Business Etiquette

Business Etiquette Dr. Thomas Clark Xavier University clarkt@xavier.edu www.communiskills.com 513.745.2025

Principles underpinning all etiquette: the Golden and Platinum rules • Golden: Treat others as you would like to be treated • Platinum: Treat others as they would like to be treated

Perception Equals Reality • Two Stages: • Initial Perception— (Immediate) • Sustained Perception— (Over Time)

Initial and Sustained Perception Initial PerceptionSustained Perception Presence Personal Substance  Appearance & Professionalism  Manner & Style  Attitude  Etiquette  Integrity  Awareness  Civility  Work Ethic & Discipline Presentation  Listening and Interpersonal Skills  Meeting Skills  Business Meals

PRESENCE: • APPEARANCE • MANNER & STYLE • ETIQUETTE

Presence People begin to evaluate us before any words are ever spoken Who you are speaks so loudly I do not hear what you say--Emerson

APPEARANCE • Carriage: exercise • Handshaking: exercise • Dress: handout • Grooming • First words: Exercise • Listening: Exercise • Introduction Style: Exercise • Voice: exercise • Name Recognition/Recall

Handshaking exercise • Pumper • Dead Fish • Squeezer • Two handed • Equal, with direct eye contact

Presence DRESS * Does Dress Impact Decision on Interviewees? Yes – 93% No – 7% * Does Dress Impact Promotion Potential? Yes – 96% No – 4%

DRESS “The way you dress affects the way you are perceived, and the way you are perceived, is the way you are treated.” - Buck Rodgers Former VP of Marketing, IBM Author of The IBM Way

Grooming • Neatly trimmed hair • Light perfume or cologne • Clean and trimmed fingernails • Limited jewelry • Concealed tattoos; no visible body jewelry • Polished shoes • Stockings without runs • Belts on pants; socks that match belt color

Mental rehearsal • Before you enter a situation, visualize what you are going to say and do—and then mentally rehearse how you believe your audience will respond. • At the same time, visualize what your audience’s most preferred communicator would be saying and doing

Make your first words count • Ask yourself, “What would the other person like to hear me say first?” • This will allow you to say something that will show you see things from the other person’s point of view. • Exercise: compliment someone at the table about something you know to be important to them.

Interaction: Listening skills • How do you know someone is listening to you? • How do you feel when you know someone is listening to you? • How do you describe a person who is listening to you?

Interaction: Listening skills • How do you know someone is ignoring you? • How does it make you feel when you are ignored? • How do you describe a person who has ignored you?

Interactive moment • Why should you plan your non-verbal communication as carefully as your verbal behavior before you take part in a job interview?

Planning a message • Purpose: What do I want to happen as a result of this message? When do I need a response? • Strategic alignment: How does my memo contribute both to reader and company goals? How will readers react? • Execution: Is this a good time to send this message? How can I finish it on time? How should I transmit this message?

Outlining your message • Open with your purpose: Clear subject line. Opening paragraph that answers the What, Why, and When questions. • Order your arguments: Lead from strength; chronology; umbrella point. • List action steps: Who does What When

Write an effective opening • Write precise subject lines • Write first sentences that tell readers how you want them to react to the rest of the message • Define the “why(s)” of your message • Be sure your opening meets the “so what” test

Order your arguments • Lead from strength in action memos • Order by chronology in explanatory memos

Headings: table of contents of memo; macro-organizers Lists: improves comprehension and retention; micro-organizers Boldface, underlining, and italics: help readers scan information- more easily Indenting: reveal hierarchies of thought White space: improved curb appeal of memo Highlighting

Overall appearance Margins Type Size Boxing Typeface Chunking Overall length Short paragraphs Short sentences Short words Make documents inviting to read

Write the first draft Opening paragraphs Background paragraph Scannable body paragraphs • write in what/why/data (or significance) Issues/further discussion Follow-up paragraphs

Introducing yourself • Hi, I’m Fred Jones (vs. Mr., Ms., or Dr.)

Introducing yourself to a secretary • Hello. My name is Libby Smith. I am here for a 1 o’clock appointment with Mr. Jones.

Introductions • Mention authority figures first and introduce others to them. • Introduce a younger person to an older person. • Always stand up. • Always shake hands.

Introduce lower ranking person to higher ranking person. Include useful information • Father Graham, may I introduce Libby Smith, our new assistant director of diversity. She recently earned her MA in Human Resources at Indiana University. • Father Graham has served as President of Xavier University for the past 6 years. Recently, US News & World Report ranked Xavier as the 2nd best comprehensive university in the Midwest.

Interactive moment In groups of 3-4, introduce each members of the group to one another.

Remembering names • Get business cards from everyone you meet and makes notes on it about when you met, what you had in common, and details about the person, including names of children. • Prefer the formal to the informal, especially with older and higher ranking people • Avoid saying, “I’m sorry, I have forgotten your name” Instead, say “Help me out, your name was on the tip of my tongue and I must be having a senior moment.

Speak with authority Even when asking questions, have your voice end on with a downward inflection. Say “What time is the meeting?” once with voice raising at the end and one with voice ending with a downward inflection.

Write with authoritatively and positively and concisely, pp. 4-1 ff in workbook Authoritative language Positive language Concise language

Business Communication • Telephone calls • Notes of Appreciation • Phone Calls and Voice Mail • Beepers, Cellular Phones, and Portables

Telephone Etiquette • Identify yourself and your company. • Ask the person if he or she has time to talk. • Make calls during normal business hours. • Return calls the same day. • Never put someone on hold without asking permission. • Don’t do other work while on the phone • Be courteous of others when screening calls.

General Do’s and Don’ts • Outline points you want to make prior to placing a call. • If your party is not there, leave a brief message and request a telephone appointment. • If your party answers, identify yourself, stick to your outline and thank the person at the end of the call.

Conference calls • Prepare • Be respectful • Be inclusive • Keep moving • Get commitments

Voice Mail • Identify yourself and your return number immediately. • Be brief and to the point. What you want, why it is of mutual interest, details, next steps. Leave return number again. • Record your own concise outgoing message. Make sure you sound upbeat and optimistic

Your voice-mail recording • Start with an upbeat greeting • Indicate how the caller can get a response • Close on a positive note (Make it a great day!) • Do not have • a cute message • background music • a long introductory comment before the beep

Interaction What are the differences in impressions you make when you use each of the following media: • voice mail message • e-mail message • business letter • telephone call • impact of • normal call • speaking from or to a speaker phone • call waiting interruptions

Beepers, Cellular Phones,and Portables Limit the use. Put on vibrate or silent.

Notes of Appreciation • Thank You • Letter of Commendation • Memos of Recognition

Ice breakers • When visiting an office, pay attention to how the office is decorated. Look for clues that will allow you to compliment the other person on something non-controversial • Avoid politics, religion, how much you earn, or negative communication such as comments about a company or people

Interactive moment In small groups, identify something in your office décor that perceptive visitors could identify that would allow them to compliment you or start a conversation about a topic that stirs feelings of pride within you.

Meeting Etiquette • Before the meeting • Starting the meeting • After the meeting

Etiquette at Business Meetings: Before the Meeting • Arrive early to make sure meeting room is set up correctly. Put agendas in place. Provide for drinks and a light snack. • Stand near the door to thank each person who arrives. Ask what issues are of particular interest to them. • Introduce new members to existing members

Etiquette at Business Meetings: Starting the Meeting • Ask new members of group to introduce themselves. Ask historical members to give their names and positions. • Preview the agenda and set a time limit for each item, including time at the end of the meeting to come back to issues.

Etiquette at Business Meetings: During the Meeting Ask non-contributing members if they’d like to add their perspectives. Note: Interestingly, research shows talkative members welcome the comments of others—and shy members value inclusion in the conversation.

Etiquette at Business Meetings: Ending the Meeting • Summarize agreed upon actions, responsibilities and timing, later written as minutes and distributed to relevant parties. • Thank group and guests for their time and contributions.

Social Events • Business Meals • Rules for the Host • Rules for the Guest • Ordering

Business Meals • Breakfast Meetings: often best time to meet with busy executives • Luncheon Meals: iced tea and simple food • After-Work Cocktail: one only to stay in command in the meeting and on the road. • Business Dinners • B=Bread D=Drink

Rules for the Host • Don’t impose invitations. • Request responses as soon as possible. • Invite others for business reasons. • Select an appropriate setting.

Business Etiquette