{"id":25656,"date":"2014-04-28T13:28:39","date_gmt":"2014-04-28T21:28:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=25656"},"modified":"2014-04-28T13:28:39","modified_gmt":"2014-04-28T21:28:39","slug":"7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/a>Props to you if you\u2019re a savvy texter. It\u2019s a quick and informal way to make plans, share ideas and coordinate with others. Like any communication tool, there are more and less suitable uses for text messages, especially in the workplace.<\/p>\n

Depending on the misuse (even if unintentional), it could lose you the support of management and team mates. At worst, inappropriate texting can cost you your job. At best, it makes you appear inexperienced and unprofessional.<\/p>\n

Your manager might pass you over for a desirable assignment if she judges you\u2019re \u201cnot ready\u201d to take on more responsibility. Even if this isn’t a job you plan to stay with, a reputation for sending unprofessional text messages could mean a poor (or no) reference.<\/p>\n

In a competitive job market, can you really afford to burn bridges like that?<\/p>\n

Of course, if it was unintentional, try not to get defensive. Apologize and make amends.<\/p>\n

The problem isn’t with texting itself. It\u2019s with the types of messages you send. Some communications are still best handled by phone or in-person. Still others should never occur at all via text, email or voice.<\/p>\n

Avoid the following types of text messages.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Excessive personal texting<\/strong>.\u00a0Most companies have policies allowing a reasonable amount of personal communication at work. Whether via email, text or phone, most employers understand your need to check-in with family, schedule appointments or coordinate your carpool. If you\u2019re in the habit of frequent texting through-out the work day, you\u2019re probably stepping over the line.<\/li>\n
  2. Texting in front of customers<\/strong>.\u00a0Not only is this unprofessional, it can cost your company future business. This one customer will likely tell the story of inattentive and poor service to at least 10 other people.<\/li>\n
  3. Gossiping or complaining about your boss or co-worker<\/strong>. If you have a problem with someone, the best approach is to talk to that person directly and try to resolve it. \u201cText venting\u201d seems innocuous, but those short bursts keep the negativity going longer. It keeps you feeling miserable and doesn’t solve anything. Instead it reinforces the negative opinion you hold and will likely cause you to interact with that person in a way that can escalate into conflict.<\/li>\n
  4. Arguing<\/strong>. The short format of text messages makes them especially rife for misinterpretation. There is usually insufficient context and no ability to read body language or facial expressions. The shorthand \u201cw\/e\u201d or \u201cwuteva\u201d during a text argument is perceived as dismissive and disrespectful. \u201cRTFM\u201d (read the f*cking manual), as with any use of blue language at work unless it\u2019s a norm, is not acceptable. In all these, and similar, instances, the conflict is bound to escalate. Incidentally, disagreements shouldn’t be tackled via email<\/a> either. Talk it out by phone or in person.<\/li>\n
  5. Sending snide exchanges about co-workers during a meeting.<\/strong> Though similar to number 3, texting secret, nasty comments while in the presence of the object(s) of your derision, creates bad juju for everyone. Including you. People will sense your dissatisfaction. They will notice you\u2019re distracted and not contributing productively to the discussion at hand. You\u2019re not helping your career by doing this even if you have legitimate complaints. Find a more constructive way to address your unhappiness\u2014adjust your attitude or work out differences with whomever you need.<\/li>\n
  6. Firing a vendor.<\/strong> You never want to burn bridges in professional circles. In this case, it isn\u2019t only your own bridge burning up. It\u2019s your company\u2019s. Whatever the reason for moving on to a different vendor, communicate the change with respect. At minimum, this requires a phone call. It helps to work out what to say with your supervisor in advance.<\/li>\n
  7. Slurs or demeaning language against any protected class or texts that can be construed as sexual harassment.<\/strong> Do not send that hot co-worker a lewd photo or cartoon. Don\u2019t ask, even by implication, for sexual favors. Avoid name calling or any language that could be interpreted as prejudiced. If you don\u2019t know what falls into this category, consider taking a diversity class. If the recipient of such texts ever complained to management, your messages could be subpoenaed. Even if you\u2019ve deleted your texts, an electronic record remains. Both you and your company face legal liability. Just don\u2019t do it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Let\u2019s be clear. Texting is an efficient and productive communication tool in the work place. According to HeyWire Business\u2019s recent survey<\/a>, 67{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} of professionals use text messaging for business-related purposes. For quick, factual information-sharing, texting is convenient.<\/p>\n

    In general, if there are more than three questions, the problem isn\u2019t solved in three exchanges or there\u2019s an interpersonal component to the issue, use the phone or meet in person. GJ if you\u2019re already following the above guidelines.<\/p>\n

    Jagoda Perich-Anderson, M.A.<\/strong> is the founder of Conflict Tango<\/a> whose mission is to help people handle conflict with less stress and more confidence. She authored a FREE eBook with 26 ways to do just that. Come get your copy of Conflict to Creativity from A to Z.<\/a><\/p>\n

    photo credit: tray<\/a> via photopin<\/a> cc<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Like any communication tool, there are more and less suitable uses for text messages, especially in the workplace. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":25659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[2162],"tags":[3639,2077,3633,3638,66,4629,3631,3632,3640],"yoast_head":"\n7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Unprofessional text messages (even if unintentional), could lose you the support of management and team mates. At worst, they can cost you your job.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Unprofessional text messages (even if unintentional), could lose you the support of management and team mates. At worst, they can cost you your job.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pickthebrain\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-04-28T21:28:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/medium_2205216470.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"427\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@pickthebrain\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@pickthebrain\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Erin Falconer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/medium_2205216470.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/medium_2205216470.jpg\",\"width\":640,\"height\":427},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/\",\"name\":\"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2014-04-28T21:28:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2014-04-28T21:28:39+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2da8ae162c097bdb749ab098472b4cc5\"},\"description\":\"Unprofessional text messages (even if unintentional), could lose you the support of management and team mates. At worst, they can cost you your job.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2da8ae162c097bdb749ab098472b4cc5\",\"name\":\"Erin Falconer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1173c63284b173ff225e5f87a1af5028?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1173c63284b173ff225e5f87a1af5028?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Erin Falconer\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/author\/erin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement","description":"Unprofessional text messages (even if unintentional), could lose you the support of management and team mates. At worst, they can cost you your job.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement","og_description":"Unprofessional text messages (even if unintentional), could lose you the support of management and team mates. At worst, they can cost you your job.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/","og_site_name":"Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement","article_publisher":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pickthebrain","article_published_time":"2014-04-28T21:28:39+00:00","og_image":[{"width":640,"height":427,"url":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/medium_2205216470.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary","twitter_creator":"@pickthebrain","twitter_site":"@pickthebrain","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Erin Falconer","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/","name":"Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/medium_2205216470.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/medium_2205216470.jpg","width":640,"height":427},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/","name":"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2014-04-28T21:28:39+00:00","dateModified":"2014-04-28T21:28:39+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2da8ae162c097bdb749ab098472b4cc5"},"description":"Unprofessional text messages (even if unintentional), could lose you the support of management and team mates. At worst, they can cost you your job.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/7-unprofessional-text-messages-avoid-costs\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"7 Unprofessional Text Messages to Avoid at All Costs"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2da8ae162c097bdb749ab098472b4cc5","name":"Erin Falconer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1173c63284b173ff225e5f87a1af5028?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/1173c63284b173ff225e5f87a1af5028?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Erin Falconer"},"url":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/author\/erin\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25656"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12163"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25656"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25656\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}