Gaining the Competitive Edge with Business Etiquette

LIFE STYLE EDUCATION

MAJOR.SIVA

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 Meeting and Greeting

Handshake: offer entire hand,
web-to-web, shake lightly and release Know whom to introduce first
Junior to senior Fellow worker to client

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 food 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
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-Beginnings
Stand on the right side of your chair and
enter from your left Napkins go in lap asapfold toward waist 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 firstpass salt and pepper as a set

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Ordering Food

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

Lunch/Dinner 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, watch and copy

Lunch/Dinner--Foods
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 resort. Leave utensils on plate at 10:20 position DessertSlide utensils down from top as dessert is served. Place both on plate when finished

Lunch/DinnerDifficult Foods
AsparagusEat with fingers unless in sauce, then use

knife and ford BaconOnly very crisp bacon may be eaten with fingers PastriesCut in halves or quarters and eat with fingers or fork French friesEat with fingers if served with sandwiches or burgers Grapefruit halvesEat with spoon, leave juice Lemon WedgeSqueeze over fish with fingers PastaSeparate a few strands with folk. Twirl onto fork with tines held again plate 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

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-Formal Place Settings

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Formal Place Settings

Lunch/Dinner Meetings-Silverware

Lunch/Dinner 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 Easy endings

Knife and fork side by side in the 10:20
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

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 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 Washroom attendant 50 cents or $1.00 in fancy hotel Wine steward (handed directly to steward)-- $3-$5 per bottle or 15% of bill when billed separately from food

Cocktail Parties
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

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

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

Stay no more than 10 min in one place Break-away lines
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 dont send mass or chain letters M-ake a point of responding to messages promptly A-lways use spell-check and grammar check before sending messagesbe brief and clear I-nclude your telephone number in your message L-earn that e-mail should be used for business rather than personal 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 Mind 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 no-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.