There seems to be a rather curious trend amongst some of the younger generation: the belief that having a social media account, a loud opinion and an impressive amount of confidence automatically qualifies you as a business professional.

Apparently, experience is optional, preparation is overrated and actually knowing what you are doing is merely a bonus.

The new business model seems to be remarkably simple: put something out there, see what happens, and if it sticks, pretend it was the plan all along.

Brilliant.

Except, of course, that isn’t business acumen. It’s winging it.

And nowhere is this more obvious than on social media.

You see a post asking for something — a service, a supplier, performers, designers, collaborators, recommendations or professional assistance. People take the time to respond. They make an enquiry. They perhaps even spend considerable time putting together information, prices, ideas or proposals.

And then?

Nothing.

Silence.

The digital equivalent of staring directly at someone and then pretending they don’t exist.

No “thank you”. No “we’ve found someone”. No “we’re not proceeding”. Not even a pathetic little thumbs-up emoji.

Just… ghosted.

Apparently, basic manners have now become an optional extra.

Let’s be absolutely clear: if somebody has taken the time to respond to your business enquiry, you owe them the courtesy of acknowledging it.

You don’t have to accept their offer. You don’t have to agree with their price. You don’t even have to like what they’ve proposed.

But you should have enough professionalism to reply.

And here is the remarkable thing: saying “no” doesn’t make you look unprofessional. Quite the opposite.

A polite “Thank you for getting in touch, but we’ve decided to go in another direction” takes seconds to write. It costs nothing. Yet it demonstrates courtesy, respect and professionalism.

Ignoring somebody demonstrates none of those things.

And hiding behind a screen certainly doesn’t make you clever.

There seems to be an assumption that because everything happens digitally, normal standards of human interaction no longer apply. They do. In fact, when your entire professional presence exists online, your communication is part of your reputation.

• People remember how you treat them.
• They remember the people who answered.
• They remember the people who didn’t.
• They remember the people who promised the earth and then disappeared into the ether.

And, perhaps most importantly, they remember the people who clearly didn’t have a clue what they were doing but behaved as though they were running the next fortune 500 company.

Confidence is wonderful. Arrogance is not.

Having an opinion is wonderful. Assuming your opinion is automatically correct is not.

Being young is certainly not a criticism — none of us started out knowing everything. The problem arises when someone mistakes lack of experience for expertise and confidence for competence.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with learning as you go. Every successful businessperson has made mistakes. The difference is that successful people generally learn from those mistakes rather than enthusiastically repeating them whilst insisting that everyone else simply doesn’t understand their “vision”.

Perhaps it is time to go back to basics:

• Learn how to communicate.
• Learn how to listen.
• Learn how to follow through.
• Learn how to conduct yourself professionally.
• Learn that relationships matter.
• Learn that reputation matters.

And, perhaps most importantly, learn that you don’t actually know everything.

Because there is a world of difference between knowing your worth and believing that you are the smartest person in the room.

Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is shut up, listen to someone with twenty years’ more experience than you, and admit that you might — just possibly — have something left to learn.

And if somebody takes the time to respond to your social media post?

Answer them.

It’s called basic courtesy. Apparently, that’s becoming a rather advanced business skill.