Dear Emmy,
I am a real estate agent and I am jumping into social media at the insistence of my colleagues…and my kids! I am new to all of this, and I admit, I’m leery of it. I was updating my information on Facebook, and when I looked at the current “news feed”, I could see that some of my friends were having conversations by posting on each other’s wall. The conversation was, shall we say, less than courteous about a fellow colleague.
I don’t agree with what they are saying and I wasn’t an active part of the conversation, but because I can see their remarks, I feel like I should say something to them. Do I tell them that it’s not okay to say things like that on a website where anyone could see it or do I let it slide because I wasn’t involved? I feel like the remarks make us all look bad.
What should I do?
Conversationally Challenged
Dear Challenged,
You are in an industry that has experienced significant challenges over the last few years – the last thing the real estate industry needs is the perception of unprofessionalism.
Since the two having the conversation are “Facebook friends” of yours, I would recommend sending a private message reminding them that the conversation is actually being conducted publicly. This applies to all conversations using social media – be it Twitter, Facebook, or on a blog.
Article 15 of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics says that REALTORS® will not say false or reckless things about other practitioners. In a self policing industry, it’s helpful for us to remind our friends and colleagues of our obligations.
Honor and integrity are critical components in demonstrating our professionalism, and by working together to improve the standards of behavior, we can elevate the industry.
Sincerely,
Emmy
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