The 3 Fundamentals of Business Etiquette

I was once told, rather nonchalantly by a friend, “that manners and etiquette is fine if you are ‘Ms. Elizabeth’ or ‘Mr. Darcy’ but in the ‘real’ world, we keep things real”. I found it rather strange that basic foundational mannerisms was restricted to the Victorian world of Pride & Prejudice notwithstanding of course the fact that the statement itself smacked of pride and would be by matter of condescension, certainly prejudiced! But is this necessarily true? Should basic manners and etiquette be strictly within the realms of the stiff upper-lipped Brits? Isn’t there a universally agreeable set of behavioral codes, at least in the modern industrialized world? I am of course a reasonable person and certainly don’t expect the Bondo clan in tribal India to know which side of the plate the spoon and fork should sit on! Just like social etiquette however, there is also such a thing as business etiquette. In this article we will look at 3 basic aspects of business etiquette:

Personal Appearance

The old adage goes, “first impressions are lasting impressions”. This is certainly true even in the business world. While business fashion is certainly evolving in major metropolitan cities like New York or Los Angeles, the conventional well-groomed executive in business attire is still the model of corporate professionalism. Although some may debate this opinion, one’s attire and personal cleanliness speaks volumes of the person’s values and character with regard to his or her perspective on business or professionalism. Purple hair, unshaven beard and a bow tie just might not seal the deal!

Personal Interaction

While elevated to ‘levels of honor’ in Eastern cultures, it is still considered professional to stand up to greet someone if previously seated. The handshake is still the benchmark for an appropriate greeting regardless of culture or gender. And these are best portrayed when accompanied by a warm smile. This sets the ‘mood’ for the meeting even before getting into the details. No hugs or kisses please!

Personal Habits

Punctuality is the accepted currency in the world of corporate meetings. Arriving late is considered rude and unprofessional. There are also certain protocols to follow during and after a meeting. Didn’t your mother ever teach you to say, “please” or “thank you”? Well it doesn’t matter – these are basic staples to any civilized conversation; unless of course you just happen to belong to the Bondo tribe!

 Business Etiquette Training is an integral part of every company’s strategy to acclimatize their employees to maintaining a professionally healthy rapport with clients and peer companies. 

MMM Training Solutions conducts Soft Skills Training, corporate training, cross cultural training and leadership training programs for corporates in India and abroad.