business etiquette | uldissprogis

Being a slob with a messy desk with food, drink stains, and leftovers is a bad start. Add to this bad personal hygiene with bad body odor and breath and a disheveled appearance and you can become an office pariah.

Being condescending or talking down to fellow coworkers by feeling that only you have all the right answers, telling everyone else that their ideas will fail, and criticizing them at every opportunity. Many of your ideas may actually be good but give others a chance to work on their own ideas too or you will soon have the entire staff hating you.

Stop communicating too much personal information and especially personal problems. Excessive talk about personal health problems, marital arguments, your offspring’s latest accomplishments at preschool no one cares about, and private phone calls are all detailed information which will bore and annoy almost everyone.

Being lazy and doing the bare minimum of work and sometimes trying to get help from coworkers will generate much hatred especially if you accept credit for the work that others have mostly done.

Being a backstabber and claiming credit for another’s work may get you temporarily higher in the corporate ladder but you will be hated by most of the humans which you have backstabbed and other workers will know about this too.

You are too noisy and just plain rude, inconsiderate, and annoying if you whistle, sing, hum, chew loudly, or play your music for all to hear. You are interrupting the quiet atmosphere needed for concentrated work efforts without interference by others.

Lying to your boss can get you fired and lying to your coworkers will ruin a trustworthy relationship and any hope of being respected and admired by them.

Procrastination on a team may mean that others will have to do some of the work for you and will cause much resentment and annoyance.

Tardiness will upset your coworkers because it is a sign that you don’t value their time and is another valid reason for being fired by your boss.

Lack of manners like being rude and thoughtless and not saying “please”, “thank you”, and “I’m sorry” will make smooth communication with your coworkers impossible and they won’t enjoy talking to you.

Bad email communication by being too abrupt, rude, and adding to that long windedness will guarantee that you will have bad communications with coworkers and a bad reputation in the office.

Being a busy body will annoy many who don’t want to reveal the minutia of their personal lives.

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During an introduction give your full name:

Especially if you have a difficult name then say it and always give your business card so that the person can use it to reference the difficult name if needed. If you will have or are having a lot of contact with customers who should remember your name then you should consider changing your name to a simpler one which is easier to remember than your original hard name.

Always try to stand during an introduction:

Unless you are caught off guard and haven’t prepared then you should always stand if being introduced to avoid being ignored by the human whom you are being introduced to. If you are stuck in a sitting position then at least nod in acknowledgement of the introduction. If you are personally introducing yourself then you should definitely be standing and a firm handshake is appropriate.

Limit the “thank you” during a conversation:

Saying “thank you” more than once or twice during a conversation will make you seem needy and somewhat helpless which is an attitude that you don’t want to convey. Instead of saying “thank you” after each helpful suggestion say “that is a great, useful, or helpful suggestion or point”.

Send timely thank you notes where they apply:

Especially after a job interview, where a decision will be made quickly, it is important that you send an email or text “thank you” notes to all who have been helpful to you and whom you want to acknowledge as being helpful within 24 hours.

Never pull out a chair for someone:

Regardless of gender it is not smart to pull out a chair for someone placing yourself in a servile position and creating an illusion or suggestion that someone is not strong and independent enough to pull out the chair themselves.

Don’t cross your legs:

Crossing of legs implies a casual relaxed approach which you should not convey during an important business conversation.

Sit straight and don’t slouch:

Slouching conveys a casual attitude which you should not display professionally so you should always sit straight and even lean forward slightly on occasion to imply that you are giving them your full attention and that what they are saying is important to you.

Don’t reorder your dishes:

Let the waiter do their job and don’t stack or push plates around on the table after you are finished eating.

Never ask for a to go box:

A doggie bag is OK after family dinners at a restaurant but not after a professional dinner.

Follow your guest’s food options:

If your guest orders an appetizer and/or dessert then you should also. This is to avoid making them feel uncomfortable about being the only one ordering an appetizer and/or dessert.

The host should pay regardless of gender:

The host should pay and if the woman is the host then she can say that the firm is the one paying if the male offers to pay. However, don’t start an argument over who will pay if the male forcefully insists on paying. You can excuse yourself prior to the meal ending and pay for the bill in secret and say that the bill is taken care of to the guest or guests.

Prepare a polite parting line or exit:

If the exit is non-committal then “nice to meet you” or “nice talking to you” is sufficient. If the exit is a further commitment then “see you at the next meeting” or “I will call, text, or email you tomorrow before noon” is an appropriate exit. Being rude or impolite at the end of a meeting is not acceptable.

If you like this evergreen blog read more of them and read one or more of my evergreen books, especially COMMON SENSE.

Enjoy!!!!!!