Gaining the Competitive Edge with Business Etiquette

X420 Discussion Session # 29

Business Etiquette Discussion Session #29

Professional Etiquette Dining Etiquette Cocktail Parties Correspondence Etiquette  Office Etiquette  Office Romance  Etiquette Abroad

   

Skip These Tips..

And you are certain to perform the ultimate...

C-L-M
Career Limiting Move

Professional Etiquette

 You only have ONE

opportunity to make a good first impression

First Impressions
 Within 30 seconds people judge your
             Economic level Educational level Social position Level of sophistication Level of success Trustworthiness Compassion Reliability Intelligence Capability Humility Friendliness Confidence

 Within 4 minutes people decide your

Are First Impressions Lasting?

 YES  Made with emotional not rational brain  Once made rational brain seeks validation  Dont want to change opinions  Labels helps make sense of world  Experience teaches us validity of first
impressions

Making Positive First Impressions

 Determine audience  Identify their expectations  Establish objectives  Dress, behave, and communication in a
way that reflects audience expectations

A,B,Cs of Image
 Appearance
 Color, wardrobe, grooming

 Behavior
 Etiquette, civility, attitude

 Communication
 Verbal, nonverbal, written

Professional Etiquette Etiquette Meeting and Greeting

web-toweb-to-web, shake lightly and release  Know whom to introduce first
 Junior to senior  Fellow worker to client

 Handshake: offer entire hand,

 Eliminate slang/jargon from your

vocabulary  Always on time, always organized, always ready

Business networking in social situations

 Never introduce yourself    
by your title Name tags on your right shoulder Keep your right hand free Stay informed of current events Maintain eye contact

Showing Respect
 Always use last names with customers    
unless they are about your age and rank Dont keep customers waiting Escort clients out When someone of higher rank or from outside the organization enters, everyone in the office stands Junior employees stand until seniors sit

Business Cards
       
Manage business card exchanges flawlessly Always have a supply of cards Ask for someones card before offering your own Present card face up Take time to look at received card NEVER turn down an offered card Be selective when distributing cards Be aware of international card etiquette

Lunch/Dinner Meetings

 You can survive!

Lunch/Dinner Host
Consider preferences of guests Give specifics Make reservation and reconfirm day before Arrive 10 min early, look at table, meet server Greet guest at entrance. Guest precedes down aisle. Guest gets best seat. Seat yourself to their left.  Offer menu advice to guests, order easy-to-eat easy-tofood and limit drinks for yourself

    

Lunch/Dinner Guest
 Reply promptly to invitation  Only cancel on very urgent business  Be on timecall restaurant and send message time    

to host if late If you arrive before host, you may sit at table but eat nothing but water until host arrives Never order the most expensive item Take no notice of check. Do NOT offer to leave tip Thank your host!

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Meetings-Beginnings
 Stand on the right side of your chair and
enter from your left  Napkins go in lap asapfold toward waist asap  Toasts may be offered before eating and after dessert. Both are initiated by host. Toasted party does NOT drink to himself  Pass to the right and do not help yourself first firstpass salt and pepper as a set

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Meetings-Ordering Food

 Decide on your menu    
selections quickly Order medium-priced food mediumThink about the mess factor Dont order alcohol Do not share a dessert

Lunch/Dinner Meetings Meetings Dealing with the Food

 Put your napkin in your lap  Wait for all people to be served before     
beginning Know which silverware to use with which food Cut your meat one bite at a time Break off small bites of bread and butter only one bite at a time Hold wine glass by the stem for whites and by the bowl for reds Take cues from the host-if in doubt, hostwatch and copy

Lunch/Dinner--Foods Lunch/Dinner--Foods
Soup--dip  Soup--dip spoon into soup sideways away from you. Sip from side. Tip bowl only for last drops. Never crumble saltines in soup Rest spoon on plate when finished.  Saladeat salad with fork, use knife only as last Salad resort. Leave utensils on plate at 10:20 position  DessertSlide utensils down from top as Dessert dessert is served. Place both on plate when finished

Lunch/Dinner Lunch/DinnerDifficult Foods

Asparagus  AsparagusEat with fingers unless in sauce, then use

      

knife and ford Bacon BaconOnly very crisp bacon may be eaten with fingers Pastries PastriesCut in halves or quarters and eat with fingers or fork French friesEat with fingers if served with sandwiches fries or burgers Grapefruit halvesEat with spoon, leave juice halves Lemon WedgeSqueeze over fish with fingers Wedge Pasta PastaSeparate a few strands with folk. Twirl onto fork with tines held again plate Potatoes PotatoesEat baked potatoes with a fork. Skins with knife and fork. Move butter from butter plate to potato with fork. Never mash potatoes on plate. Eat chips with fingers

Lunch/Dinner--Taboos Lunch/Dinner--Taboos
           
Elbows on table Salt/pepper on food before tasting Talking with mouth full Drinking with food in mouth Gesturing with silverware Pushing back or stacking plates at end of meal Answering or placing cell phone calls at table Dunking anything into coffee or water Making a fuss over incorrect orders Arranging hair or applying makeup at table Picking your teeth at the table Asking for a doggy bag

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Meetings-Formal Place Settings

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Meetings-Formal Place Settings

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Meetings-Silverware

Lunch/Dinner Meetings--Extras Meetings--Extras

 Dont eat with your mouth full  Keep one hand in your lap unless you are eating     

European style Remove anything from your mouth with the same implement that it went in with (except bones) Eat at a moderate speed Try to maintain some polite dinner conversation Never medicate yourself at the table If you must leave the table, place your napkin in your chair

Lunch/Dinner Meetings Meetings Easy endings

position on dinner plate  The host or person who has issued invitation pays (regardless of gender)  If you are paying bill, handle it with waitperson as discreetly as possible  As you depart table, refold your napkin simply and leave it to left of place setting

 Knife and fork side by side in the 10:20

Tipping
 Bartender (when drinking in the bar) -- $1 or 15% or round up         
bill to next dollar when paying by the round of drinks Bellman -- $1 per bag Cloakroom attendant If there is no charge tip $1, if there is a fee round up to nearest dollar Doorman (only for getting you a taxi)-- $1 taxi)-Maitre d (if you want a good table or want to become a favored regular) -- $10 - $20 in a handshake Parking Valet -- $1 - $2 Taxi 15% of fare Waitperson 15%-20% of bill 15%Washroom attendant 50 cents or $1.00 in fancy hotel Wine steward (handed directly to steward)-- $3-$5 per bottle or steward)-- $315% of bill when billed separately from food

Cocktail Parties
event  Work eventnot social  Determine your strategy: network with new

   

people or certain known targets Dont just hang out with friends Enter room, step to one side, survey room Move toward friendly faces or already formed group If someone enters your group, greet them and make introductions

Cocktail Party Tips

first  Go to food table firsteasiest place to start conversations Stand in middle of room or near food table, stay away from walls Learn how to hold napkin, plate and glass in one hand Keep one hand free to shake hands Dont overindulge in alcohol Maneuver among peopledont get stuck people

    

Small Talk
 3 distinct parts
 Opener  Middle  Break away

Small Talk Openers

 Individuals
 Compliment, weather, food, current event  I love your______. Is it a family heirloom?

 Group
 Something pertaining to everyone  How do you all know each other?  Will you be traveling this summer?

 Casual acquaintances
 General comments  How has your year been?

Small Talk Middle

 Safe topics
 Sports, books, movies, theater, art, travel

 Questions
 Ask, listen, elaborate with matching experience, Ask again

 Be more interested than interesting

Small Talk Break-Away Break Stay no more than 10 min in one place  Break-away lines Break I dont want to monopolize you.  Im going to circulate.  I see someone I must meet.

 Tell them you enjoyed speaking with them  Discuss next steps
 Going for food, to next person, etc.

Correspondence Etiquette
 Every written invitation gets a       
response unless it asks for money Respond within 1 week Follow directions for response Special instructions (dress code) will be in lower corners Envelope will indicate if you may bring guest Send Thank you letters Always include a cover letter for written documents Sit on written documents for 24 hours (if possible)

E-mail Etiquette
 E-mail only those people to whom    
your messages actually pertain to to dont send mass or chain letters M-ake a point of responding to messages promptly A-lways use spell-check and spellgrammar check before sending messages messagesbe brief and clear I-nclude your telephone number in your message L-earn that e-mail should be used efor business rather than personal use usedont send anything you wouldnt want to see in public

Telephone manners
 Answer the phone with your name and company        
(or department) When placing calls, state your name and company or department immediately when phone is answered Speak clearly State the purpose of your call Only use speakerphone for conference calls Always smile when using the phone Say please and thank you Judge your audience before making small talk Return your calls

Voice Mail/Mobile Phone Use

 Realize proper usage of mobile phones in       
business Understand how to leave an adequate voice message Check messages frequently on a daily basis Avoid using in a restaurant, movie, church, or meeting Limit your conversation when in close quarters Use a quiet voice Dont give out credit card # Refrain from using when driving

Office Etiquette
        
Be self-aware-use common sense self-awareMind your own business Avoid strong cologne Never ever go over your supervisors head Obey your companys business dress attire Keep your germs to yourself Treat every employee with the same respect Do not post things of an offensive nature No matter your job or your title, always hold yourself to a higher standard

The 12 Commandments of Cubicle Etiquette

 Thou shall not enter another 
persons cubicle unless you are invited. Thou shall not interrupt someone who is on the telephone by using sign language or any other means of communication. Thou shall think twice before interrupting someone who appears deep in thought. Thou shall be aware of how your voice projects. Thou shall realize that speaker phones and cubicles dont mix. Thou shall not discuss a confidential matter in a cubicle setting.

 Thou shall realize that everything   

   

you say makes an impression on your internal customers. Thou shall not make or receive personal telephone calls during the workday. Thou shall not establish eye contact with someone when you would prefer not to be interrupted. Thou shall stand up and walk toward the entrance of your cubicle when you would like an impromptu meeting short. Thou shall recognize your cubicle is a direct reflection of you. Keep it neat and orderly.

Meeting Etiquette
 Always have your calendar,    
notebook & pen Never bring up personal problems/issues in a professional situation Avoid you talk Stay on schedule In conference rooms hang back until power players have taken seats: ends and middle sides of table are power seats

Office Romance
 Dating a supervisor or
subordinate is absolutely a nono-no  Any behavior of a sexual nature on company property gives the company grounds for legal action

Office Romance (When it Happens Anyway)

 Expect at the very least an office    
relationship will be frowned upon Risk loss of credibility Difficulty focusing on work Dont use work email or voicemail systems Remember when it ends you will still have to work with this person

Etiquette Abroad
 Know the various
cultural nuances of the particular country  Do your homework  Problem solving & issues of protocol and chain of command differ greatly between countries

Evaluation Questions

Use: Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Dont know

1. I found the presentation of material easy to understand. 2. This discussion session increased my knowledge on the subject presented. 3. I will be able to use some of the information from this discussion session in the future. 4. The presenter was well prepared for this discussion session. 5. This presentation should be repeated in future semesters.