As business becomes ever more competitive, it is increasingly essential to recognize the role etiquette plays in career success. From deferring to superiors to thanking colleagues, certain social skills can either make or break one’s reputation as a professional.
Learn to present yourself professionally in this training session.
1. Be Polite
At a time of high stress and ever-increasing competition for college acceptance and jobs, social skills and etiquette play an integral part in success. Being polite allows you to present yourself professionally while encouraging others to take your work seriously.
Polite people have the ability to consider the feelings and opinions of others around them, without dominating conversations and interrupting with personal details for shock value. Polite individuals do not share intimate or gory details of personal experiences merely for shock value – such as telling a tale about how they broke their finger – this may disturb listeners. Furthermore, polite people do not inquire into family planning decisions of others as some struggle to start families while others may just want time before sharing they are expecting a child with friends and family.
Being polite in the workplace is of particular significance as it can help ease tensions or misunderstandings that threaten productivity, while simultaneously building rapport with colleagues, clients, and business partners.
University of Pennsylvania researchers recently conducted a study which revealed that companies with higher employee politeness levels produced higher revenues than those with lower levels. Gregory Hamel of Chron writes that being polite in the workplace can make for a good first impression, reduce conflicts and misunderstandings, build rapport among colleagues and expand networking opportunities – such as when customers experience friendly service at fast food restaurants such as fast-food cashiers recommending this business to friends; similarly it holds true in other service-oriented industries like car washes, nail salons or dry cleaners.
2. Be Polite at the Office
One reason business etiquette matters is because it fosters an atmosphere in which employees feel respected and at ease in the workplace, leading to improved productivity due to an abundance of mutual respect among coworkers, which translates to superior customer service for clients.
Politeness at work ranges from simple actions like saying please and thank you or refraining from swearing, to more complex acts such as deferring to your boss in meetings and not participating in “office politics.” Furthermore, being polite means providing advance notice if running late to meetings and not being distracted by phones during conversations.
Apart from attending business etiquette courses or reading books on business manners, an effective way to hone your manners is observing other professionals. From coworkers or people outside work that you know personally, you can observe how they interact by paying attention to how they speak, treat others, or eat at their desks. Many professions also have specific etiquette rules you can learn by joining professional organizations or reading trade publications.
An effective way of upholding proper office etiquette is setting an example for your employees. By setting an excellent example of professionalism at your business, employees will likely follow in your footsteps and exhibit similar behavior.
Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida provides students with business etiquette education through classroom sessions, job shadowing experiences and engaging activities led by volunteers and local business leaders. Through Junior Achievement sessions and events such as its Business Hall of Fame event – where forward-thinking area business leaders host dinner events for our participants – our students gain knowledge in areas like entrepreneurship, personal branding, networking and dressing for success – they develop key business etiquette skills in a real-life setting.
3. Be Polite at Meetings
As part of conducting business, it is vital to be polite. Not only will this create an appropriate and professional atmosphere, but it will also facilitate better communication within your company and establish better working relationships among colleagues.
No matter who or with whom you conduct business, it is imperative that all participants remain polite and uphold proper etiquette. This includes being polite when saying please and thank you, refraining from using vulgarities, standing when someone enters a room, being attentive during meetings, adhering to dress codes, and sending thank-you notes as soon as possible.
If you need help understanding how to conduct business properly, attending a workshop or seminar that teaches basic etiquette basics is highly recommended. There are countless workshops and seminars online as well as local experts available who offer these services; these experts can help improve your manners while leaving a great first impression with clients, colleagues and customers alike.
Clients may invite you to a business dinner with their family. Attendance at this meal is important, but be mindful of any specific etiquette rules associated with such meals; always use formal addresses such as Mr. and Mrs. when speaking; be prepared to introduce yourself if someone forgets your name; avoid distractions like cell phones or electronic devices during dinner and focus solely on conversations taking place at that table.
Politeness in Florida business interactions is paramount, both to maintain your good name and create strong working relationships between employees, clients and customers.
4. Be Polite at Social Events
At social events, polite people take care to speak clearly and politely, refraining from using slang or informal speech. They also dress appropriately for each event while maintaining good body posture – showing poise and respect towards other attendees. Finally, they always send thank you notes as a token of their appreciation to their host.
Being polite involves more than simply treating others with respect and courtesy; it is a means of creating a welcoming work environment for all involved. Business etiquette has become ever more important; having proper manners could make all the difference!
Polite people know how important being polite can be and always say “please” and “thank you”. Politeness should never be aggressive or rude – it should always be thoughtful in both words and actions, such as smiling at strangers and turning down the volume on their voices when indoors.
Polite people are conscientious in how they treat others, avoiding gossip and showing empathy towards those who may have made mistakes. Polite individuals understand the difference between schadenfreude (taking pleasure from another’s misfortune) and empathy (feeling with the person in distress).
Basic principles of business etiquette may seem obvious, yet are often forgotten about or disregarded. If you want to hone the professionalism and communication within your company, book a training session with Etiquette South Florida – our seminars can help create a positive work environment and develop better working habits among your employees. Furthermore, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida provides various programs from kindergarten through 12th grade that teach these principles of etiquette to children as young as kindergarteners!
5. Be Polite at Dinner
Business etiquette refers to a set of written and unwritten rules designed to create appropriate behavior in certain situations. Although some rules may seem obvious, it’s essential that we all remember that failure to show consideration could have serious repercussions for both ourselves and others.
As an example, it is crucial that you RSVP for meetings and social events so as to respect the host’s time and show up if you say you will attend an event, rather than calling in sick or just saying maybe.
At dinner, it is also important to show politeness by not speaking with a full mouth, making too much noise while eating and not leaning on the table. Reaching across for seasoning or food platter is considered impolite; rather ask your host to deliver these items directly to you. Finally, avoid discussing potentially controversial subjects such as politics, religion and sexuality as these topics should remain off limits.
Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida gives students the chance to develop professional etiquette skills through hands-on, real-world learning experiences. As well as classroom sessions and job shadowing, this nonprofit’s Business Hall of Fame event gives students an opportunity to meet and dine with local business leaders while also participating in an etiquette class to prepare them for a memorable evening of activities. These classes focus on teaching students the proper etiquette techniques such as making eye contact, dining etiquette and how to dress like a polished professional. Students will gain the tools necessary for future employment opportunities while the skills learned will benefit all aspects of their lives.