Last time, we talked about the things you should do to maintain professionalism. Here are three things to avoid: 
Never Bad Mouth a Competitor: It is easy when highlighting the positive aspects of your business to cut down your competition in the process. This is a big mistake. It is perfectly okay to talk about your product or service and show others the differences between what you do verses your competition, as long as it is based on the facts. But avoid name-calling, generalizations, and making rude remarks about the competition. Not only is it not professional but it also undercuts your credibility. In addition, if customers start telling you about a bad experience with a competitor, let them speak, but avoid piling on.
Never Bring Your Personal Life into the Office: We all have issues we are dealing with outside the office and sometimes our personal problems can weigh heavily on us. But when we are at the office, it is important to put these things aside and focus on the tasks at hand. A true professional is one that overcomes personal difficulties and maintains exceptional job performance. Of course, there are times when things in your personal life require the bulk of your attention. But during these times, take time off to deal with them. Do not bring them to work with you.
Never Leak Confidential Information: This goes back to what we talked about earlier regarding loyalty. If your entity has proprietary information that is not supposed to be known by the public, keep it confidential. Now there is an exception to this; if you become aware of criminal activity going on, obviously it is your duty to report this to the appropriate authority. However, this does not mean you should also send the information to the press. Bottom line is if something about your company is supposed to be confidential, do everything within your power to see to it that it stays that way.
