Showing posts with label Business and Social Etiquette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business and Social Etiquette. Show all posts

Business and Social Etiquette

It is tactful to make people feel at ease. This is always appreciated. You will know what to do and say if you place yourself imaginatively in the others place.
It is tactful to show appreciation of services done on your behalf. Do this sincerely and not in a cursory way.
It is tactful to make others feel important. We are all born egotists. People thrive on praise and the assurance that they are needed and doing a worthwhile job.
Be liberal, then, with praise and appreciation. That does not mean flattery and the smooth tongue. Look for things to praise and you will find them. Everyone has good points.
It is tactful to be courteous at all times and to all people. Rudeness and brusqueness seldom pay. In other words, show deference to people, remembering that they are not inferiors or hands or public servants, but human beings.
Tact also show itself in respecting what others hold dear, particularly religion, politics, race and family. Anything which another feels deeply about must be treated with understanding and sympathy.
Life offers a thousand situations where a little tact will act as oil in machinery. For example, it is tactful to be punctual. If you feel you have made some mistake, it is tactful to acknowledge it immediately and apologize.
When you make a phone call, you are, quite uninvited, thrusting yourself into someone’s time and attention. It is tactful, therefore, to apologize for the intrusion; you do not know what activity you may have interrupted.
It is tactful not deliberately to defy convention. The man who attends a formal dinner casually dressed lets himself down badly, annoys his fellow-guests and embarrass his host.
Another sign of tact is to avoid monopolizing conversation. Other people like to talk as well as yourself, so give them a chance. Particularly if you are a newcomer to a group, beware of being too talkative.
It is obvious from the foregoing that to be more tactful is a certain way of living harmoniously with your fellows.

Being human, your employer wants value for his money. He also wants the best people in the key positions of his business. The best people, in his judgment, are those who give him most for his money. Impress your boss in the following ways.

Consistent lateness is daylight robbery. You are paid to be at your post for certain hours. See you are there.
Secondly, don’t waste his materials either by bad workmanship or using them for your own purposes.
Thirdly, don’t waste time. Avoid gossiping, making private phone-calls, doing personal jobs, extending lunch and tea breaks, and leaving before time.
Lastly, do your word to the best of your ability. Your employer expects that from you. He engaged you on that assumption. Shoddy, third-rate work is a form of pilfering.

Dress appropriately for the job. Look tidy and clean to start the day, even though your work entails getting dirty.
Improve your speech. No matter what your job, this will help you. People judge you by the way you speak. If your speech is clear and attractive, it will help to mark you out for promotion.
Extend your general education. In many situations, a good general education will place you head and shoulders above your fellows.

Find out why you do what you do. Know something of the history of your job, your trade or profession, your firm. Visualize its future development.
See your particular work in relation to the ultimate objective or finished product. Think how your work is contributing to the welfare of others.
Ask questions concerning your job. You may hit upon some idea for improvement and progress. Questions reveal not so much ignorance as an inquiring mind.
Most important, seriously consider studying for further qualifications. In this day of fierce competition, there is little chance of advancement without them.

Employers like folk who are willing to undertake new work, new responsibilities, or who are willing to do something extra to their duties. Willing people make the lot of the business executive so much easier. They ensure the success of any enterprise. They enhance their own value.

Cheerfulness is allied to willingness, and is equally valued by employers.
Promotion will go to the cheerful rather than to the moaning employee. Cheerfulness makes you likeable. It puts people on your side and paves the way for advancement.

Try to keep on good terms with everyone at your place of employment. You will then be doing your share to keep the organization running smoothly and happily.
This will work in your favor also. If you are known to get on well with people, it will be a point to your advantage when promotions are being considered. You are hardly likely to be put in charge of others if it is thought you would upset them and cause them to resign. The biggest factor in maintaining good relationships is tact.

Taut, strained employees are not the most efficient. They tend to make mistakes, ruin human relationships and go on the sick-list. Therefore, work hard on the job, but don’t take its problems home with you. You ‘ll do better work on duty if you have a complete change when you ‘re off. You will keep fitter, too. Every day you are away ill you are a complete loss to your employer.

You will never be good work in a job you hate. If you are in that unfortunate position, either change your job or your attitude to it.
Think of the advantages of your job-the security it gives you, the essentials of life it enables you to buy, the contribution it makes to human life and happiness. Dwell on these rather than on its disadvantages. Remember, too, that no job is ideal in every way.
It is well worth while cultivating a liking for your job. Day by day you will go to it eager, fresh and happy. To such people promotion comes inevitably.

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Life After work

• Occasionally, join your workmates after work for a drink or chat so as to keep in touch socially as well as vocationally.
• As a special treat, buy some flowers or another small gift on your way home. You, your spouse or housemate can enjoy the celebration of Wednesday or any other day, just because it is that particular day.
• Discuss the high points and the low points of your day with your spouse of housemates. Ask their opinion about any specific problems you might be having at work and be certain to reciprocate.
• During the after work hours, try to go out and get some vigorous exercise to blow off any accumulated tensions from the day. Just a briskly thirty minute walk will do wonders for you.
• Make ample provision for time with your family and close friends during evening and weekends. These important support people can play a most significant part in maintaining a positive and productive outlook in your work life.
• Get to bed in time to have a full night’s rest. Insufficient sleep can be a problem for very busy people and irritability and crankiness can result.

Thus, you can make your work life and your personal life much more positive by starting your days with a positive outlook and reinforcing this approach during and after work. Taking time to think positively about yourself and those close to you will help you overcome many obstacles. Some obstacles, however, may cause you to step back.

Harmonious and productive working relationships exist primarily because the needs of the individuals in the work team are being met. For some, there may be a need to remain quiet and removed so that they can get on with their work. For others, however, there may be a need to forge closer ties and warmer relationships with workmates. As long as the aims of the employing body are being met, then these varying needs of the work team members can be tolerated.
Problems occur, however, when this reciprocating system of need/satisfaction gets unbalanced. If one or more people want to satisfy needs which are outside the aims of the employing body or antagonistic to the other work team members, then problems occur. Let’s look at several ways relationships at work can be enhanced and made more harmonious and productive.

Be pleasant

At the start of the work day, take a few minutes to chat briefly with your workmates nearby. A warm smile and a few friendly words can get both you and your workmates off to a positive start in the day.

Show an active interest in your workmates. Asking about their plans for the forthcoming weekend or showing interest in an event they mentioned casually at lunch can bring you closer to others.

Remember birthdays and other special events important to your work team members. Bringing in a cake and taking time to celebrate the occasion during a coffee break can create a more friendly environment at work.

Giving some time to assist workmates who need help is a good investment. The dividends are generally warmer relationships.

Being able to talk appropriately about yourself and your life outside of work makes you a more approachable person. Of course, talking about yourself, if carries to excess, will create boredom and possibly even antagonism. Keep the conversations a two-way process.

Be willing to spend time outside of work with others

Your relationships with your workmates will deepen if you occasionally spend some time outside of work hours with them. A drink after work, a dinner out or a weekend activity will bring you closer to others.

When one of your workmates seems to be upset, offer to discuss the matter. The situation might be too personal for workplace discussion, but your offer will be appreciated. In your discussions with others in distress see the issues from their perspective and take note of their sensitivities.
Be willing to read books on interpersonal communication and friendship formation
If you feel estranged from others at work and would like to have closer relationships, browse through your local bookshop or library for relevant books on the topic.

As social relationships are very complex, book reading and self-practice might not be sufficient to bring you closer to your workmates. In that case, consider joining doctor or another helping professional for suggestions about courses and other resources.

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Conversation Etiquette


Social etiquette in conversation is all about simple good manners. What's most important is that you put the person you're talking to at ease and that they feel as though they had chance to say what they wanted to say and that you listened to them and responded to them sensitively.
There are a few things to bear in mind about conversation etiquette:
1. Don't hijack the conversation
Conversations should be two-way processes where you find out about the other person and what they think on a topic, as well as telling them what you think. Looking at the other person's body language will give you hints about when you've talked enough. Their eyes glazing over as they heave heavy sighs and glance at their watches is always a clue you should stop talking pretty soon!
2. Give people time to speak
Not everyone finds it easy to say what they want to say. Don't be afraid of a few silences in your conversations. A quick look at the face of the person you're talking to will let you know whether they're pausing to think of what to say next; if they've fallen asleep in boredom or if they're scoping the room looking for an escape route! Whatever it is, you probably ought to let them do it.
3. Invite others in
If you can see that someone is struggling for something to say - help them out. Phrase what you said differently if it needs a response and they seem not to understand. But don't be patronizing.
4. Ask questions
Make the questions easy to understand and respond to. That will give the person you're talking to a prompt and help the relax into talking to you.
5. Give people a chance to answer
Make sure you listen. Some people jump straight in with an answer; others like to ponder a question and give a considered response. Either of those options is fine, so make sure you leave time for an answer to be given. You only have to look at facial expressions and body language to know if they want you to step in and rescue them by speaking again.
6. Respect other people's opinions
It doesn't really matter whether the world agrees with you, does it? People are entitled to their opinion and you don't have to launch a single-handed campaign to convince them of the error of their ways. You won't succeed anyway and why does it matter to you? Unless someone is likely to be harmed by holding a particular opinion, leave it well alone. Even if there is a risk of danger, think carefully about whether you're the right person to tell them about it.
7. Don't rain on someone's parade
That's partly linked to the last point, it means don't dampen someone's enthusiasm. You may see all sorts of pitfalls in their plans or what they're saying, but do you really have to be the person to tell them? Can't you let them find out these things for themselves? After all, the problems you fear may not actually arise.
8. Don't be a know-it-all
You may have a wealth of wisdom and knowledge to pass on to someone, but unless you do it in the right way, it won't be appreciated and it won't do any good. It's important not to be smug when passing on advice. Don't pretend you have all the answers - because you really don't. Also - don't make the other person feel stupid. It's bad manners and they won't listen to you anyway.
9. Do not make disagreement personal
It's fine to differ in opinions - even with friends and loved ones. That's just life and it doesn't hurt anyone. A difference of opinion doesn't have to cause a row and it can actually lead to an interesting conversation - if you approach it right.
That means not making the other person feel stupid for thinking as they do; don't bully or berate someone into agreeing with you - this actually won't work anyway; even if they say they now agree with you, they'll probably be lying! Don't resort to abuse and name calling - and listen to the other person's point of view; you'll have an easier life - and you may even earn some respect.
10. Difficult conversations were never meant to be easy
Lack of tact is a huge conversation faux pas. It alienates people and means you just don't get listened to. Think whether you really need to have a difficult conversation with someone - if you think the are making a potentially harmful choice, for instance. Choose your battles on this and make sure you're the right person to have the conversation; are you close enough and trusted enough to advise this person?
It is simple good manners to choose carefully what you say to people. Make them glad they talked to you. Try to make people feel better for having talked to you. If you know a comment will be unwanted, do not make it unless it is absolutely necessary for someone's welfare. Those are the simple rules of social etiquette in conversation.
Points to be noted:
• Listening is more important than talking.
• Always listen the point of view of other person. Do not assume that you are more important than others.
• Solution of the problem can be achieved by asking and not by telling.
• When someone ask to repeat your opinion otherwise do not repeat. You can loose interest of other people.
• When a speaker is there, do not disrupt him.
• You will develop more friends if you are a listener than a speaker.
• Never abuse anyone while talking. Do not say something which make other feed bad.
• Use positive words and statements while conversation. Try to ignore things.
• Do not be rude. Never criticize other people.
• If want to gain popularity in society then be humble and modest.
• Praise and appreciation is the weakness of everyone. Take care of it.
• Your voice should not be so loud or too fast.

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