adminProfessional social situations can be awkward. And, unfortunately, many people wind up making fools of themselves because they don’t understand that etiquette rules in business differ slightly from those in standard social settings.
In her book “The Essentials Of Business Etiquette ,” Barbara Pachter writes about the specific rules people need to understand in order to conduct and present themselves appropriately in professional social settings.
Here are the most important tips on how to introduce yourself, how to dress, and what to order at restaurants from Pachter’s book.
Always stand when you’re being introduced to someone. “Standing helps establish your presence. You make it easy for others to ignore you if you don’t stand. If you are caught off guard and cannot rise, you should lean forward to indicate that you would stand, if you could.”
Always say your full name
In a business situation, you should use your full name, but you should also pay attention to how others want to be introduced. If your name is too long or difficult to pronounce, Pachter says you should consider changing or shortening it. Or you should consider writing down the pronunciation of your name on a business card and giving it to others.
Always initiate the handshake if you’re the higher-ranking person or host. In today’s workplace, the host or the higher-ranking person, regardless of gender, should extend their hand first, she writes. “If the higher-ranking person fails to do so immediately — often because of gender confusion — the lower-ranking person should extend his or her hand without missing more than a beat.”
Either way, the handshake must happen. “In the US, the handshake is the business greeting. If you want to be taken seriously, you must shake hands and shake hands correctly.”
Dress appropriately
“Clothing, an important form of non-verbal communication, can enhance a person’s professional reputation or detract from his or her credibility. You want to send a professional message through your clothing choices,” Pachter writes.
Always find out what the dress code is at the event, meeting, or restaurant you’re going to and make sure your attire falls within the guidelines.
Only say “thank you” once or twice during a conversation. Never pull out someone’s chair for them. It’s OK to hold open a door for your guest, but Pachter says you shouldn’t pull someone’s chair out for them regardless of gender. In a business setting, you should leave those social gender rules behind.
“Both men and women can pull out their own chairs.” — Business Insider.
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