Reputation Make-over

"Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become."
--Oliver Wendell Holmes

Have you noticed that?
Why is it that the closer we become with friends and business associates, the more we take the relationship for granted? Late for an appointment or lunch with a new business prospect—you’ll call to let them know you’re running behind, right?

But late for lunch with a friend—eh, they can wait.
We’re friends.

That’s wrong-headed.
Both relationships are important, but because we’re “friends” with someone, somehow we think it’s okay to slight them in that way.
Why is that?

And another note about those business meetings and making appointments to make plans and conduct transactions: When did we become such a rude and thoughtless society that returning phone calls and replying to e-mails became optional?

I could show you a list of the phone calls I have made in the past week to some pretty reputable companies, to some reputably responsible people, who have administrative assistants and secretaries and staffers to help them through what must be hellishly-busy days, because they cannot seem to find the time to return a phone call, respond to a message slip, or reply to an e-mail.
I am so glad their businesses are flourishing.

So do your friends a favor—let ‘em know where you are.
Give your reputation a make-over and answer messages, return phone calls, and respond to e-mails.

Who knows?
You might pick up on a piece of information that could make your week!