Business Etiquette – is it all that important?

Business etiquette is more important things than knowing which fork to use at lunch with a client. Unfortunately, in the perception of others, the devil is in the details. People may feel that if you can’t be trusted not to embarrass yourself in business and social situations, you may lack the self-control necessary to be good at what you do.

Etiquette is about presenting yourself in a way you can be taken seriously, making you being comfortable around people and making them comfortable around you. People are always been a key factor for business' success and many profitable alliances have been lost because of an unintentional breach of manners.

Most behavior that is perceived as disrespectful, discourteous is unintentional, and could have been avoided by good manners or etiquette. We believe that most negative experiences with someone were unintentional and easily repaired by keeping an open mind and maintaining open, honest communication. Basic knowledge and practice of etiquette is a valuable advantage, because in a lot of situations, a second chance may not be possible.

There are many written and unwritten rules and guidelines for etiquette, which a business person should learn, but there is no possible way to know all of them! Too many nuances, depending on the company, the local culture, and the requirements of the situation. Possibilities to commit a faux pas are limitless. But you can minimize them, and avoid causing a bad impression by being generally considerate to the concerns of others, and by adhering to the basic rules of etiquette.

The most important thing to remember is to be courteous and thoughtful to the people around you, regardless of the situation. Consider other people’s feelings, stick to your convictions as diplomatically as possible. Address conflict as situation-related, rather than person-related.

This sounds simplistic, but the qualities we admire most when we see them in people in leadership positions. Avoid raising your voice using harsh or derogatory language toward anyone, or interrupting. You may not get as much “airtime” in meetings at first, but what you do say will be much more effective because it carries the weight of credibility and respectability.

Also the etiquette in other cultures requires a bit of adaptation and flexibility. If you’re travelling on business to a foreign destination, or have visitors here, it is a good idea to learn as much as you can about the culture they are coming from and make appropriate allowances.

The important thing to remember is that if you strive to make the people around you feel comfortable and valued, you have succeeded whether you’re perfectly in compliance with these or any rules you’ve read.