The real estate business is a people business as much as it’s a business about housing. You know that more than most people because you are around people all day long. Clients? Colleagues? Friends? Who are these people? And what is appropriate to discuss with these people and, as importantly, what isn’t?
Before you determine who everyone is, sharpen up your emotional intelligence tools by honing in on your ability to read other people. That ability to read others is the key to figuring out what you should and should not reveal about yourself at work.
The No-No’s to Avoid
- Your political beliefs are out of bounds in work situations. Political beliefs are much too closely tied with people’s identities. You wouldn’t want to insult someone by confronting their ingrained opinions and core values by revealing your own political beliefs. Besides, why risk alienating 50% of your potential client pool.
- If you think a co-worker, supervisor, manager, boss is incompetent, keep it to yourself. You’ve nothing whatsoever to gain unless you’re in a position to help them or fire them.
- Discussing how much money you or anyone else makes is asking for trouble. That kind of money talk only breeds negativity, comparisons, judgements and jealousy.
- Telling someone at work that you hate your job labels you as a troublemaker, a negative person, and morale killer. Once your boss gets a whiff of your discontent (and they will), they’ll be quick to look around for an easy replacement.
- What you do in the bedroom is totally in appropriate in work situations. Those who hear about your bedroom activity will either chuckle, be uncomfortable or be offended.
- What you think someone else does in their bedroom is, again, totally out of bounds and inappropriate. Just keep your thoughts/speculations to yourself.
- Telling others at work how wild and raucous you used to be can only illustrate that you’ve had bad judgment in the past and that you likely still have bad judgment that can’t be trusted. Again, keep your past to yourself.
- Telling people at work that you’re looking for another job tells them that their putting any interest or energy into you is a waste of time. You’ll be gone soon so why bother.
Bottom line…clients and friends are hard to come by and should be thought of as valuable. Be subtle and discreet with both. Rather than talking about yourself or gossiping about others, keep the focus on the client and their needs.
