Paige Blankenship authored this Guest Room post and we hope she'll write some more.
In addition to being a corporate public relations expert, she's a southern girl with an ear for language and an eye for bad manners. Like all GRITS (that's Girls Raised In The South, for the rest of us), Paige loves her momma (Becky) and wishes her a happy Mother's Day.
Say "thank you." Don't talk with your mouth full. Regardless of the generation, mothers have been enforcing standards of conduct like these since the beginning of time.
But does technology gives us a license to break the rules?
We've all experienced the guy who walks through Wal-Mart with a blinking Bluetooth growing out of his ear, letting everyone in the store know he wants that report on his desk BY FRIDAY!
How about the woman at the checkout stand? The one who's too busy texting to notice there are 15 people waiting for her to swipe her MasterCard.
We've advanced from caves to condos, but lost something along the way. Thanks to technology, we're multi-tasking to save time, but what's wrong with a little eye contact? How about some personal attention? Anybody remember Etiquette 101?
Today's economic climate means Boomers may be working for some time to come. Here's a quick refresher in how to get along:
o Keep your road rage in check in and out of the parking garage. Coming to work the day after you nudge a coworker with your vehicle will not be fun.
o If the phone receiver is too heavy and you must use speakerphone, SHUT THE DOOR so the rest of us don't have to know about your beef chow mein takeout order.
o Be sensitive to scents and smells surrounding you. A cloud of Old Spice or Channel #5 can be pretty unpleasant when mixed with the aroma of uneaten chow mein sitting in your office trash can.
o Use "please" and "thank you" in your emails. Little gestures like this can make a big difference.
o Avoid emails using all upper case. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING!
o Plz don't abbrvt U instead of you, 2 instead of to or too, plz instead of please, and thanx instead of thanks. Take the time to type your words if you're sending an email. Short cuts are fine for text-talk, or Twitter, but keep them out of e-mail.
Remember Mom's advice and you'll do just fine...unless you plow over someone in the parking lot.
For more on cyber etiquette, check out this hilarious You Tube video on Facebook manners: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROYzrm5SBM