What Do We Really Know About

Business Etiquette?
Lisa E. Gueldenzoph, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Business Education, North Carolina A&T State University
True or False?
1. The following is an appropriate business
introdution of a lient to your boss! "#s.
#athews$ this is our new lient$ #r. %&ith.'
(. )f so&eone forgets to introdue you$ it*s
appropriate to &o+e on with the on+ersation
without saying anything.
,. )f you forget so&eone*s na&e$ don*t worry about it.
Keep tal-ing.
.. When sha-ing hands$ a &an should wait for a
wo&an to e/tend her hand.
0. Who goes through the re+ol+ing door first? 1ost or
+isitor?
2. )t*s 3K to hold pri+ate on+ersations in offie
bathroo&s$ ele+ators$ et.
4. What perentage of the &essage you o&&uniate
is on+eyed through your +isual appearane?
(05 6 075 6 405
8. When two business people o&&uniate$ how far
apart should they stand?
9. )t is appropriate to tell business assoiates that
their :ipper is open.
17. The host ; the one who does the in+iting ; pays for
the lient*s lunh.
11. When using a spea-erphone$ you should announe
if anyone else is present before a on+ersation
begins.
1(. )f you*re out of the offie$ it*s i&portant to hange
your +oie<&ail &essage.
1,. )t*s 3K to send onfidential infor&ation and large
attah&ents +ia e<&ail.
1.. During a &eeting it*s 3K to lea+e your ell phone
on if you*re e/peting a all.
10. )f you o+erhear a olleague*s on+ersation in a
ubile$ it*s 3K to o&&ent on what you =ust
heard.
NOTES:
Social Business Gatherins
ueldenzoph!att.net Pae " o# "$
Don>t head for the bar or buffet i&&ediately
upon arri+al. Eat a s&all a&ount of food
before you go to the party so you don>t
appear hungry.
Approah groups of people or so&eone
standing alone. )t>s tougher to approah two
people$ sine they &ay be engaged in a
personal on+ersation. Approah people you
don>t -now rather than people you do -now.
After all$ you an tal- to the people you -now
anyti&e.
3ffer a fir& handsha-e to e+eryone you greet
and when you depart. #en and wo&en should
stand when sha-ing hands.
1old your drin-ing glass in the left hand so
your right hand will be free for handsha-ing.
%&all tal- builds rapport$ respet and
relationships. ?ous &ore on the other person
and less on yourself.
@isten before =u&ping into a on+ersation.
)ntrodue yourself when there is a pause in
the on+ersation.
)f you ha+e so&ething rele+ant to add to a
group>s on+ersation$ =u&p in$ then introdue
yourself afterward.
A+oid taboo topis!
< off<olor or disri&inatory =o-es
< personal relationships < health A diets
< personal tragedies
< ost of anything personal
< ino&e
< ontro+ersial topis Bpolitis or religionC
< free ad+ie fro& professionals
< D ) D strain
Don>t blendE irulate. %pend fi+e to se+en
&inutes with eah person or group.
Always re&e&ber to lose a on+ersation.
%ha-e hands before you lea+e.
NOTES:
ueldenzoph!att.net Pae % o# "$
B&S'NESS D'NNE(S
Fe+er allow used sil+erware to rest on the
tableE it should always be on your dish.
Always butter your plate first and use that
butter for your bread.
Tear off bite<si:ed portions of your bread$
and only butter the portions as you eat
the&.
#a-e a onsious effort to ta-e bite<si:ed
portions Byou ine+itably will be as-ed a
question i&&ediately after ta-ing a bite of
foodC.
When your finished eating$ put your
sil+erware in the . o*lo- position.
Generally spea-ing$ you are not allowed to
as- for a doggie bag at a business dinner.
Be disreet$ ?ollow the lead of your host.
NOTES:
B&S'NESS NET')&ETTE
Top Ten #or E*+ail ,
1. Fe+er send personal e<&ail on business
hardwareAsoftware.
(. Always inlude an appropriate sub=et line
B&essages without sub=ets often get
deletedC.
,. Begin the body of the &essage with a
greeting BDear #r. %&ith! <or< 1i$ BobC.
.. )f replying$ inlude only the neessary partBsC
of the original &essage Bnot the entire
original &essageC.
0. Don*t use s&ileys BE<C !<A et.CE your words
should learly o&&uniate your &eaning.
2. Hse proper spelling$ gra&&ar$ apitali:ation$
et.
4. FEIER TJKE )F A@@ LAK% unless you want to
%13HT at so&eone.
8. )f you are attahing a file$ &ention it in the
body of the e&ail &essage.
9. %an attah&ents before sending.
17. Llose the &essage with your na&e and
affiliation Bsignature blo-s are nieC.
NOTES:
'NTE(N-T'ON-L P.S -ND ).S
F(-N/E ,
#en should stand$ or at least initiate a &o+e to do
so$ whene+er a superior &a-es an entrane.
E/pet to be greeted by a handsha-eE -issing on
the hee-s Baross gendersC is also o&&on at
wor-. )t is not e/tended to outsiders and you
should not atte&pt it until your fe&ale olleagues
ha+e &ade the initial &o+e.
Despite the for&ality of ?renh business ulture$
people tend to stand lose when spea-ing to eah
other. #oreo+er$ touhing in publi is also
o&&onplae and usually within the bounds of
?renh business etiquette.
#aintaining eye ontat is i&portant$ but try not to
fous too intently on the other person.
Lhewing gu& in publi is onsidered +ulgar.
Keep your hands out of your po-ets when in
publi.
%lapping an open pal& o+er a losed fist is
offensi+e.
%napping fingers is also onsidered offensi+e.
%&iling is treated only with indifferene here. )t
will not be welo&ed as a greeting or as an
indiation of appro+al.
)f you feel the need to point$ &otion with your
whole hand$ rather than your inde/ finger.
The H.%. D3.K.D sign Bfor&ing a irle with the
thu&b and forefingerC atually &eans D:eroD or
DuselessD in ?rane. The ?renh D3.K.D sy&bol is
the Forth A&erian Dthu&bs upED use this sy&bol
to e/press appro+al.
GE(0-N1 ,
?ir&$ brief handsha-es at the ti&e of arri+al and
departure are standard.
Hpon introdutions and departures$ ta-e the ti&e
to sha-e hands with e+eryone indi+idually in a
group$ sine the si&pler A&erian Dgroup wa+eD
will not be appreiated.
Eye ontat during the introdution is serious$
diret$ and should be &aintained as long as the
person is addressing you.
)n aordane with Ger&an business protool$ the
eldest or highest ran-ing person enters the roo&
first. #en enter before wo&en$ if their age and
status are roughly the sa&e.
Wa+ing and shouting in publi are unaeptable.
Keep your hands out of your po-ets and a+oid
hewing gu&.
When attending a publi perfor&ane$ &a-e an
effort to re&ain o&pletely still. #oreo+er$ e/pet
to be repri&anded for e+en a slight ough or shift
in your seat.
When sitting$ ross one -nee o+er the other. Don>t
plae your an-le o+er the -nee.
Don>t slouh or lean against things.
Rest your feet only on footstools.
2-P-N ,
#aintain a quiet$ low<-ey$ and polite &anner at all
ti&es.
The Mapanese will sha-e hands with Westerners as
a way of &a-ing others feel o&fortable. )n turn$
it*s an asset for Westerners to bow$ to de&onstrate
that they are ta-ing the initiati+e to learn Mapanese
usto&s. This si&ple gesture an do a lot to help a
businessperson in establishing rapport with a
potential Mapanese lient.
The depth of the bow depends on the reipient>s
ran-$ status. When bowing to an indi+idual who is
of higher status than you$ bow a little lower than
that person to display deferene. Do the sa&e if
you are unertain of the status of the person that
you are faing. With a person of your equi+alent
status$ bow at the sa&e height.
The bow is an i&portant part of Mapanese business
protool. Bows are used for e/pressing
appreiation$ &a-ing apologies and requests$ as
well as for greetings and farewells. Bows on+ey
both respet and hu&ility.
#eanings will be read into e+en the slightest
gestures. Lonsequently$ a+oid displaying unusual
faial e/pressions and &otioning in ways that are
re&otely dra&ati or e/pansi+e.
The A&erian D3.K.D sign Bthu&b and forefinger
shaped into an D3DC atually &eans D&oneyD in
Mapan.
Be aware that &any popular Forth A&erian
gestures &ay be greeted only with
ino&prehension here Bi.e$ shrugging shoulders$
win-ing eyeC.
To indiate a negati+e response in infor&al
situations$ &o+e the open hand$ with the pal&
faing left$ in a fanning &otion.
)t is no longer aeptable in Mapan to spit$ snort$
and sniff in publi<<although lower lass &en &ay
do so.
Blowing one>s nose in publi is also regarded as
i&polite. When this ation is neessary$ use a
disposable tissue and then throw it out
i&&ediately. Generally spea-ing$ the Mapanese
find the idea of atually -eeping a used
hand-erhief or tissue disgusting.
-NOT3E(
ET')&ETTE )&'4
,
1. )n the business arena$
aC only &en should stand for handsha-ing
and all introdutions.
bC only wo&en should stand for handsha-ing
and all introdutions.
C it is not neessary for &en or wo&en to
stand for handsha-ing or introdutions.
dC both &en and wo&en should stand for
handsha-ing and introdutions.
(. To show onfidene and authority during a
handsha-e$ use
aC the bone rusher.
bC the li&p fish.
C the glo+e.
dC the fingertip holder.
eC the web<to<web.
,. ?or easy reading$ one>s na&e badge should be
worn
aC on the left shoulder.
bC on the right shoulder.
C on the left hip.
dC around one>s ne-.
.. Jou are dining in a restaurant and you
aidentally drop your for- on the floor$ you
aC pi- it up$ wipe it off$ and use it anyway.
bC pi- it up$ gi+e it to the ser+er$ and as-
hi&Aher to bring you another one.
C lea+e it on the floor and as- the ser+er to
bring you another one.
dC lea+e it on the floor and use your
neighbor>s for- while he>s not loo-ing.
0. While seated ne/t to so&eone at dinner$ you
notie the person on your left eating your
bread fro& your bread plate$ you
aC tell hi& he &ade a &ista-e then you as-
for your bread ba-.
bC don>t say anything and you eat fro& your
other neighbor>s bread plate.
C don>t say anything and try to on+ine
yourself that you didn>t need bread
anyway.
dC as- the ser+er for another roll and use the
side of your dinner plate.
2. A wo&an>s handbag$ if it>s s&all$ an be
plaed on
aC a des-.
bC boardroo& table.
C restaurant table.
dC all of the abo+e.
eC none of the abo+e.
4. )f you ha+e so&ething lodged in your teeth
and you want to re&o+e it$ you should
aC ta-e your -nife when no one is loo-ing
and re&o+e it pro&ptly with the blade.
bC raise your nap-in to your &outh and
disreetly use a %weet >n @ow pa-et or
your
C business ard to re&o+e it.
dC politely as- your ser+er for a toothpi-.
eC e/use yourself and go to the DneessaryD
to pi- your teeth in pri+ate.
8. Jou bite into a piee of &eat that is tough and
+ery diffiult to hew$ you
aC pretend to wipe your &outh and deposit it
into your nap-in.
bC use two fingers or your for- to re&o+e it
and plae it on the edge of your plate.
C swallow it and hope you don>t ho-e.
dC none of the abo+e.
9. The best way to &eet people and Dwor- a
roo&D is to
aC head for the bar or the buffet i&&ediately
upon arri+al.
bC introdue yourself to two people who are
deep in on+ersation.
C loo- onfident$ stand in the enter of the
roo& and wait for so&eone interesting to
approah you.
dC introdue yourself to groups of three or
&ore.
eC sti- lose to only those you -now +ery
well.
17. When you are finished eating$ your nap-in
should be
aC folded loosely and plaed on the right side
of the plate.
bC folded loosely and plaed on the left side
of the plate.
C folded loosely and plaed in the enter of
the plate.
dC folded li-e a do+e or a pirate>s hat and
plaed on the seat of your hair.
B&S'NESS ET')&ETTE 5EBL'OG(-P31
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%7 Eti8uette Tips #or Business Pro#essionals in Ger+an9
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Business Eti8uette ; 0ore Than 2ust Eatin 5ith the (iht For@
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Business Eti8uette 1ou (eall9 Need to AnoB
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Business in London: Business Eti8uette
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Business Neti8uette 'nternational
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Protocol and Eti8uette Se+inars #or Toda9.s Business Leaders
http!AAwww.etiquettee/pert.o&A
-nsBers to Pae " )uiz
1. F-LSE ; )ntrodue the person of greatest authority or i&portane first. Gender or age is not the
deiding fator. When a lient is in+ol+ed$ &ention hi& or her first. A proper business introdution
should inlude first and last na&es.
(. F-LSE ; %ay so&ething li-e! "#y na&e is Mohn DoeE ) don*t belie+e we*+e &et.'
,. F-LSE ; )t*s 3K to ad&it you an*t re&e&ber. %ay so&ething li-e! "Jour fae is fa&iliar$ please help
&e with your na&e' or$ "#y &ind =ust went blan-$ your na&e is?' Jou also an say your na&e and
wait for the other person to say his or hers.
.. F-LSE ; Business etiquette has beo&e gender neutral. Wo&en don*t ha+e to hesitate to offer their
hands first.
0. 3OST ; That allows the host to be ready on the other side to diret the guest.
2. F-LSE ; Jou ne+er -now who ould hear details of your life or business transations.
4. D7E aording to a reent studyE howe+er$ other data indiates up to 9,5 of your &essage is filtered
by your non+erbal Bbody languageC ues. Jour wardrobe should fit and be appropriate for the
setting. Kay attention to your body language$ and don*t forget to s&ile.
8. Three #eet 6 any loser and you ould in+ade your olleague*s personal spae. Any farther and you*d
be yelling. This distane will +ary depending on the ountryE -now the ultural differenes before
onduting business in a foreign ountry.
9. T(&E ; 3therwise$ they will be e&barrassed one they reali:e their :ipper has been open. Ta-e that
personal aside and subtly ad+ie hi& or her to :ip up. This rule also applies to food or lipsti- on
teeth and other potentially e&barrassing situations.
17. T(&E ; ?ind out your o&pany*s poliy before in+iting lients to lunh. #a-e sure the restaurant is
within your budget.
11. T(&E ; )f you*re using a spea-erphone for a group all$ it*s rude not to speify who is present.
1(. T(&E ; Jou should reord a greeting that says so&ething li-e! ")*& out of the offie today$ April 1(. )f
you need help$ please ontat Bob at e/tension 1(.' 3r$ say! ")*& out today$ April 1($ but will be
ba- on the 1,
th
.'
1,. F-LSE ; There is no suh thing as pri+ate e<&ail. E+en after you thin- you*+e deleted a &essage$ any
o&petent )T professional an retrie+e it. Fe+er send onfidential or pri+ate infor&ation o+er your
e&ployer*s e<&ail syste&. Don*t send a large attah&ent. Lonsider using traditional &ail &ethods
BH%K%$ HK%$ ?edE/C.
1.. F-LSE ; )t*s rude to your fellow attendees any spea-ers if your ell phone rings during a &eeting.
Turn it off or ad=ust it to +ibrate &ode.
10. F-LSE ; Hse disretion in this situation. )n general$ try not to ea+esdrop on your fellow ubile
dwellers. )f you do o+erhear infor&ation$ you should usually pretend you didn*t.
-nsBers to Pae F )uiz
1<D$ (<E$ ,<B$ .<L$ 0<LAD$ 2<E$ 4<D$ 8<B$ 9<D$ 17<B