Category Archives: Social Media

On Being Humble…Or Not

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Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.            - Jane Austen

I came upon this quote as I was thinking how I could appropriately express my anger and frustration about a matter of professionalism.

There are those I really want to give a tongue-lashing to. But, more importantly, there are those I care about and do not want to disappoint or embarrass.

So, like Mark in Love Actually, enough…enough now. Time to move on.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Grammar, Grammar Everywhere

Screen shot 2013-02-08 at 9.05.49 AMNot long after I had posted my previous entry about grammar (and spelling) abuse, I noticed this tweet from David Pogue. Apparently the asterisk police hunted him down and called him out *!*

I was intrigued, so I dug further. The Language Log is a fascinating library of all things language, supported by the Linguistic Data Consortium at the University of Pennsylvania. Check it out.

Grammar IS Important

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Okay, no catchy title for this post. This is important.

I write this as a plea to my past, current, and future fellow professionals to not give up on good grammar. Heck, let’s include spelling, too. Just because we’re more “social” is no excuse. More of us will read your work. Don’t you want it to look good?

Now, I am no expert nor was I an English major. Translation: I screw up, too. But, still, I beg for your support.

Case in point: A person takes the time to put his or her innermost feelings on paper (or, rather, the Web). Then said person 1. shares those thoughts over a very social network, 2. tags others who may not wish to be exposed, and 3. openly criticizes former employers. Logic would say “proofread your work before you hit Share.” Right? Riggghhhtttt. Or, perhaps those who love him or her would offer their input, ever so gently.

Maybe it’s not the what but the how that counts the most.

The what is easy…it’s what’s in our hearts, our heads.

The how will help people form an impression. Impressions can last a lifetime.

To friend or not to friend

Do you do it? Do you post, tweet, connect? Do you (GASP!) friend your boss?

There are two opinions about friending your boss: Either you should or you should not.

What ultimately drives you to your decision? Corporate culture.

My thoughts:

  • Stay within your comfort zone. Don’t be influenced to do something you are uneasy about.
  • Employers should have a clear stance, a social media position that is easily understood by all.
  • If your approach is compatible with your employer’s, then consider yourself lucky. The unfortunate truth is, outside of the office, most people embrace some kind of social media; but, on-the-clock, many are encouraged to clam up.

This is an important topic. We need technology at home, on the road, and at work. More on that later.

In the meantime, listen to this segment from NPR’s All Tech Considered that aired today. Deanna Zandt and Baratunde Thurston tackle this touchy subject, each making valid points. In the end, it all comes down to communication and “the social network called life.”

And, I wonder…what would Mary have done?