Posts tagged "business etiquette"
May 31, 2016
When you hear the word “etiquette,” what do you think of? Do you relate it to fancy table manners and other highfalutin behaviors associated with the social protocol of dignitaries, royalty and “upper class?”
Etiquette is being aware of how your actions affect those around you. It’s about making others feel comfortable in your presence by the way you present yourself. It is not a standard we hold others to, but instead, a way we measure ourselves.
Having good manners and following etiquette guidelines, rather than being stuffy, serve to make everyday interactions more pleasant for everyone.
Emily Post said it best with this quote: “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.”
So, why does it matter? In business it’s a sign of professionalism and respect for others. Knowing what to do or say in business situations saves you from an embarrassing moment, but also puts the other person at ease—building trust.
With the launch of the digital age, etiquette has definitely seen some changes. Social media and new technology has altered the way we live and the way we communicate. It’s so easy to forget the basics of good manners when we can share information so easily on Facebook!
It’s more important than ever to take a step back and remember to keep to those standards we set for ourselves. Whether we’re using technology or face-to-face communication, the rules of etiquette are constant. Here are two questions to ask yourself: Is what I am about to do respectful? Is it kind?
Turning off our cell phones when in the company of others. Thinking before we send a tweet or post a status update to Facebook that shares personal information that could be harmful to others. It matters.
Yes, the digital age has added new etiquette questions, but in the end, the answer is still the same. Etiquette is about making other people feel comfortable. It’s about doing the right thing at the right time. It’s about respecting others and yourself.
Good manners will never go out of style.
“Class is not about societal position, wealth, and status or up bringing. Class is about making other people feel comfortable in your presence.” ~ Ann Landers
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette, Everyday Etiquette and tagged etiquette tips, business etiquette, importance of etiquette
July 18, 2014
I read this the other day and unfortunately, it didn’t surprise me: “Plan any event and chances are one in five of the people you invite will be late.” This comes from a recent study done at San Francisco State University that found that 20% of the U.S. population is chronically late.
All of us have encountered these 20% — the people in our personal and business lives who keep us waiting. And waiting….. However, punctuality, sadly, is something that we rarely discuss. The importance of it, that is, especially in the business arena.
When meeting for business, remember this: “If you’re not 10 minutes early, you’re 10 minutes late.” Or another favorite of mine “If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late.”
If you’re one of the 20% that is battling lateness, there are things you can do to transform yourself into Punctual Pete (or Patricia).
- Plan ahead. Buy a coffee pot with a timer and set it up so your coffee is ready when you get up. Pick out your clothes the night before. Set your car keys in the same place every night. It’s amazing how much time is wasted running around in the morning. Planning is everything if you are hanging up your tardy hat.
- Track your time. Knowing how to “tell time” is a good place to start revamping your lateness routine. Track how long it takes to shower in the morning. The time it takes to get to the office, etc. You will be surprised at how far you are off the mark when you see those numbers on paper!
- Be realistic. Chronically late people are often unrealistic about how long it takes to do things—to get places. And that’s a slippery slope when you’re running from one meeting to another. If you know you’re going to have a 5-minute walk from one meeting to the next, avoid scheduling back-to-back meetings. Or, alternatively, schedule meetings for 20 minutes, instead of 30 minutes, allowing you time to juggle both.
- Buffer, buffer, buffer. If it takes you 30 minutes to get to the office, and you have a meeting promptly at 8 a.m., leave the house at 7:15. This extra 15 minutes of buffer time will give you a buffer for unexpected delays en route. Even better, check traffic before you leave the house. Yes, there’s an app for that!
- Test the route. Meeting a client at a restaurant across town that you’ve never been to before? Play it safe and map out the route the night before. With GPS apps nowadays, you can easily determine the fastest way to get there.
- Bring along reading material. Being early can be a blessing. While you’re waiting for the other person to arrive, you can catch up on some reading, listen to an audio book or catch up on email. With all the technology we have today, there is no reason you can’t be productive while you wait.
- Stay organized. There’s really no excuse to be late if you use the tools we have today to stay organized. Make sure your meeting calendar is synced to smartphone. Set a reminder for 15 or 30 minutes – giving yourself enough time to wrap up what you’re doing and move on to your meeting.
- Get some zzz’s. If you’re sleeping through your alarm and rushing around to get to work on time, you’re probably not getting enough sleep. Get your day off to the right start by getting in 7- 8 hours of sleep.
Being on time shows others that you value their time. After all, we all know that once it’s gone, we can’t get it back!
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette and tagged being late, business etiquette
January 8, 2014
Everyone has a cell phone these days—and many use it for both business and pleasure. In today’s world, you and I are so accessible —but where do we draw the line on communication etiquette.
A friend recently shared that one of her clients refuses to use email. Or at the least, it’s used as a last resort. A young man, he uses his cell phone for all his business communication, and he’s a big-time texter. While my friend does have a cell phone, typically she uses it to call clients, check email and most of the texting she does is for personal communication – quick texts to ask her husband to pick up milk on his way home from work and that kind of thing. Her cell phone is listed on her business card and email signature, but she was surprised when the first text popped up on her phone from this client.
With a growing popularity to text messaging (and mobile phone use, in general), it’s not surprising that texting as a form of business communication is on the rise, but there definitely needs to be some guidelines as to how to use it.
Here are a few etiquette tips to keep in mind:
- Make sure you have the right number. As with email etiquette, begin your initial text message with a salutation so that the recipient is sure the text is intended for him or her. Something like, “Hello Margaret…” If you receive a text message that is not intended for you, be sure to text back with a polite “I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”
- Introduce yourself. If you’re text-messaging someone for the first time, they may not have your cell phone number programmed into their phone. Best to start the message with something like “Good morning, it’s Jennifer Lawson from XYZ Corporation…”
- Manners matter. Though it’s easy to send off a quick text, the same rules of courtesy apply. Be cognizant of the time of day – especially if there is a time zone difference. Many a pleasant slumbers have been interrupted by the buzzing and beeping of a cell phone on the nightstand.
- Skip the abbreviations. It’s tempting to use shortcuts, like “u” (you) or “Gr8” (great) when tapping a quick note, and that can appear too casual or unprofessional. Like any type of communication, when writing a text think about who the message recipient. It’s safest to type out the entire word or phrase when communicating with business contacts by text message.
- Think before you text. Avoid sharing anything confidential, proprietary or potentially embarrassing by text message.
- Be patient. Just because texting is “instant” communication, doesn’t mean the recipient is in a position to answer at that exact moment.
- Turn it off. Just as answering your cell phone during a conversation is taboo, texting someone else during a face-to-face is just plain rude. If you must respond to a text message, politely excuse yourself to handle it outside the room.
Do you use text messaging as a way to communicate with business contacts? Share your comments below.
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette, business communication tips, text messaging etiquette
November 15, 2013
Every time you go to a social event, think of it as a networking experience. Right Management reports that 46 percent of respondents found jobs in 2012 through networking. That’s more than Internet job boards, agencies/recruiters and newspaper classifieds combined. You don’t need to carry a resume and portfolio with you everywhere you go, however—a simple business card will do. What you put on that business card will help you get from the introduction to the next step: the interview.
White Space on Business Cards
Leave enough white space on your card so recipients can make notes about you, or so you can make notes to help them remember you. In the same vein, choose a paper stock that’s easy to write on—a highly glossy stock isn’t very friendly to pens or ink.
Your Contact Information
Aside from the obvious name, phone and email address, consider what else you want people to know. If you have well-built LinkedIn, Google Plus and Twitter profiles, include those, but leave off personal Facebook and Twitter accounts that you use to connect with your friends.
If it applies, include a link to a website or blog where you’ve posted your resume and a portfolio of your work. Make sure your site features a professional photo of you, which will help your contacts remember you.
Vanity Calling Cards
Business cards with your photo are overkill. Don’t do this unless you are in the performing arts. When your contacts visit your LinkedIn or other social pages, they’ll see your image.
QR Codes
Marketingland.com agrees: QR codes are a thing of the past. These are quick-response codes that smartphones scan and take users to websites, email addresses or any URL you connect it to. Think about it—when was the last time you scanned one? Use this space for valuable information.
Tag Lines
Just like a business uses a tagline to give the reader more information about what it does, create one to describe and remind contacts who you are and what you do: journalist, financial analyst, accountant, software engineer. Whatever your career’s keywords are, work those in this area.
Design Tips
Keep it simple, unless you are a graphic designer and want to show off your skills (and even then, use a light hand). If you use both sides of the cards, do so sparingly. Leave the back side as open as possible for that white space mentioned in the first tip. This would be a good place for your tagline.
Stay away from script fonts and use colors and fonts that are easy to read. Find an online printing service that makes it easy to design your own card and turns them around quickly. Save the money you’d pay a designer and put it toward your interview suit.
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette
October 23, 2012
Communication and relationship building are the lifeblood of business, and how you relate to others is what etiquette is all about. More and more companies understand that in order to gain a competitive advantage they need people on their team who can handle themselves in social and professional situations. In addition to having employees who are good at what they DO (hard skills), they need employees who possess strong soft skills.
Soft skills refer to those personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social graces that make you an easy person to be around, and work with.
Some of the most common soft skills employers are seeking and will be assessing you on include:
- Good communication skills
– In today’s digital age, we’re so accustomed to communicating virtually – through text messages and short emails – that we have less opportunity to stretch our verbal and nonverbal communication muscles. Having the power to effectively communicate with anyone will help you build collaborative relationships, gain a competitive advantage and grow your business.
- Positive attitude – Nobody wants to work with a “Debbie Downer!” Having a positive attitude is an important soft skill to have. Being optimistic and upbeat will get you noticed—in a good way!
- Strong work ethic
- Being motivated and dedicated to “getting the job done” is a trait that will help you stand out next to your competition. Looking for a promotion? Showcasing your ability to conquer any situation, no matter what, is something higher-ups are paying attention to.
- Good manners and social etiquette – Good manners are not passé. Give yourself the “etiquette edge” and distinguish yourself from the competition.
- Time management abilities – Knowing how to organize and prioritize tasks – and use your time wisely – is something you will benefit from both personally and professionally. To business owners, time = money.
- Problem-solving skills
– Are you resourceful? Able to creatively solve problems that arise? Being a good leader depends on being to effectively manage a crisis and provide solid solutions.
- Ability to be a team player
– I’m sure you’ve been asked this question at every interview, but it’s an important one. Being able to work independently is great, but collaborating with different personalities often poses a challenge for some. Knowing how to cooperate—and take the lead is crucial.
- Self-confidence / self-awareness
- Sounds like a “no-brainer,” but if you don’t believe in yourself, you’ll be hard pressed to convince others of your abilities.
- Ability to accept and learn from criticism – This one is tough for many, but master this skill and you’ll reap the rewards, both in growing as an individual and a professional. Never stop learning!
- Flexibility / adaptability
- The one constant is this: CHANGE. Being able to change course and embrace challenges – and be open to new ideas – is a soft skill that isn’t always easy to master, but will set you apart from your peers.
- Working well under pressure – You’re bound to be in stressful situations – handle it with grace and you’re sure to stand out.
To advance your professional life, spend some time mastering your soft skills.
For more business etiquette tips, check out my etiquette training and teleseminars. Or download a copy of “The Power of Polite: A Guide to Etiquette in Business.“
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette, soft skills
September 4, 2012
Last week I was attending an event and saw a very attractive baldheaded gentleman standing across the room. I went over, smiled and introduced myself to him. He smiled back and made a sweeping gesture with his index finger across his teeth and said, “Do this.” Yes, you guessed it — I had lipstick on my teeth! Talk about embarrassing! Instead of dazzling him with my smile – he saw red! Red teeth that is!! I was caught with lipstick smeared on my teeth! Not the impression I was trying to make. Especially in a business setting!
Even though I was mortified, I was also grateful that he felt comfortable enough to tell me that I was walking around with lipstick-smudged teeth!
If you encounter someone with lipstick on her teeth, return the favor. Discreetly inform them of the smudge.
How to avoid the colorful smile
First impressions are important, especially if you’re in a business setting. My advice, to avoid being left “red-in-the-face” when meeting with a new client or mingling at a networking event is to take a few moments and do a mirror check before you enter the room. Check that there’s nothing stuck in your teeth, and test to make sure your lipstick isn’t going end up on your teeth!
To ensure that you haven’t applied too much lipstick – which is the main reason we end up with some of it smeared on our teeth – you’ll need to perform the Finger Test. Follow these steps before you leave the house!
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Stick your index finger into your mouth as if you were pointing to the back of your throat.
- Close your lips around the base of your finger.
- Pull your finger out of your mouth while keeping your lips pursed around your finger.
- Wash your hands.
This is a really common technique for making sure that excess lipstick doesn’t migrate to your front teeth.
So, how do we avoid getting lipstick on our teeth, ladies? I’ve also hear that applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly works. What do you think? Do you have a trick?
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged first impressions, business etiquette
July 30, 2012
Creating a LinkedIn profile, and knowing how to interact with your connections, isn’t always as simple as it seems. The information you include—or exclude—could affect your career growth, as well as your overall professional identity online.
The social network is a great place to showcase your achievements and build a network of professional contacts, but there are definitely some etiquette dos and don’ts to follow to ensure you are presenting yourself in the most positive light.
Follow these tips to avoid LinkedIn etiquette blunders!
DO:
- Include a profile picture. Investing in a photographer to take professional headshots is worth the investment. It’s the first thing people notice when they visit your LinkedIn profile.
- Complete your profile. Add your professional info, website address, honors and awards, interests, groups, etc. Also include widgets to pull in content such as your reading list, events, and your business blog.
- Give and receive recommendations. Utilize the recommendations feature to request endorsements from business contacts. While it’s great to be recognized, it’s important that you also recommend others. In good LinkedIn etiquette: what goes around—comes around.
- Join groups. LinkedIn allows you to connect with people who are in the same group as you are. But don’t just join: contribute and add value.
- Post regular status updates. Updating your LinkedIn status is a great way to stay on your network’s radar.
- Tailor your messages. When inviting someone to your network, take the time to personalize your message. Within a few seconds you can include a personal note to a contact that replaces the auto-generated “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn).
Don’t:
- Don’t add people you don’t know. While it’s great to have a large professional network, requesting a connection to a stranger will devalue the real connections you have. Add only the people you truly have a real connection with—whether you’ve been introduced in person or online.
- Don’t post an inappropriate photo. LinkedIn is not Facebook and humorous photos are not appropriate in your profile. Keep it professional.
- Don’t overlook grammar and spelling. LinkedIn is a great place to promote yourself and misspelled words are not going to make your personal brand shine.
- Don’t use automated invites. Add a personal message to the invitation.
- Don’t be spammy. This should go without saying, but avoid posting over-promotional comments on your LinkedIn page. LinkedIn is not the venue for peddling your latest product.
- Don’t ask for LinkedIn endorsements from people you don’t know. In real life, it would be a strange networking move to ask for a testimonial from a stranger. The same applies here.
From “The Power of Polite: A Guide to Etiquette in Business.”
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette, networking, social media etiquette, LinkedIn
March 19, 2012
Your personal appearance is not only an important factor in how you present yourself others, the way you dress reflects the importance you attach to the situations and people around you. If your clothes are unclean or wrinkled, you may appear to be careless and uninterested in the business situation or people you are interacting with.
If you’re dressing for a job interview, be sure to choose attire that projects the image you want the employer to receive. If the company has a “business casual” dress policy, it’s still better to take a conservative approach for the initial introduction. Just because the receptionist told you it was Casual Friday, that doesn’t give you the green light to wear your comfy jeans and your new “TGIF” sweatshirt to the job interview.
Even after you get the job, consider your appearance. Someone once told me this, and it stuck, “I dress to the level I want to achieve.” So, if you want to be CEO, think about how you look when you leave the house in the morning. Do you carry yourself like an executive?
Here are some basic rules of thumb you can follow:
- When meeting with business associates or clients, whether in your office or theirs, you should dress appropriately — if they wear suits, you should wear one.
- If you’re interviewing for a job and don’t have the inside scoop on their dress code, try to scope out the place before your interview to see how the employees are dressed. It’s also perfectly acceptable to contact the receptionist and ask her about the company dress code policy. You can tell her you’re applying for a position at the company without having to introduce yourself.
All business attire, whether traditional or casual, should be reflective of a professional, dignified appearance.
Great men are seldom over-scrupulous in the arrangement of their attire ~Charles Dickens
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged career etiquette, dress for success, business etiquette
January 12, 2012
Make no mistake, etiquette is as important in business as it is in everyday life. Knowing how to present yourself with a positive professional image will give you the ability to set yourself apart from your peers, and excel in business.
Sometimes it can be the little things that you do—or don’t do—that can make or break your career.
Here are my picks for the top five business etiquette faux pas (and how you can avoid them):
- Taking calls or texting while in conversation with others. When engaged in a conversation, turn your cell phone off—or put it on vibrate. If you must take a call, excuse yourself and find a quiet place to talk, away from everyone.
- Not being fully present to conversations. Stay engaged when talking with someone. In person, always use direct eye contact when speaking with people. When on a call, avoid the temptation to check email!
- Bad mouthing others. This should really go without saying, but unfortunately we know it happens all the time. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
- Arriving late for a meeting. Punctuality is a must! Being tardy tells others that you don’t value their time, and that other things are more important to you than they are. Make a conscious decision to stay on schedule. Set a reminder on your calendar, or your smartphone, to alert you in plenty of time to arrive at the meeting on schedule.
- Making excuses for not living up to your commitments. Honor your commitments. When people know you will do what you say, when you say it, you will gain trust—and be successful. Avoid the stress, and embarrassment of failing to keep your commitments by assessing your ability to complete a task BEFORE you take it on.
What’s the biggest etiquette faux pas you’ve encountered? Share in the comments below!
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette, business etiquette tips
August 4, 2011
Everywhere you look, people are on cell phones. In the grocery stores, restaurants, movie theatres, shopping malls and doctor’s offices, people are talking (or texting) on their phone. Just the other day I saw a woman jogging in the park with a cell phone up to her ear. It just looked odd to me somehow.
There has been an explosion of smartphones on the market, and everyone seems to be texting. This has added an additional layer of communication etiquette challenges to the mix. It’s quieter to text someone, and it would appear that it’s less distracting, but if you’re with someone and you’re not fully engaged because you’re answering every beep and buzz from your cell phone, well that is not good manners. I know I don’t want to be sitting down for a romantic dinner with a man who is answering a text from the other side of the table!
Hold that call!
By taking a cell phone call while in the presence of others, you’re saying to the person you are with “there is something or someone more important than you are.”
Alternately, have you ever grabbed a call just because it was ringing? Even though you didn’t have time to chat. You probably would have been far better off letting it go to message. Right? Well, the same is true when answering a cell phone while with other people. It’s a distraction from the current conversation and often even changes the dynamics of the conversation after the intrusion.
As much as we talk on cell phones these days, there still seems to be a lot of people who don’t have a grasp on the etiquette of cell phone use yet. Just because we can talk to whomever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want, does that mean we should completely forget our manners?
Here’s a quick review of some cell phone etiquette tips:
- Don’t use cell yell when taking calls in public. Your voice sounds different on a cell and is louder and carries farther than you think.
- Avoid talking about personal topics when other people can hear you.
- If you must take a call when you’re already engaged in a face-to-face conversation, ask permission of the people who are with you. Then move away from them so they can carry on their conversation without your distraction.
- Do NOT text during face-to-face conversations.
- Maintain a distance of at least 10-feet from the nearest person when talking on your cell phone.
- When the lights are turned off, your phone should be, too (movie theatres, playhouses, etc.)
- Don’t place your cell phone on the dinner table, anywhere.
- Use common sense. Your phone should be turned off or to silent during a job interview, funeral, wedding, at the gym, in the bathroom, during a presentation, or any other setting where a quiet atmosphere is mandated.
Do you think there are others that belong on the list of cell phone dos and don’ts?’ List them in the comments section below.
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Posted by Margaret in Everyday Etiquette and tagged cell phone etiquette, manners, business etiquette, texting etiquette
