Businessetiquetteismadeupofsignificantlymoreimportantthingsthanknowingwhichforktouseatlunchwithaclient.Unfortunately,intheperceptionofothers,thedevilisinthedetails.Peoplemayfeelthatifyoucan'tbetrustednottoembarrassyourselfinbusinessandsocialsituations,youmaylacktheself-controlnecessarytobegoodatwhatyoudo.Etiquetteisaboutpresentingyourselfwiththekindofpolishthatshowsyoucanbetakenseriously.Etiquetteisalsoaboutbeingcomfortablearoundpeople（andmakingthemcomfortablearoundyou!）
Peopleareakeyfactorinyourownandyourbusiness'success.Manypotentiallyworthwhileandprofitableallianceshavebeenlostbecauseofanunintentionalbreachofmanners.
DanMcLeod,presidentofPositiveManagementLeadershipPrograms,aunionavoidancecompany,says,"Showmeabosswhotreatshisorheremployeesabrasively,andI'llshowyouanenvironmentripeforlaborproblemsandobviouslypoorcustomersrelations.Disrespectfulanddiscourteoustreatmentofemployeesispassedalongfromthetop."
TheSolution
Mostbehaviorthatisperceivedasdisrespectful,discourteousorabrasiveisunintentional,andcouldhavebeenavoidedbypracticinggoodmannersoretiquette.We'vealwaysfoundthatmostnegativeexperienceswithsomeonewereunintentionalandeasilyrepairedbykeepinganopenmindandmaintainingopen,honestcommunication.Basicknowledgeandpracticeofetiquetteisavaluableadvantage,becauseinalotofsituations,asecondchancemaynotbepossibleorpractical.
Therearemanywrittenandunwrittenrulesandguidelinesforetiquette,anditcertainlybehoovesabusinesspersontolearnthem.Thecaveatisthatthereisnopossiblewaytoknowallofthem!
Theseguidelineshavesomedifficult-to-navigatenuances,dependingonthecompany,thelocalculture,andtherequirementsofthesituation.Possibilitiestocommitafauxpasarelimitless,andchancesare,soonerorlater,you'llmakeamistake.Butyoucanminimizethem,recoverquickly,andavoidcausingabadimpressionbybeinggenerallyconsiderateandattentivetotheconcernsofothers,andbyadheringtothebasicrulesofetiquette.Whenindoubt,sticktothebasics.
TheBasics
Themostimportantthingtorememberistobecourteousandthoughtfultothepeoplearoundyou,regardlessofthesituation.Considerotherpeople'sfeelings,sticktoyourconvictionsasdiplomaticallyaspossible.Addressconflictassituation-related,ratherthanperson-related.Apologizewhenyoustepontoes.Youcan'tgotoofarwrongifyoustickwiththebasicsyoulearnedinKindergarten.（Notthatthosebasicsareeasytorememberwhenyou'reinahard-nosedbusinessmeeting!）
Thissoundssimplistic,butthequalitiesweadmiremostwhenweseetheminpeopleinleadershippositions,thosearetheverytraitsweworksohardtoengenderinourchildren.Ifyoualwaysbehavesothatyouwouldnotmindyourspouse,kids,orgrandparentswatchingyou,you'reprobablydoingfine.Avoidraisingyourvoice（surprisingly,itcanbemuchmoreeffectiveatgettingattentionwhenlowerit!）usingharshorderogatorylanguagetowardanyone(presentorabsent)，orinterrupting.Youmaynotgetasmuch"airtime"inmeetingsatfirst,butwhatyoudosaywillbemuchmoreeffectivebecauseitcarriestheweightofcredibilityandrespectability.
Thefollowingareguidelinesandtipsthatwe'vefoundhelpfulfordealingwithpeopleingeneral,inworkenvironments,andinsocialsituations.
It'sAboutPeople
Talkandvisitwithpeople.Don'tdifferentiatebypositionorstandingwithinthecompany.Secretariesandjanitorialstaffactuallyhavetremendouspowertohelporhinderyourcareer.Nexttimeyouneedadocumentpreparedoraconferenceroomarrangedforapresentation,watchhowmanypeopleareinvolvedwiththatprocess（you'llprobablybesurprised!）andmakeitapointtomeetthemandshowyourappreciation.
Makeitapointtoarrivetenorfifteenminutesearlyandvisitwithpeoplethatworknearyou.Whenyou'revisitinganothersite,lingeroveracupofcoffeeandintroduceyourselftopeoplenearby.Ifyouarriveearlyforameeting,introduceyourselftotheotherparticipants.Atsocialoccasions,usethecircumstancesoftheeventitselfasanicebreaker.Afterintroducingyourself,askhowtheyknowthehostorhowtheylikethecrabdip.Talkalittleaboutyourself-yourhobbies,kids,orpets;justenoughtogetpeopletoopenupabouttheirsandgettoknowyouasaperson.
Keepnotesonpeople.Thereareseveral"contactmanagement"softwareapplicationsthataredesignedforsalespeople,butinbusiness,nearlyeveryoneisasalespersoninsomecapacityoranother.Theyhelpyoucreatea"peopledatabase"withnames,addresses,phonenumbers,birthdays,spouseandchildren's'names;whateverdepthofinformationisappropriateforyoursituation.
It'sagoodideatorememberwhatyoucanaboutpeople;andtobethoughtful.Sendcardsorlettersforbirthdaysorcongratulationsofpromotionsorotherevents,sendflowersforengagements,weddingsorincondolenceforthedeathofalovedoneorfamilymember.Peoplewillrememberyourkindness,probablymuchlongerthanyouwill!
subject:askingfordeferredpayment
dearsirs，
yourinvoiceno.1223forus$80，000worthofgoodssuppliedon20thjulyisduefor，afirebrokeoutinourwarehouselastweekanddestroyedacertainpartofvaluableconsignment.ourclaimisnowwiththeinsurancecompany，butitisunlikelytobemetforanotherthreeorfourweeksanduntilthenwearefacedwithadifficultfinancialsituation.iamthereforewritingforpermissiontodeferpaymentofyourinvoiceuntiltheendofseptember.
asyouknow，myaccountswithyouhavealwaysbeensettledpromptlyanditiswiththeutmostregretthatiamnowforcedtomakethisrequest.ihope，however，thatyouwillfinditpossibletograntit.indoingsoyouwouldrendermeaserviceishouldneverforget.
yoursfaithfully，
xxxx
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