Last Friday evening, my husband and I met Sara, my assistant who keeps me going from place to place, and her boyfriend for dinner. Both of them are 20-somethings. They personify everything that is good about their generation: They are bright, curious and computer savvy to the max.

 

During the course of our meal, two generational differences emerged. It turns out that neither Sara nor her boyfriend practices cursive writing. (I say “practice” because I can still remember the workbook filled with cursive writing practice sheets that my mother handed to me at the beginning of one long ago summer.) And they are not alone. Frequently, after one of my business etiquette seminars, participants will ask whether it is absolutely essential for them to handwrite thank you notes, and they further inquire what are they to do if their handwriting is nearly illegible. 

 

I do recommend that participants handwrite notes whenever possible. I believe this will help make that individual more memorable. Especially in the very early stages of a career, creating a memorable, positive impression is critical. If a participant’s handwriting is so bad as to make it illegible, then printing a note is fine. In general, however, a personal handwritten note is preferred over a typed note on an e-mail message.

 

The other difference I noted pertained to our cell phones. Both Sara and I carry ours with us at all times. However, whereas I use mine almost exclusively for placing calls and having conversations, Sara and her boyfriend use theirs for text messaging.