Friday, January 15th, 2010
ARE YOU AN EEYORE?
Great post recently by Michelle Golden on her Golden Practices Blog. It is a topic that I believe CPA firm citizens need to become painfully aware of and work to change.
Michelle’s opening line/question…. Are you a turn-off?
My question…. Well, are you?
If you are using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or blogging and you are a negatively-oriented person, it won’t take long for people to see that you view the glass half empty.
I call these people Eeyores (and Michelle pictures Eeyore on her blog). It’s the “Oh, me. Oh, my. Woe is me, the sky is falling” types. I have observed and I hear first-hand from my audiences, that CPA firms usually have several of these personality types.
Michelle give us: 3 ways to discern if you’re turning people off.
I really like #3 – Ask a Sampling of Trusted People: Preface the favor with “I’m trying to be more aware of how I come across to others. It’s important and I really need frank feedback. I trust that you’ll be honest with me.” Then ask, “Would you mind looking at my postings and tell me if you think I’m coming across more negative than positive?”
For those of you who are not posting but are in the roll of leader, manager, mentor or influencer inside your firm, ask for the same feedback on your verbal communication style.
“Nobody tells me. Nobody keeps me informed. I make it 17 days come Friday since anybody spoke to me.” – - Eeyore
Rita, thanks for talking about this post. Self-awareness is so important–social media provides and interesting way to discover how we come across…