Have a Little Respect Will You?

Have a Little Respect Will You?

The AR Community Guidelines

As part of the Blog Jumpstart Challenge Lynn Friedman asked us to talk about the ActiveRain community guidelines, which you can read for yourself, and should, if you haven’t already.

I suppose most people don’t like to have rules, or call them guidelines if you will, but they are a useful communication to all about expectations, especially on matters that might not be obvious…here, and elsewhere in life and the business world

Of the 3 general categories of Guidelines, respect for the Active Rain Community always rings true for me.

I won’t bore you with a long-drawn out discussion about the many aspects of Respect in these Guidelines, but prefer to talk about Respect in general. Funny, but I often think of Aretha Franklin when I hear that word, although with all due respect it’s far more encompassing than what her song "Respect" is about…but I digress.

Respect is really a 2-way street isn’t it? It matters here, in other business situations, with our buyer and seller clients, with vendors, and indeed all facets of daily life. You’re not likely to gain respect from others, or will lose it, if you don’t act and talk like you respect them.

Having respect for the AR community is no different than having respect for family members, friends and neighbors, church members, a sports team, colleagues in your office or place of business, or any other group to which you belong.

I suspect we all have an idea of what respect means to us, and know it when we see it, just as clearly as when we see a lack of respect. Unfortunately, in today’s online world, we tend to see a lack of respect for others that's obvious, in some online interactions. Does this translate to respect, of lack of, in real life? Perhaps.

Learning about respect starts early. It’s about playing nice in the sandbox, sharing with others, being polite, saying please/thank you/you’re welcome and the kinds of things we were often reminded about as kids. The way we speak to others, online and in person, and the manner in which we act toward others, conveys that respect…or lack of.

Here on AR respect is both for individuals, as well as the community as a whole. Certain components or explanations of this respect are spelled out so the expectations are clear regarding each person’s behavior and the group. And due to the online nature, as compared to a sports team, for example, there are obviously things that need to be included in this respect – no spamming, no plagiarizing, no attacking others, no slander, and so on.

Having respect for each other, as individuals and as fellow professionals, and for the community, impacts us all in a positive way. But of course the opposite is true, too, when one person is disrespectful.

And given the public nature of the community – posts, comments, questions and answers – respect, or lack of, is visible to the general public and may convey an impression not just of the community, but all of us as real estate professionals.

Lastly, respect is good for business on AR. You will want to be friends with those you respect, will learn from them, can trust their judgment and opinions, will engage with them, and will be willing to refer to them, or share their names with those needing a referral, and they will feel comfortable doing likewise. Lack of respect will obliterate all that in a flash.

So let’s have a little respect, y’all!