Career Skills Video: Netiquette
Transcript:
Netiquette
SANDRA (at desk—typing a message accompanied by her own VO as she goes): Hi Paul. Have you had a chance to look over the document I sent you? Thanks, Sandra. Send.
PAUL: Oh, right. That thing (Looks at all the work he has to do on his desk—then starts typing). Sandra. Got your message. Haven't had time to look over the document yet. Been swamped. Will get to it when I get to it. Paul.
SANDRA (to herself, slightly annoyed): Will get to it when he gets to it? Paul, Understand you are swamped. We are all busy. That report needs to be finished by tomorrow, though. Any chance you can get it back to me this afternoon? Thanks. S.
PAUL (looking at screen): By this afternoon? Is she kidding me? Sandra. I'm sorry, but I don't think this afternoon is going to happen. I've got several projects on my plate and yours is fourth in line. I will try to look at it tomorrow morning though.
SANDRA (reading the message—frustrated and flabbergasted): Tomorrow? Is he serious? Dude. Tomorrow will not work. I need it today. Plain and simple! Exclamation point. Send.
PAUL: Oh. She's bringing out the exclamation points now I guess, okay? Plain and simple, I'm NOT doing it today. And you're NOT my boss, so get off my back! Exclamation point, exclamation point, exclamation point. Send.
SANDRA (groaning in frustration—types furiously): You better hope I am never your boss, because if I was I'd fire you so fast you'd have to go back in time just to clean out your desk! Angry face. Exclamation point.
PAUL (typing—thoroughly irritated): Luckily for me, that will never happen because nobody's ever going to promote someone like you to be the boss of anything!
VO: It may start innocently enough, but by the time the capital letters and the exclamation points come out, what began as a simple message has turned into a war of words—a breakdown in communication caused, in no small part, by a breakdown in manners and a lack of professional etiquette.
This breakdown is made all the more difficult by the fact that it occurred over e-mail. Like any other electronic communication, e-mail, while convenient, lacks some of the advantages of face-to-face communication.
When we talk to someone, we get the benefit of watching facial expressions, hearing tone of voice, checking personal reactions. This gives us important clues as to how that person is feeling, which in turn, helps us decide how to appropriately respond. With an e-mail—in fact with most online communication—we are often left with a smiley face made out of punctuation, which is not always enough to go on.
CAREER EXPERT: With the move to the digital age and the rise of social media, we have had to learn a whole new way to communicate. One that has the advantage of speed and reach, but also comes with its own set of rules for good behavior. Being able to communicate online, whether through e-mail or Facebook or blogs, is its own learned skill. It might not seem that different from writing a memo or having a phone conversation, but there are specific guidelines for how people should communicate online.
VO: Those guidelines are often referred to as netiquette—a form of online etiquette that governs how people communicate. But while many of our rules for regular etiquette have been around for centuries, the rules for netiquette are fairly new and are constantly evolving. Each new innovation in communication technology brings with it new unwritten rules for how best to use it—and how to treat others who do.
CAREER EXPERT: When it comes to netiquette, a lot of what to do and what not to do is just common sense. Above all, you want to be professional. That means using correct grammar, checking your spelling, avoiding slang, being sensitive to cultural differences—anything you might do before sending a letter to your boss you should do before sending any e-mail or blog or post at work. In a professional situation, that also means avoiding using too many shortcuts.
EMPLOYEE VO (in sync with typing): Question for you...do you know if Bob has met with the boss yet? As far as I know he hasn't. For what it's worth, Angie said it's no big deal, but if you read between the lines, you can tell it's bad news. In my humble opinion, Bob is on the outs. On the other hand, that could mean more opportunities for us. I don't know. Just wait and see, I guess. Talk to ya later, P.
VO:
Not at all the kind of message you should send at work, in terms of content or style. Abbreviations, emoticons, and other forms of shorthand are acceptable outside of work, but while you are on the job you should keep your messages professional, to-the-point, and error-free. That also means avoiding gossip or writing about something that might be deemed too personal or offensive.
The same emphasis on professionalism should guide your other behaviors online as well. Whether you are posting on social media, writing a blog, or responding online to a customer, you want to be respectful of your audience. For example—
Avoid flaming—posting hurtful or insulting remarks, or using profanity of any kind.
Avoid trolling—making comments or observations or posting images or videos designed to cause controversy or to devalue someone else.
Also avoid spamming—intentionally flooding a person's inbox or social media site with unwanted messages.
Most importantly, don't post, or write, or send anything that would reflect poorly on you or the company you work for.
EXPERT: You want to adhere to the same standards of behavior online as you would in real life. If you wouldn't say it to someone's face, don't post it to their a blog or Facebook page. You know, some people feel that the anonymity offered by the Internet allows them to get away with more, but a lot of what you say or do online can come back to haunt you.
SUPERVISOR: Hi Trevor, can we talk? Sure, what's up? Somebody in the department showed me an e-mail that's been circulating that contains some questionable content—saying derogatory things about a specific group of people. Do you know what I'm talking about?
TREVOR: It was just a joke. I thought it was funny so I forwarded it to Steve. I didn't mean anything by it.
SUPERVISOR: You may not have, but it got sent down the line and several of your colleagues have taken offense. You are aware of the company's policy regarding e-mail use?
TREVOR: Yes. I'm sorry. I just thought that...
SUPERVISOR: And even if we didn't have that policy, it saddens me to know that you think this is the kind of thing that you would feel is worth sharing. Now let's sit down and think about how we are going to fix this.
VO: The Internet's greatest strengths—its ability to reach millions of people instantly—is also one of its greatest dangers. What we say and do online can have an immediate and lasting impact, reaching people we don’t intend and quickly spiraling out of control. We are citizens in the same, worldwide, online community. Digital citizenship is the idea that we should all take responsibility for our behaviors when communicating electronically.
As digital citizens we should: Respect ourselves and others. Follow the laws regarding intellectual property and Internet use. Educate ourselves and others in the proper use of the Internet and its tools. Protect our identities and the identities of others. Be safe in our online practices. Understand our personal rights and responsibilities. And use the power of the Internet and its tools to promote the health and welfare of its citizenry.
By practicing good netiquette, you help guarantee that this digital world is safe and open for all—and help guarantee your success on the job as well. Take a moment and consider the following.