Professionals Don’t Assume What They Don’t Know

One thing I always make a point of doing when I don’t understand something or if an issue seems wrong, incorrect, a problem or “broken” is to double-check that my actions or lack of knowledge is not leading to that incorrect perception. I don’t jump to whip off e-mails to my contacts making terse accusations that I simply have no experience or knowledge about. Unfortunately, this methodology seems to make me a rare commodity.

Almost daily, I get e-mails where site visitors, customers and clients alike are making demands, claiming something is wrong, broken or needs to be fixed. Whether it be on their Web site, with their e-mail or those who feel the need to send their opinions about how I should run my site. They feel they know enough to dictate what I should do — clearly based on a lack of information and experience.

I know I don’t know everything. I know there are things out there that I can learn about — and do almost every day. Never would I think to e-mail an expert or professional in their field and tell them they are wrong or what they need to do when I do not have one iota of the experience or knowledge they do! This is certainly not the way to make a good impression about your business or what it would be like to work with you (whether you are a vendor or the customer).

How very bold we are when safely hiding behind these screens….

The moral of the story is, if you think something is amiss — simply e-mail with courtesy first, with a nice and humble inquiry about what you perceive is happening (placing no blame nor making any accusations) and you may find you were not only incorrect in that perception, but you will save face and probably learn something new in the process.