Reader feedback — professional courtesy

By |  September 14, 2012

Got a nice email from a reader regarding Mark Woodward’s most recent column (which you can read here.)

Here’s the note:

Mark nailed it, RE: Professional Courtesy.

It only take a moment to make an impression. I remember visiting a younger superintendent on his job who I had tried to call earlier. When I arrived on site, I could see him in the distance. I rang his cell, watch him look, and shove it right back in his pocket. I lost respect for him. I learn he lost his job later that year!

It only takes a moment to say thanks (or no thanks). Just respond!

I’m always afraid I’ll have this happen to me, or do it to someone. Sometimes I don’t take a cell phone call because it’s not an appropriate time to chat on the cell. And I also try not to call people when I can see them, because it would crush my ego to see my call getting ignored.

There’s pretty much only one person who is in the 100%-always-answer category: my wife. It could be the final seconds of the Super Bowl, and if my wife rings my cell, I answer. Mainly because she rarely dials me up, but also because that’s the one person (and with her, my kids) who are so important that I would drop everything to check in on. Everything else? Everything else probably can wait, when you think about it.

So what am I rambling about here? Well, I guess I’m making a defense for NOT answering your cell phone. Because there are times when taking that call can also be a breach of etiquette, right?

What do you think?

This is posted in Columns


Comments are closed.