your luggage, including the bellhop, doorman, or valet. Leave a tip for the housekeeper on every morning of your stay. If you order room service, tip the waiter or delivery person accordingly.

If you are traveling on business and staying in a hotel among colleagues, maintaining a level of professionalism and formality in your accommodation is especially key. A few more points to keep in mind when you take business on the road:

• It is best to assemble with your co-workers in the common spaces of the hotel. However, you should still keep your room clean and tidy, as your colleagues may come directly to your room to meet. Make sure luggage stowed and out of sight. Put your clothes in the drawers and closet provided by the hotel, or leave them neatly in your suitcases. Do not scatter your personal belongings and toiletries across the counters.
• Limit your drinking at dinner or in the hotel bar. When you return to the office, the last thing you want to bring back is an embarrassing story or any awkwardness between colleagues.
• If your company is covering the expenses of the trip, maintain a modest budget on meals and extra hotel fees.

In a hotel setting, it can be easy to let down your hair and relax as if you are at home – forgetting that in fact you are surrounded by strangers or even important stakeholders, colleagues, or supervisors. Reminding yourself that a hotel is a public place will help you to be aware of your behaviour within it.

Other Holiday Tips…

• Sparkle and shine – dressing for the office holiday party
• Navigate corporate gift giving with style

Consider your usual written correspondences: most likely you write and receive dozens of emails every day, and text messages fly in and out of your cell phone. Concise and rapid messages are ideal on busy workdays when there are plenty of proposals, meetings, and follow-ups to fill up your schedule, not to mention your inbox – and now, PDAs and tablets have made written communication more efficient than ever. Of course, when we are so accustomed to quickly skimming messages on a screen, receiving a classic handwritten card or note is a special occasion. This is why writing Christmas cards is one of my favourite holiday traditions – it is a wonderful yet extremely simple gesture that sustains personal connections not only between loved ones at the holiday season, but also between business contacts and partners.

The email and digital age certainly has not done away with the classic holiday card. Sending seasonal greetings to family and friends the traditional way – with a handwritten note, or a family picture sent in the mail with the yearly Christmas letter – has endured: every year, the average Canadian sends out 50 holiday cards to personal contacts. Receiving a card in the mail creates a moment of close connection between people who may be hundreds of miles apart. Writing cards, too, is a heartfelt occasion – taking the time to consider your addressee and to compose a few words is the perfect way to reflect and remember those near and far to you. Setting aside a few hours to write notes at the holidays is certainly worth the time and effort.

Not only are holiday cards a great means for keeping in touch with family and friends, but they are also an effective relationship builder between business contacts. Sending a card to former employers or past business partners indicates that you still value their connection, and it helps to sustain your professional relationship – keeping options open for new business or employment in the future. Including current clients, partners, or prospects on your list of holiday card recipients shows them that you are willing to give them your time and effort, and that they are an important part of your network. A small yet kind gesture can go a long way in business.

When writing a holiday card to a professional contact, the message should be friendly but not overly personal. A short message wishing the best in the holiday season or a brief reflection on your work together in the previous year will suffice. If you are not certain that the recipient celebrates Christmas, keep your message and choice of card general and non-denominational, such as a New Year greeting or a seasonal image.

There are many wonderful styles of paper and pattern to choose from. Here in Toronto, stores like The Papery and Essence du Papier offer a wide variety of holiday cards, from the classic to the creative. And a timely card in December is always better than a late one that arrives after the New Year, so be sure to write and send them soon – the holiday season is already here!

Other Holiday Tips…

• Sparkle and shine – dressing for the office holiday party
• Navigate corporate gift giving with style

When it comes to corporate gift giving, many people tell me they feel they are navigating a mine field.  Spend too little and you risk seeming unappreciative; too much and you risk embarrassing both your client and yourself.

As the holidays approach, rather than feeling anxiety over what to give, look at this as an opportunity to strengthen the bond with your clients, and express how you appreciate working with them.  It isn’t hard if you follow few simple do’s and don’ts.

Don’t assume that the more expensive a gift, the better.  Many companies will have a policy around the maximum value of gift employees are permitted to receive.  It would be a disservice to put your client in the awkward position of having to return  it.

Do think back to conversations you’ve had with your client about weekend hobbies, special activities with the kids, new homes, or favourite restaurants when deciding on a gift.  They will be so much more impressed receiving something personal, than say, a generic gift such as a bottle of wine or a gift basket. It will reinforce their opinion of you as a good listener.

Do go for quality over quantity.  Here is where I received some good advice from Isabelle Fish, owner of Rue Pigalle, a Yorkville boutique that carries elegant gifts and décor items.  Isabelle had a career as a corporate lawyer before following her dream to open her boutique, so is well versed in the etiquette of corporate gift giving.

“I spend a lot of time searching for reasonably priced home and décor items  of exceptional pedigree” explains Isabelle.  “The Ercuis and Raynaud collections are a perfect examples: both family owned companies  create exquisite decorative items in silver and Limoges porcelain.  A set of silver place card holders, or a hand painted porcelain dish in a smart fitted case would impress anyone as a very tasteful and useful gift -  pretty flower arrangement delivered in one of our vases that could be used again and again is another good example of a unique gift – it demonstrate the extra time and care put into the gift selection.  Italian glass is another timeless gift – the kind where the quality won’t go unnoticed.”

Feel free to contact Isabelle for more advice and ideas at (647) 352-8115, or info@ruepigalle.ca.

Don’t forget to ensure your offering is gift wrapped elegantly, and that it is labelled such that it will reach its intended recipient – as in all other areas of presentation, first impressions matter. It would be equally embarrassing if it was discovered that a curious person opened it mistakenly, and worse still if the recipients never found out that it was you who gave the perfect gift!

www.ruepigalle.ca|@ruepigalle

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Long plane rides lend plenty of time for reflection. On an 8-hour flight home from vacation this summer, I started thinking about how handy my business trip to-do list is, even for casual summer holidays like this one. Sometimes international travellers will head to the airport without thinking twice about how their destination might differ from their home country, or how their own customs and manners might fit in with another culture. In my opinion, it’s always best to prepare before travelling abroad: just a little pre-voyage homework can ease your adjustment to a new place and will demonstrate respect for your host’s nation and customs.

My Business Trip To-Do List

1. Research local customs. Just a bit of background work on your host’s country can give you an advantage with a potential partner or client: it will demonstrate that you are serious about the value of your business relationships and that you are respectful of their culture. Researching local customs and manners is perhaps most important; it can save you from many embarrassing blunders. Look up the procedures and differences in shaking hands, introductions and titles, dress codes, dining and table manners, body language, and appropriate arrival times.
2. Research current affairs. Before your trip, follow the news regarding your destination country. It is helpful in preparing you for a different political climate or atmosphere, as well as for keeping up with dinner conversations with your hosts. A note of caution: avoid discussing anything too controversial – you don’t want to jeopardize your business relationship with polemic small talk or dinner debates.
3. Learn a few new words. Though you are most likely doing business in English, don’t assume that you can get by everywhere with it. Learning a few key words or phrases in your destination’s native tongue can help you out of a sticky situation – and again can show your hosts that you have invested time and effort into learning about their culture.
4. Prepare a host gift. It is a kind gesture to offer your appreciation for your hosts by way of a gift. But first of all, make sure that it is acceptable – culturally and with company policy – for a business guest to give a gift. Once you have determined this, a small gift that represents your hometown or province is a nice way to share your culture as well. Make sure you investigate what is not appropriate: for example, in India the cow is considered sacred, so you would not want to give anything made from or with leather to an Indian host.

Just a few preparations before a business trip not only will make a good impression on your hosts, but also will make you feel more confident in yourself as you plan to navigate a wholly unfamiliar place. And this confidence could make all the difference in establishing that business partnership or sealing a successful deal!

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Don’t eat another important business meal without reading this first!

Let’s take three scenarios. An international client is visiting and you have a lunch meeting. A potential commercial partner suggests you go out for dinner. You are attending your first corporate annual holiday banquet.

You are confidant, charming, sharp and dressed for success. But what about your table manners? Place your fork the wrong way and your international client is not impressed. Eat the bread of your potential partner’s plate and she starts to question your judgement. Argue with the waiter and your colleagues think you can be a real jerk. In today’s climate of rising globalism, dining etiquette can make or break your success. 

From being a new employee at your first formal social event or an experienced executive out for your typical client lunch meeting, corporate meals can mean big business. Improper dining etiquette is simply bad for business.

People today understand the importance of protocol and etiquette. As Sandra McCance, the Career Manager at Queen’s University School of Business, succinctly stated, “Protocol is everything.”

During my time at the Washington School of Protocol, it became clear that dining etiquette skills are a priority among business people. At a formal dinner with the Speaker of the House on Parliament Hill, everyone was watching the Speaker before they picked up a fork, anxious to not make a faux pas.  With great delight I watched another guest who had taken our dining etiquette training, perfectly at ease, making conversation, and never once worrying about how to act. Dining confidence is critical.

Of course it is important to recognize a fish fork from a dinner fork, but what is most important is to feel confidant and not let the “little things” ruin your presence or conversation.  You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you are so preoccupied about your table manners that you are neglecting social etiquette, your company or even your reputation.

Here’s where we can help.

Learn at your own pace with Corporate Class Inc.’s Executive Dining Etiquette CD. With 50-mintues of enjoyable practical hands-on instructions, this unique CD uses a common sense approach. You get a true dining/video experience: you are seated at the dining table with simultaneous images, voice and text summaries.

You are taken through real life dining dilemmas and are shown how to reach a new level of confidence and competency. There is also an entertaining quiz at the conclusion of the program to test your dining etiquette understanding.

 In 10 Easy to Follow Steps You Will Learn:

1.     How to take the lead when hosting guests

2.     How to be a gracious guest

3.     Top five dining etiquette mistakes you should never make

4.     Top 3 Essential Place settings – casual, informal and formal

5.     Styles of eating: To switch or not to switch

6.     Toasting at the beginning and the end of a meal

7.     Handling your knife and fork

8.     Napkin Etiquette

9.     How to eat difficult foods

10.  Paying the bill

Fast and easy learning. Corporate Class has made its dining etiquette lessons available in both audio and video format so you get a total learning experience.

For the seasoned professional. Often highly visible people tell me about the importance of what I do, however, as we start eating, I quickly realize that they overlooked a few simple important etiquette rules themselves. This dining etiquette CD teaches you everything you need to know to impeccably handle any business or social meal.

For any professional on the fast track to success. Employers often conduct interviews over lunch. Here’s where you can stand out from the crowd of other applicants. From these comprehensive dining etiquette lessons you will learn how to behave graciously, identify and handle tableware, eat difficult foods, and much more!

Makes a great gift for students or any professional.

Don’t take our word for it. See for yourself the difference correct dining etiquette can add to your success. Get your Executive Dining Etiquette CD today!

More on dining etiquette

- Return to Sender: When a Meal isn’t Served to your Satisfaction
- What not to eat at a work lunch
- Business Dining Etiquette can make or break a deal

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I also encourage you to get a copy of his new book Who’s The Driver Anyway? For leaders who need to shift the way things get done by others, this book is outstanding!

Executive presence.  It’s hard to define it but you know it when you see it in someone. Their eye contact is strong but not over-bearing.  They are confident but not arrogant.  They are focused on you, undistracted by the melee around them.  They listen extraordinarily well and are in no hurry to speak out their own agenda.   They are calm, even under pressure.  Indeed, Ernest Hemmingway said it best:  “The definition of guts is grace under pressure.” Somehow, the right, empathetic words tumble out of their mouth – words that are encouraging yet frank, honest yet tactful, just right for the moment at hand.  Executive presence is the polish inside of a person.  How does one attain it?

Presence begins with the word itself.  Leaders with presence are ‘present.’  Their attention is fully focused on the here and the now.  Indeed, it takes only a moment of reflection to realize that everything real happens in the present.  No one can change the past and no one can control the future, as much as we would like to!  All words and all action happen in the present moment so it only makes sense to pay attention to what you actually say and do.  This is self-awareness and it is the foundation to growing your presence with others.

Fifteen years ago, I discovered the truth of this simple idea and have since written three how-to books on this theme.  My latest book is geared to rising managers and executives who want to develop their skill at shifting the way people do things.  The book is called, Who’s The Driver Anyway?  Making the Shift To A Collaborative Team Culture. While the book offers many organizational insights, the heart of it lies in a remarkably practical model that develops a leader’s ability to influence the behaviour of others freely and willingly, right in the present moment.  The model is called The 7 Performance Drivers Collaborometer.  The 7PDs creates an in-the-moment awareness of the hidden power-sharing dynamic that happens in the present moment, all day and every day between any two people.  Once understood, leaders who use it are able to graciously yet openly shift the dynamics of any conversation in order to impact others wisely and graciously.

The 7PDs model works because it recognizes that every relationship involves making decisions. Whether it is to approve a business decision, decide on lunch location or even engage in a conversation at all, we are constantly making decisions.  Who’s The Driver Anyway? focuses on who gets to decide and to what degree.  After all, no two people can both be in control of the final decision.  The book makes this clear by using a driver-passenger metaphor.  One person may be the driver, but either person can be in control of where the vehicle goes.  If they don’t agree, conflict or resistance will be evident.

Leaders who want to develop executive presence will enjoy the practicality of this communication tool.  The reason for difficult conversations becomes instantly apparent.  Your own “driver” comfort zone becomes apparent, helping you to stretch yourself.  As you do, your ability to stay present, focused and calm during challenging, tough conversations will soar.  When you complement your finest outward appearance with a polished inner grace, your impact on others will be noticed, appreciated and rewarded.

John Kuypers is a collaborative leadership trainer and organizational change consultant.  He is the president of Performance Shift Leadership Tools.  His work can be found at www.performanceshift.com and he can be reached at johnk@performanceshift.com To read about his new book, go to www.whosthedriveranyway.com or search Chapters-Indigo on-line.

Today, however, there’s another lingua franca in the workplace that has become the cornerstone of all business communications. Although often referred to as e-body language, I think “techno-communications” really covers it all — email, cell phones, mobile devices. When we can’t see a person speaking, we look for other interpretative clues to help decipher the message. Words and tone become the carrier pigeons for emails, text messaging and obviously, phone calls.

But just for a minute, let’s return to body language. Professor Albert Mehrabian is frequently quoted for his non-verbal communication research on what’s often called The 3 V’s: visual, vocal, verbal. His published studies indicate that, person-to-person, we interpret messages:
• Visually — 55% from facial expressions
• Vocally — 38% from voice quality and the way words are spoken
• Verbally —7% from the actual words

With techno or e-communications, the relevance of the actual word choice increases dramatically. Obviously, the spoken tone upstages language on phone calls — we hear anger or joy — but with emails, words become the stars of the show. From the minor 7% bit player in face-to-face communication, words now move up to 70%, a big change of roles.

Just for a moment, consider the permanence of email. The sender has no control over the message, in terms of its “replay” frequency or readership. And this is worrisome for the simple reason that as we have become more and more dependent on email and message texting instead of personal meetings, we’ve become not lazy or careless, just less attentive. When it comes to trendspotting, I’m on autopilot, and I’ve noticed this shift. There’s a time for easy-breezy e-chitchat, emoticons and buzzword abbreviations like “BTW,” but business email isn’t the place. I’m not advocating a return to old-fashioned correspondence. Au contraire. Techno-savvy communication is essential in our feverishly fast-paced world. I’m simply pointing out that attention-to-detail is mandatory with every email or text message.

We all make email typos. SpellChecker isn’t clever enough to highlight “tow” when we meant to type “two,” in a hastily composed message. Take an extra minute to proofread; it’s such an easy solution. Robert Whipple, CEO of Leadergrow and author of Understanding E-Body Language, raises an important point:
“Everyone knows that E-mail is different from conversations, but often people do
not consciously change communication patterns based on that knowledge. For
example, people cannot modify content of an e-mail based on the real-time visible reaction of the other party as is possible in face-to-face conversations. Instead, all of the information is presented at once without feedback. Misunderstandings or hurt feelings are common.”

Then there’s the embarrassment-email category. It could be called really-big-blunders and criticism heads the list. Believe me, a follow-up email with an “Oops” subject line just doesn’t strike the right chord! And remember, the original, offensive message is floating around in cyberspace for posterity. When in doubt, put the brakes on. Send the message to yourself and reassess its implications.

Texting’s inherent limitations are in some ways a bonus. We tend to be more forgiving about the often heavily abbreviated and occasionally hieroglyphic content. Mobile devices function as prompters or mini-message boards — it’s the protocols of usage that are the problem. Park your mobile device in your pocket or purse when you attend a meeting. Every time you’re tempted to make an exception, don’t. Remember instead your suppressed sense exasperation when fidgeting fingers signaled you were talking to yourself.

Same story for cell phones. Of course, we all know cell phones must be parked and off before meetings, big or small, but most people seem to think this rule only applies to others. The fact is, from cell phones to emails and mobile devices, techno-communications present a long learning curve. I think we’ve just started the journey.

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