BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

“There is no accomplishment so easy to acquire as politeness, and none more profitable.”

George Bernard Shaw

Good manners

“Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use.”

Emily Post

Why good manners ?

1. Helps you to stay ahead in business world.

2. Helps you to gain goodwill.

3. Promotes fruitful and rewarding relationships with other

4. Promotes business.

5. What goes around comes around – good manners get good manners in return.

Ten commandments of good manners

Thou Shalt Be Thyself

Thou Shalt Say "Thank You."

Thou Shalt Give Compliments.

Thou Shalt Not be Boastful, Arrogant or Loud.

Thou Shalt Listen Before Speaking.

Ten commandments of good manners

Thou Shalt Speak with Kindness and Caution.

Thou Shalt Not Criticize or Complain.

Thou Shalt Be Punctual.

Thou Shalt Not Embarrass Others

Thou Shalt Act and Look Your Best.

Our experience determines our values.

Our values determine our attitudes

Our attitudes determine our behavior ( manners , words and actions)

Basic principles of professional business

1. Adopt a positive attitude.

2. Be professionally competent.

3. Overcome self centeredness.

4. Be discreet.

5. Be considerate and sensitive.

6. Be punctual.

7. Learn the forms of courtesy and respect.

“What we think or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only

consequence is what we do.”

John Ruskin

Office etiquetteWith seniors

1. Rise and stand whenever a senior member enters your office.

2. Younger executives should walk to the door and open it for the senior executives. This also applies when you are the host.

3. Avoid voicing a strong contrary opinion in the presence of third parties or guests.

4. Keep superiors informed at all times of what you are doing.

Office etiquette

With colleagues

1. Shoulder your fair share of work.

2. Show appreciation to colleagues for helping you.

3. Seek permission before using colleagues possessions.

4. Avoid criticizing your colleagues.

5. Give people their space – both physical and mental.

Office etiquette With sub ordinates

1. Everyone, including your subordinates has a right to be

treated with courtesy.

2. Give appropriate feedback and praise.

3. Avoid being over intimate.

4. Be objective.

5. Give clear and accurate instructions.

Cubicle etiquette

1. Respect other people’s privacy.

2. Don’t enter someone’s cubicle without permission.

3. Don’t peek into other cubicles as you walk past.

4. Never read someone’s computer screen or comment on

conversation overheard.

5. Keep your hands off people’s desks.

Cubicle etiquette

1. Answer your phone after two – three rings.

2. Set the ringer volume at a low level.

3. Limit the use of speaker phone.

4. When you leave your cubicle, turn the ringer off and

forward messages to voice mail.

5. Watch your volume. Remember, others can hear what

you are saying.

Cubicle etiquette

1. Use your library voice.

2. For meetings, go to a conference room or the break room.

3. Don’t bring clients to your cube. Meet them in a conference room.

4. Don’t yell across the cubes.

5. Play radios at a low volume.

6. Set PC volume low and turn off screen saver effects.

7. Eat quietly, preferably, use the cafeteria or the break room.

Making an appointment

1. It is practical and polite to make an appointment before meeting people in their office.

2. As a general rule, the person granting the appointment will set the date and time.

3. Arrive at least five minutes early.

4. Do a “ 30 second detail check” in a restroom before the meeting.

5. On arrival, inform the receptionist of your appointment. Give your business card.

6. If you have to wait, be ready to stand up with your briefcase or handbag in your left hand so that the right hand is free to shake hands when the host appears.

Handshakes

1. A firm handshake is the appropriate business greeting in most countries today.

2. In business, it is appropriate for persons of either sex to offer their hand.

3. Introduce yourself and address the other person by name as you shake hands.

1. Remain standing until the host indicates where to sit.

2. If offered a drink, it is polite to accept.

3. Avoid placing you handbag on anyone’s desk.

4. If you need to borrow something, always ask permission.

5. On leaving, express your appreciation for the host’s time and attention.

Being a good guest

Receiving guests in office

1. Make sure your desk is clutter free.

2. If the guests are early, they may be asked to wait until the appointed time.

3. A guest with appointment should never be kept waiting.

4. If you are delayed, do offer an apology.

5. Receive your guest personally or have your secretary escort the visitor to the meeting.

6. Smile, shake hands and offer a seat to your guests.

7. Make them feel comfortable.

8. Avoid long telephone calls.

Presenting a business card

1. Most polite way to exchange a card is to offer your own

card first.

2. Present your cards with both hands.

3. Accept a business card with both hands.

4. Acknowledge it with a “ thank you”.

5. Do take time to look at the card and read it before

putting it away.

6. Do not glance at it and flick it away carelessly.

“Charm is the quality in others that makes us more satisfied with ourselves.”

Henri Frederic Am

"Be fearless and each day you must meet someone new."

Lord Beaverbrook

When you are being introduced

1. Rise

2. Smile – it improves your face value

3. Make eye contact

4. A firm handshake

5. Do say “How do you do ?”

How to introduce others

The most important part of the introductions is to make them.

Golden rule : Say the more important person’s name first.

How to introduce others

Business introductions

• Are based on power and hierarchy.

• Persons of lesser authority are introduced to

persons of higher authority.

• Gender plays no role in business introductions.

Business introductions

This is the pecking order for business introductions :

1. Introduce a non official person to an elected official.

“ Mr. Secretary, allow me to introduce Mr. Silva from ABC Corp.”

2. Introduce someone from your firm to a client or customer.

“ Mr. Sanders, this is Mr. Narayan, our CEO. Mr. Sanders is from XYZ.”

3. Introduce a junior executive to a senior executive.

“Mr. Senior executive, please meet Mr. Junior executive from Sales.”

Social introductions

1. According to rules of diplomatic protocol, people are presented to royalty, chiefs of state, ministers in charge of legations, ambassadors and dignitaries of the church regardless of age or gender.

“ Reverend O’Conner, this is Ms. Wright.”

2. Social etiquette is based on chivalry, so both formal and informal introductions are made according to age, gender , and then social status.

Social introductions

3. A man should be introduced to a woman.

“ Betty, I’d like you to meet David”

4. When introducing relatives, always clarify the

relationship.

5. When introducing your spouse, don’t use titles. Just

say, “ Seema , my wife.”

Self introduction

1. Introduce yourself by extending your hand and smiling .

2. Give your complete name.

3. In business introductions, it is important to say where

you work.

4. Keep it short and simple.

5. At a business meal, always introduce yourself to the

people sitting next to you.

Responding to introductions

1. In response to informal introductions, simply say

“ hello”.

1. Say, “ How do you do “ in response to formal

introductions.

2. Always use the other persons name when responding to

introductions.

3. Always stand for introductions.

BUSINESS MEETING ETIQUETTE

Etiquette for informal meetings

1. The person calling the meeting or “ the chair”, should be

the most senior or with the most direct interest in the

topic at hand.

2. The chair should decide the time, place and agenda.

3. These details should be communicated to everybody.

4. The chair must make the purpose of the meeting clear

to the attendees, how long it will last and what is

expected of them.

Etiquette for informal meetings

4. Punctuality is a must.

5. Ensure that the meeting stays within the agenda.

6. Someone should be pre-appointed to record the

proceedings.

7. The results of the meeting should be communicated to

everyone concerned.

Etiquette for formal meetings

1. Prepare well.

2. Dress well and be punctual.

3. Switch off your mobile phone or keep it on silent mode.

4. Sit as per the seating arrangement. If not sure, ask.

5. Acknowledge any introductions or opening remarks with

a brief recognition of the chair and other participants.

Etiquette for formal meetings

6. When discussions are under way it is good

business etiquette to allow the more senior figures to

contribute first.

7. Never interrupt anybody.

8. When speaking – KISS

9. Always address the chair.

10. Be discreet and never disclose information about

the meeting to others.

Ten commandments of effective business meetings

1. Thou Shalt Always Know What Time It Is

2. Thou Shalt Not Forget the Main Reason for Meetings

3. Thou Shalt Praise in Public, Criticize in Private

4. Thou Shalt Not Convene Meetings Outside of Normal Business Hours

5. Thou Shalt Not Use Group Pressure to Logroll Conclusions

6. Thou Shalt Not Use Meetings to Destroy Others' Careers

7. Thou Shalt Keep the Personal and the Corporate Distinct

8. Thou Shalt Remember that the Best Model for Meetings Is Democracy, Not Monarchy

9. Thou Shalt Always Prepare a Clear Agenda and Circulate It Beforehand

10. Thou Shalt Terminate a Regularly Scheduled Meeting When Its Purpose for Being No Longer Exists

Dining etiquette

Basic table setting

Basic table settingDinner Plate: Largest plate

Salad Plate: Medium

Bread Plate: Small

Goblet/Wine: Right side above dinner plate

Dinner Knife: Largest knife, right side closest to plate

Bread Knife: Small, across bread plate

Dinner Fork: Largest fork, left side closest to plate

Salad Fork: Small, outer left side

Teaspoon: Small spoon, next to knife on right side

Soup Spoon: Large, next to teaspoon on outer right side

Basic table setting

1. Always use utensils from the outside inward to plate: forks

= left, knives/spoons = right, dessert = above

2. You work from the bottom up on your glassware

3. Remember, “ liquids on your right” and “solids on your

left”.

4. Keep blades of knives turned toward plate and bread knife

blade turned downward toward yourself

Basic table setting

5. Cups are above your plate; glassware sets to top right of

plate positioned by height beginning with water goblet

6. Bread plate/ butter knife is to top left of plate

7. Salad plates are sometimes found immediately to left of

plate/silverware, below bread plate

8. When in doubt, wait and see what others are doing.

The meal

First course – Soup

Second course – Salad

Third course – Palate cleanser

Fourth Course- Entree, Potato or Pasta, and

Vegetables

Fifth Course- Dessert

Napkin etiquette

1. Place the napkin in your lap immediately after the last person has been seated at your table.

2. Do not shake it open.

3. If the napkin is large put the fold toward your waist.

4. If you must leave the table during the meal be sure to put the napkin on your chair or to the left of your plate.

5. When you are finished eating, place the napkin to the right of the plate.

6. Don’t use your napkin like a handkerchief.

Eating etiquette

1. Begin eating only after everyone has been served.

2. Bread and rolls should be broken into small pieces. Butter only one or two bites at a time. Butter should be taken from the butter dish and placed on the bread plate, not directly on the bread.

3. Bring food to your mouth, not your mouth to the food.

4. Chew with your mouth closed.

Eating etiquette

5. Always scoop food away from you.

6. Do not leave a spoon in the cup, use the saucer or

plate instead.

7. Taste before seasoning.

8. Cut food one piece at a time.

9. Do not smoke while dining out.

10.Do not use a toothpick, or apply makeup at the table.

Eating etiquette

11. If food spills off your plate, you may pick it up with a piece of your silverware and place it on the edge of your plate.

12. Never spit a piece of food into your napkin. Remove the food from your mouth using the same utensil it went in with. Place the offending piece of food on the edge of your plate. The exception to this is a fish bone or a

seed which you may remove with your fingers.

13. Do not talk with your mouth full.

14. Take small bites so you can carry on a conversation without the delay of chewing and swallowing large amounts of food.

Eating etiquette

Eating etiquette

1. Once you use your utensil, no part [even a clean handle] should ever touch the table surface

2. If merely pausing during a meal, place fork with tines down over knife, forming an inverted V on your plate

3. Second servings necessitate placing both knife and fork on right side of plate to allow serving room

4. When meal is completed, knife [blade toward you]  and fork [ tines up or down and to left of knife] should be paired together diagonally or horizontally across plate

5. Do NOT stack your plates or push them away from you - leave them as you found them

Eating etiquette