You've Got to Be Kidding!: How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Integrity

Respect Is Always the Trump Card

My husband says I will forever wax forth on what he calls the “introduction factor.” This occurs when everyone in the company is being introduced with last names, followed by: “This is my assistant, Elizabeth!” If this ever happens to you, step up to the plate, extend your hand, and say, “Hello, I’m Elizabeth Swanson”—and keep doing that until the clueless introducer catches on. It is an egregious but common etiquette breach that managers and executives are introduced with first and last names and the admin is downgraded to “Susie the assistant.” Do not ever let this happen to you. And if you see it happening to others, step in and ask the individual for his or her last name. Everyone deserves a professional introduction.

This can be a self-inflicted faux pas as well. I wince when I hear someone answer his business phone with first name only. It is just as easy to say “Marvin Anderson speaking” as “Marvin speaking.” Unless your company has a policy of not revealing last names (and some do for security reasons), do not degrade your position or your profession by not properly identifying yourself.

A Sally Forth newspaper cartoon once had the boss reviewing a list of his assistant’s requests in honor of Administrative Professionals Week. He ticked them off: “A raise, an updated printer, a professional seminar, (and even) a day off!” The final note on the list was “Respect.” “Respect,” he ranted. “She’s never had this on her list before!”

I always tell ...