The ability to exercise discretion is a favorable quality for any employee to possess, but for those working for high-profile home and estate owners discretion is an absolute necessity. We explain the importance of discretion for employees and Principals.

The Definition of Discretion

Whether you are a high-profile family Nanny, Estate Manager, or Chauffeur or working in another household staff position, exercising discretion means much more than not speaking about what you have heard or seen; you must know what is not appropriate to notice, say, or share.

Exercising discretion properly means being someone that your employers can trust; someone who holds the protection of their privacy as the top priority.

Why Discretion Is Essential

As the saying goes, “Trust is gained in drops, but lost in buckets.” Even the most innocently typed tweet or spoken remark can destroy trust between Principal and employee.

Why is discretion an important part of ethical behavior? Because the primary responsibility of celebrity staff is to ensure that their Principals are able to continue enjoying their lives and homes without having to worry about breaches of privacy. Discretion is a big part of what makes a celebrity home a safe place.

Discretion in Household Staffing Roles

Discretion can be exercised in every household staffing role.

Executive Assistants typically handle correspondence for their Principals, which means they are often exposed to information that is not yet public knowledge. Handling these circumstances with discretion requires expert correspondence management and the highest professionalism when communicating with other high-level members of the corporation.

High-profile Nannies may be witness to many private situations involving the children they care for. Discretion for Nannies in high-profile families includes ensuring every aspect of the children’s lives is protected from unwanted attention.

While transporting family members, Chauffeurs hear many kinds of conversations, including high-price business deals and family arguments. However, their only tasks are to maintain discretion and ensure all passengers travel comfortably and arrive safely and on time to their destinations.

Housekeepers also see and hear many things in the course of their day. These professionals maintain discretion by quietly navigating through the home and not hearing, seeing, or speaking of the private moments they may have witnessed.

Best Practices for Maintaining Trust and Privacy

All domestic professionals can maintain trust and privacy in their roles by taking note of the following best practices.

Be Discerning

Some information is not meant to be shared. It is important to be able to read between the lines and discern between what is and is not appropriate to reveal. It is also a good idea to be mindful of who may be listening, and to conduct any conversations about sensitive information in private with the proper individuals.

Become an Efficient Communicator

Perfecting your communication skills will help you become more effective at maintaining discretion. In addition to discerning appropriate information to share, become an expert at carefully choosing your words and learn to be comfortable with silence.

Never Mix Business and Personal Matters

The ability to keep professional matters separate from personal ones, also known as compartmentalization, is one of the keys to building and maintaining the trust and privacy of employers. Enforce your professional boundaries, keeping your focus on whatever task you are working on at the moment.

Are You a Top Tier Professional?

Staffing at Tiffanie’s is a premier Household Staffing Agency specializing in matching celebrity homes with the best professionals. We encourage you to apply to join our network of top Butlers, Nannies, and other domestic talent. You may also view our open positions.