For all the concern about privacy many people are comfortableconducting conversations about the most personal topics in public.How many times have you overheard a discussion on the subway or inan airport lounge that made you cringe?

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, young adults generallyseem more forgiving of cell phone usage in public places than thosewho didn’t grow up with a lot of technology. Although 90% of 18- to29-year-olds think it’s ok to use a phone on public transportation,just 54% of adults aged 65 and older agree.

It's more than an issue of too much information (or TMI) forinsurance professionals or anyone who works in a business thatdepends on confidentiality. There's a saying among lawyers thatmore cases are lost in the elevator than in the courtroom. Remindyour employees of all ages that business conversations should notbe held in a public place, and no one should discuss proprietaryinformation in an open environment. You never know who’slistening.