Business

Etiquette

The written and unwritten rules of

etiquette as it relates to your career
and professional image.
Etiquette Road Map
• What is Professional Etiquette?
• Relationships in Business
• Career Limiting Behaviors
• Breaking Habits
• Office Gossip
• Generational Gap
• Dress for Success
• Meeting Etiquette
• Interview Etiquette
• Professional Image
• Meet and Greet Etiquette
• Communication Etiquette (Correspondence, Email, Phone)
• People Etiquette
• Dining Etiquette
What is Etiquette
• Etiquette is a French word that means a “label”
or “ticket.”

• These are practices and forms prescribed by

social convention or by authority.
What is Business Etiquette?
• Etiquette is a set of unwritten rules that apply to
social, professional workplace relationships

• Office etiquette is about conducting yourself

respectfully and courteously in workplace.

• In the business world, good business etiquette means

that you act professionally and exercise proper
manners when engaging with others in your
profession.
Career Limiting Behavior: Breaking
Habits
Career Limiting Behavior: Breaking
Habits
• Unreliability. - Stick to your
commitments

• “It’s not my job” Attitude

• Procrastination

• Resistance to Change

• Negative Attitude

• Distracted by Phone, Watch, or acting

as if not interested. – Engage! And
most importantly, LISTEN.
Career Limiting Behavior: Office
Gossip
• It is important to distance yourself from office gossip and
participating in ‘the grapevine’.

• Be able to identify what is rumor and gossip. Be certain

to have the facts before sharing information with others.
Office Gossip Contd.
• When someone tries to share gossip with you, you can:
• Walk away.
• Change the subject.
• Directly state, "I'm not comfortable talking about __________.”
Dress for Success Special Event?
It’s OK to ask
what to wear.
Dress for the job you Don’t be
want, not the one you afraid to ask
have… for guidance.

Return on
Investment?
Buy an iron.
Business Meeting Etiquette
• Host should send a planned agenda
ahead of time with clear objectives.
• Start and stop on time. Don’t wait
for latecomers.
• Always have your calendar,
notebook, and pen.
• Meetings should be focused on
topics related to overall strategies.
• Avoid “you” talk. Always have “We”
attitude
• Allow all participants to be involved.
Encourage participation.
Interview Etiquette
• Never ‘wing it’ Learn all that you can about the position.
Be prepared to share what you can do for the
organization, and how you can make a difference.

• Arrive early (15-20 minutes). “If you’re not early, you’re

late”

• Be courteous to the receptionist or assistant. Give your

name, appointment time, and business card (if applicable).
• Use good posture.
Interview Etiquette Contd.
• Avoid using first names, unless the interviewer is familiar.

• Listen carefully and learn. Smile and be yourself.

• Relate your qualifications and your desire to do a good job.

• Do not initiate discussion about salary or benefits.

• Send a follow up or a thank-you note.

Professional Image
• You only get one first impression and that first visual
impression is incredibly important, as it not only lasts,
but can skew any further impressions you make.

• A.B.C.’s of Image:

• Appearance
• Color, wardrobe, grooming
• Behavior
• Etiquette, civility, attitude
• Communication
• Verbal, nonverbal, written
ABC’s of Image Management

• It often feels that “to judge a book by its cover” is so unfair,

but the truth be told, we are constantly judged and
assumptions are made about our capabilities, intelligence,
performance, pedigree and success, by smallest denominators
like Our Appearance, Behavior and Communication.

• Let’s face it; we often get only 30-60 minutes to convince

someone of our ideas, products, and abilities.. Research
shows that it takes 7 seconds for most people to make the
“first Impression”
ABC’s of Image Contd.
ABC’s - the alphabets that make our Impressions

• The ABC of our Image:

• Our Image is a 3 pronged layer, comprising of;
• How we look – Appearance
• How we act – Behavior
• How we interact – Communication
How the ABC’s of Image can
help us?
• If we pay little attention to these, the good news is that we
can be in control of how others perceive us, and what
assumption they make of us.

• We can create an image of ourselves that is in sync with our

dreams and ambitions. When the 3 are aligned, we appear at
our best, putting our best foot forward in everything that we
undertake.

• Working on the ABC of our image is an effective way to gain

competitive edge over others, be it while seeking a job or a
promotion.
Meet and Greet Etiquette
• Know whom to introduce first.
• Introduce Junior to the senior. Never introduce a senior.

• Eliminate slang/jargon from your vocabulary.

• Always on time, always organized, always ready.
• Name tags on your right shoulder.

• Maintain eye contact (do not scan the room when in a

conversation).
• Always have a supply of business cards.
• NEVER turn down an offered business card. Take time to look
at received card.
Meet and Greet Etiquette
• At A Work Party Or Social Event:
 Participate enthusiastically.

 Use this opportunity to meet people you don’t know (do not
just spend time with friends).

 If someone enters your group, greet them and make

introductions.

 Be sure to send a handwritten thank you note to your host(s)

within 24 hours.
 Stand in middle of room or near food table, stay away from
walls.

 Don’t overindulge with alcohol.

Correspondence (Mail)
Etiquette
• Every written invitation gets a response unless it asks for
money.
• Respond within 1 week.
• Send “Thank you” letters.
• Follow directions for response.
• Special instructions (dress code) will be in lower corners.
• Envelope will indicate if you may bring guest.
• Always include a cover letter for written documents.
E-mail Etiquette
• E-mail only those people to whom your messages actually
pertain to—don’t send mass or chain letters.
• M-ake a point of responding to messages promptly (within 24
hours).
• A-lways use spell-check and grammar check before sending
messages—be brief and clear.
• I-nclude your telephone number in your message.
• L-earn that e-mail should be used for business
rather than personal use—do not send
anything you would not want to see in public.
Telephone Etiquette
• With unknown numbers, answer the phone with your
name and company (or department).

• When placing calls, include your name and company or

department almost immediately when phone is
answered.

• Speak clearly and at a regular speed.

• State the purpose of your call.

Telephone Etiquette Contd.
• Only use speakerphone for conference calls (and start off-
conference and then switch to conference with
permission).

• Always smile when using the phone (it makes a difference).

• Judge your audience before making small talk.

• Say please and thank you.

• Return your calls.

Voicemail / Mobile Phone
Use
• Leave an adequate voice message.
• Check and return messages frequently and on a daily basis.
• Avoid using in a restaurant, movie, waiting room, or meeting.
• Do not speak so loud that other people can hear or feel like
they are part of your conversation.
 Return of property:
• Equipment
• Keys
• Business cards
• Company credit cards
• Manuals, including employee hand book
• Written materials
• Calendars purchased by company
• Office supplies and stationery
 Basic Table Manners
• Arrive early
• Let’s get seated
• Proper napkin use
• Ordering from the menu
• Minding your posture
• Excusing yourself
• DON’T “graze”
Dining Etiquette • Immediately place napkin
in your lap.
• For silverware, work your
way from the outside in,
towards the plate.
• Wait for everyone to
receive their food before
eating.
• Pass condiments to the
right.
• Once used, do not place
A. Napkin B. Salad Fork C. Dinner Fork D. Fish Fork silverware on the table.
E. Soup Bowl F. Soup Plate G. Dinner Plate H. Dinner Knife
I. Fish Knife J. Soup Spoon K. Bread Plate L. Butter Knife
• When cutting, only cut a
M. Dessert Spoon N. Dessert Fork O. Water Goblet P. Red small amount at a time.
Wine Glass Q. White Wine Glass • When you are finished,
General Dining Etiquette: place the silverware at 5
• Nurture your personal/social relationship o’clock/10’oclock as
during dinner. pictured.
• Wait till dessert and/or coffee to discuss
business.
 In Conclusion
• Manners and etiquette will make the difference in
whether you get that customer, a promotion, or that
first job!

• Business etiquette is simply about feeling and showing

kindness and respect for those around you.  It is about
exercising good judgment.
“There is no accomplishment so easy to
acquire as politeness, and none more
profitable”

-George Bernard Shaw