Business etiquette is a set of rules (written and unwritten) for carrying one's self in a business environment. These rules vary from one culture to the other and many of those applicable in one culture may not be appropriate in another. While keeping these cultural differences in mind, this article will briefly shed light on a few of the basic simple rules that can help one build a professional image in front of others, regardless of cultural differences.
One of the first business rules important to build one's image is not to engage in office gossip. While these are usually juicy subjects that one can easily get tempted into delving in, these "not fit for print" discussions may be harmful to one's career on the long run.
Another business etiquette rule is never to give "between you and me" opinions. This a term I use to refer to subjective and judgmental statements one makes in front of close colleagues about the boss, company policy, or a client staff. One has to remember that there is hardly ever a "between you and me" in business. Sooner or later, and directly or indirectly what you say about others will get to them, rest assured that it will happen.
A sign of poor business etiquette is unscheduled visits. Sometimes people show up to "visit" a friend at work unscheduled. Visits should always be scheduled. If you were in the neighbourhood and wanted to stop by and say "Hi," at least you need to see if the time is right. If you had to make an unscheduled visit, make it brief and be considerate of the other person's time constraints. Some prefer to say "Hi" standing up, not even sitting down so they do not take too much time from the person they are visiting. If you have a problem with unscheduled visits at your office, a good trick that works is to have a clock in a place visible to visitors so they are aware of the time.
On the same note of sensitive subjects related to business etiquette is personal hygiene. It is important to shower at least once daily before heading to work. Few things are worse than olfactory communication blockers to alienate or distract team members at work. Also, mouth odour should be clean and fresh. If one is a fan of garlic and onions, he or she must carry plenty of mints.
On the lighter side, there are a couple of fun business rules that are easy to implement and applicable everywhere, at all times. These are related to walking around the office. It is important not to stare into people's offices while moving around the office. Another thing to avoid is staring at other people's monitors. Some managers use that to check on whether their employees are working or just playing around. This is not a good habit, regardless of the reasons.
A whole set of business etiquette is related to elevator usage. The most important, even though many miss this rule, is to allow people on the elevator to get off, before getting on the elevator. Another is to have the courtesy to allow people who were waiting for the elevator before you to get on before you do. When going into the elevator, face the door, rather than other people in the elevator, if you can. Some do not know where to look, especially if the elevator is crowded. A good rule is to watch the floor counter above the door.
The handshake is also part of business etiquette. A hand shake must be firm, but not too firm. A loose handshake does not give a good feeling to the other person, so it is better to avoid it. Also on handshakes, the best is one is where you put your hand out at a right angle to the floor. A slight shift to the left where the palm faces the floor is not recommended. It indicates someone needing to show dominance and a desire to show supremacy over the other person. To the contrary, a slight turn of the palm up when shaking hands shows openness, friendliness, and desire to show respect to the other person. However, the straight out right angle is the most professional.
Even eating out on a business lunch has its own rules. One example which comes to mind is when I was invited to lunch by the vice president of the company I worked for. While she ordered ala carte, I opted for the buffet which was bad choice on my part. I should have taken the opportunity to sit with my boss, instead of having to run back and forth to the buffet while she sat there alone. Another thing to avoid during business lunches is messy food. Spaghetti and lobster are things you do not want to order on a formal business lunch. Of course if you are out with friends from work, just having fun, then go ahead and have a blast, as long as you make it back to work on time, yet another business etiquette rule.
By Ammar W. Mango
© Jordan Times 2007
