Are You An Imus?
Picture this: You’re having a conversation with someone at a networking conference. Things are going well. You’re talking about the weather, politics, the school system, blah, blah, blah. Then all of a sudden, they ask you your opinion about the local business down the street that went bust because they couldn’t pay their back taxes. You give an answer that is not only unprofessional but also “fifth-grade” sounding. But, it’s too late to retract your statement. It’s out there and your networker-friend is looking at you like “what??”. So, what do you do now?
A while back, I wrote a post on what is feasible and what is inapprporiate to say in front of others. This is also the mistake that Don Imus made when he used deragatory comments about the women basketball players. (You can read the full story here). Now, Imus is being talked about constantly on radio’s across the country and will even appear on Barbara Walter’s show tonight to give his side of the story. But, what I wonder is how will he appear to the public now after he’s made such remarks on his station. Will be censor himself? Will he go back to his old ways? Will he try to change at all?
I believe that as people in the community, in business, schools and churches, we have to be mindful of EVERYTHING that we say. We are totally responsible for it. While no one can stop you or judge you by your thoughts, we still need to be careful of what we say when those thoughts want out. Being professional means knowing when and how to say nothing at times. It requires focus, imagination and maturity. While I am a firm believer in being honest with people, there is a way to say things. Being mean or nasty is not that way.
Do you or have you ever said something that was embarrassing? Do you wish you could take it back or could have said it differently? Do you think Imus will change his ways or will he continue to be the “shock-jock” that he is?
Tell me what you think.
Tags: Don-Imus, image, professionalism, women, women-in-businessRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Business Etiquette, Communication, Professional Networking
2 opinions for Are You An Imus?
Kelly
Dec 7, 2007 at 8:46 am
I agree that we have to be mindful of what we say about others; what we say does reflect on us.
And Imus didn’t just accidentally slip up when talking to a neighbor about an organization. He purposefully slandered the gender, race and appearance of individuals in public on the radio for the sake of a cheap laugh - although I really don’t *get* who found it funny.
But back to business. It does matter what you say - and how and where you say it.
Bridget Wright
Dec 7, 2007 at 10:36 am
You’re so right…it does matter what we say. And on last night’s Barbara Walter’s show, he said he didn’t think it was offensive at all when he first said it AND he said he had no intentions of cesnoring himself. Although he did say that he was quite “remorseful and sorry for his ugly statement” (what?), I still have a hard time believing that he is truly sorry for what he did. But, oh well, time will tell.
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