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Christmas Twitter Havas

adVENT: Working from home, client/agency parties, misuse of Twitter

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By Jim Dowling, managing director

December 17, 2013 | 4 min read

It's Christmas, in case you hadn't noticed, and while cheer, joy and goodwill to all men is being spread far and wide, everyone has a little grumble at this time of year as well. The Drum has invited some of those heading up some of the UK's finest media and marketing communications companies to share their pet hates that annoy them in their jobs at this time of year, albeit with tongue firmly in cheek.

Today, it's the turn of Jim Dowling, managing partner of Cake

I’ve got a few things to get off my chest. In the interests of word count, let’s get on with it.

When I go to work, I try and operate by three principles:

• Try my best.

• Tell the truth.

• Have good manners.

I don’t think that’s much to ask in anyone whatever the season. I’d like to look at some transgressions against those principles that are generally made worse by Christmas, even if you don’t.

1. Working From Home

A dialogue will go like this.

Julie: “I’m working from home tomorrow.”

Linda: “Oh, you’re (makes quotation mark gesture with fingers) working from home.”

This is bullshit, right? There’s no work – there is agreement to join one conference call in the day, and then leave it anyway due to either a made-up poor reception or a nagging child. Some integrity is required here. Replace that phrase with “I’m not coming in tomorrow, because frankly, I can’t be arsed, I deserve it and I’m not taking a holiday.” That’s fine. Within reason.

2. The Shit-Eating Grin

Client-agency parties. If you like spending time with clients, fellow agencies, and fellow colleagues – tuck in. Enjoy it. Spend time together. Be true to yourself. Don’t ever go in with an agenda to get five minutes with the main man/woman. They’ll hate you for it. You’ll hate yourself.

3. Timekeeping

Christmas at work heralds a greater emphasis on drinking, and I am proud to be an ambassador of that culture. Drinking and focus on drinking should be restricted exclusively to lunchtimes, evenings and not brought into work environments. Work starts at 9am. Meeting starts on the hour. Breezing in at seven minutes past, boasting about hangovers like a teenager on Diamond White is no excuse. Standards must be maintained.

4. Misuse of Twitter

The greater propensity for drinking and dinners at this time of year highlights an abominable use of Twitter.

Imagine if you will, that tonight I’m having dinner with the Jose Mourinho, The Duke Of Edinburgh and Richie Benaud. It’s a great night, and we’ll cover some major topics. At the end of the evening, we all take our modes of transport back to our respective homes and reflect on the wonderful time we’ve had.

Now, we can share that amongst ourselves, can’t we. A text message. Perhaps an email the next day.

No – many use this as an opportunity to show off. What I don’t need to do is display my social influence by broadcasting it through Twitter. A 3 or 4 string Twitter thread that begins “@greekphil @benaud @jose_mourinho Guys, great to see you tonight, must do it again,” offers nothing to anyone other than disgust.

5. Guys.

Never refer to a group of people whether male or female as ‘Guys.’

Happy Christmas, and please take a good look at yourself.

@jimdowling

The first in this year's adVENT series began with Nir Wegrzyn, CEO and founding partner of design agency, BrandOpus.

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