Shh: walls have ears Triesman

What struck me with the whole Triesman scandal at the weekend was not that Britain's attempts at hosting the World Cup in 2018 have been scuppered, or even that a man in a position of authority was trying to impress a woman young enough to be his granddaughter. It was that in a position of responsibility and as a figure head of an organisation, he made unguarded comments to someone he didn't know well. He presented himself as untrustworthy; unprofessional and not suitable for the role he was paid to do.

Recently I have had unconnected conversations with two successful female entrepreneurs. One said she is very careful where she has work related conversations, as she never knows how might overhear a comment about one of the multi-national companies she works with. She respects the confidentiality of the work she does, and wishes to avoid competitors hearing about projects she is working on. She even avoids mentioning company names now, unless she is in her office with trusted people. It possibly sounds far fetched but this businesswoman is aware that her reputation is that of being utterly professional and trustworthy.

The other entrepreneur supports business people to fulfil particular projects. Even for an initial meeting, she is aware of her clients being candid about themselves. Unless she picks a suitable location where others can't eavesdrop, she is conscious of a private conversation, not being private! Again, this lady wishes to be utterly professional; respectful of the client's confidentiality and to find somewhere where her clients feel comfortable.

My message today is that the term "Walls have ears", is a warning to all professionals and entrepreneurs. Be careful who you share information with, and where you share it!

Executive Voice are delivering a 1/2 day masterclass "Speak, Connect, Engage" on 7th July in Central London. More Details.