ASK AN AMBASSADOR: A 1000 Attaboys Wiped Out

ASK AN AMBASSADOR:  A 1000 Attaboys Wiped Out

In the Navy we had a lot of sayings, one of them included:

"One Oh (poop) wipes out a 1000 attaboys".

In essence, you can be a great performer, do great work day after day, but you make a mistake significant enough and everything you did prior to that is wiped out.  And what are you remembered for?  That Oh ....... moment.  There are many examples in sports where an athlete may have had a very productive career, but one moment stands out for them and that less than favorable moment is what they're most remembered for...Bill Buckner, Leon Lett, Lonnie Smith et al.

In that regard ActiveRain isn't that much different from my Navy time.  We can write post after post, leave thousands of comments, develop relationships with other Rainers, become referral partners, everything is hunky dory.

And THEN comes the Oh ----- moment.  You kick the beehive, whether intentionally or unintentionally.  You write something that crosses the line.  You insult someone's business methods, their personal beliefs, something they're pretty passionate about (for some of us that's ActiveRain....bash at your own risk). 

In that moment, those bridges you built?  You might as well be pushing down the plunger and blowing up TNT underneath every one of those bridges because you've just destroyed what you worked hard to build.  All it takes is one wayward comment or post, and everyone that witnesses it can decide that you are no longer worthy of their time, their referrals, their friendship.

ActiveRain is a community of many competitive, strong personalities.  Frankly to be in real estate being competitive, being assertive (up to a point), having a "thick skin",  these are all pretty much necessary attributes.  But especially in a flat medium like the typed word, it's very easy for those attributes to come across in a way that wasn't intended. Sincere or snark?  Depends on your rep and what kind of day the reader is having.

Trust me, some days the Ambassador title acts as a pair of handcuffs.  What I MIGHT like to say can't be allowed to escape the keyboard because I don't want anyone to have the ammo to try and tar and feather the entire ActiveRain community or Ambassador group.  As it is, even when objections are stated civilly, some can still make the claim. 

So what does all this really come down to?  For those old timers that watched Hill Street Blues, as the Sgt. used to say, "Let's be careful out there!".  I'm not saying to not have fun, or to not have frank conversations when  appropriate, but be aware that with our freedom of speech comes consequences.  And those consequences may include lost business and a damaged reputation in the community.

Questions?  Just Ask An Ambassador!

Liz and Bill aka BLiz 

REALTORS(S) Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

The Liz Spear Team of RE/MAX Elite
Elizabeth & William Spear
Ask for us by name if you visit the office!
Two locations: Lebanon & Mason, OH
Direct:  513-520-5305
Direct #2: 513-265-3004     
Fax: 866-302-8418
MailTo:  LizSpear@Go-Concepts.com
Our Website:  www.LizTour.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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