business etiquette.docx

business etiquette.docx

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businessetiquette

DiningOut,OrderingYourMeal

AccordingtoAnnMarieSabbath,authorofBusinessEtiquetteinBrief,whenmeetingsomeoneforabusinesslunch,waitinthelobbyunlessyouhaveagreeduponapriorarrangement.Ifyouareseatedfirst,waitforallpartiestobeseatedbeforeorderingyourmeal.Ifyouarenotthehost,askthehostwhattheyrecommendbeforeplacingyourorder,sothatyouwillhaveanideaastoanappropriatepricerangeforyourmeal.Orderonlythebasics:

asalad,maincourseandbeverage.Onlyorderanappetizerordessertwhenfollowingtheleadofthehost.Trytomirrortheeatingpaceofthehost.Ifyouareasloweater,askthehostquestionsinordertoslowdownhiseatingpacetomatchyourown.

BasicTableManners

TheserulesofetiquetteforbusinessdiningoutlinedbytheUniversityofDelawareCareerCenterareamatterofcommonsenseformostindividuals.Whenatthetable,turnoffcellphones,situpstraight,noelbowsonthetable,donotgroomyourselfatthetable,donottalkwithyourmouthfull,takesmallbitesandcutyoursaladintobitesizedpiecesifnecessary.

American"Zigzag"Style

InAmerica,themostcommonstyleofdiningisthe"zigzag"style,whichissometimesreferredtoastheAmericanstyle.Usingthe"zigzag"style,holdyourknifeintherighthandandfork,tines（prongonthefork）down,inthelefthand.Aftercuttingyourfood,placetheknifeintheupperrightedgeoftheplate.Switchtheforktotherighthandandeatapieceoffoodwiththefork,tinesup.

European"Continental"Style

Europe,LatinAmericaandmanyothercountriesusetheEuropean"Continental"styleofdiningetiquette.Theprimarydistinctionbetweenthisstyleandthezigzagstyleisthattheforkremainsinthelefthandwiththetinesdown.InAmerica,thisstyleisonlyconsideredacceptablewhenthepersonisaforeigneroracitizenwhowasborninanothercountry.

MeetandGreet

Findthebalancebetweenoverwhelmingandunderwhelmingyourdinnerhosts.Youwanteachpersonatyourtabletorememberyournameandtheorganizationyourepresentwithoutcomingontoostrong.Youshouldalsorememberthenamesofasmanyofyourhostsaspossible.Tocommitnamestomemory,sayeachperson’snamealoudandrepeatitasyougreetthem.Makeanextraefforttorememberthenamesofyourseniorhosts.

SeatingandOrdering

Watchyourhostsatyourgatheringforcues.Forexample,waitforyourseniorhosttositdownfirstandaskifshehasapreferenceaboutseatingarrangementsbeforeyoutakeyourownseat.Iforderingdinnerfromarestaurantmenu,youshouldalsowatchyourhoststomakeappropriatechoices.Youdon’twanttoorderthemostexpensiveitemsonthemenujustbecauseyourhostsarepaying.Ontheotherhand,youdon’twanttoorderasnackwhileyourhostsorderafullmeal.Asimplewaytokeepyourmealchoiceinlinewithyourhostsistosimplysaythatyou’renotfamiliarwiththerestaurantandaskforrecommendations.

TableManners

Tomakeagoodimpressionasabusinessdinnerguest,yourgoalshouldbetoeatneatly.Ifyourdinneriscasual,youshouldstillavoidmessyfoods.Passonanythingthatisdifficulttoeatsuchasspaghettiorsandwicheswithdrippysauces.Ifthebusinessdinnerisformal,andyourtableskillsarerusty,it'sagoodideatoskimthroughabookondiningetiquettetobrushuponyourskillsbeforetheevent.Forexample,"TheAmyVanderbiltCompleteBookofEtiquette:

50thAnniversaryEdition,"saysthatknives,forksandglassesarearrangedintheorderofuse.Theoutermostforkshouldbeusedfirst,andsoon.

PassonAlcohol

Skipwineorotheralcoholicbeveragesevenifothermembersofyourhostpartyorderthem.Drinkssuchasicedteaorsodaaresaferbets,andyouwon’thavetoworryaboutaccidentallyoverindulgingandsayingordoingsomethingthatworksagainstyourbusinessorcareerinterests.Ifyoufeelpressuredtohaveadrink,it’sacceptabletopolitelydeclinebysayingthatyouneedtobeabletodrivehomewithaclearhead.

Takingclientsoutforanenjoyabledinnercanhelpyoubuildthelong-lastingrelationshipsthatyourbusinessneeds.Butyouneedtoplancarefullysoyou'resuretomakethebestpossibleimpression.

Forexample,choosearestaurantwillingtoaccommodatepeopleonavegetarian,gluten-freeorotherspecialdiets,saysMarkHemmeter,founderofOfficeEvolution,aproviderofvirtualofficespaceinBoulder,Colo.,whooftenmeetswithinvestorsandpotentialfranchiseesoverdinner."Idon'twanttoputsomeoneinanuncomfortablesituation."

Herearesevenoftheessentialingredientstowooingclientsduringabusinessdinner:

Researchyourdiningcompanions.

TaketimetoreaduponyourguestsusingonlinesearchtoolsorLinkedIn.Ifyouknowthebusinessandpersonalbackgroundsoftheattendees,includingpersonalinterestsandhobbies,youcanusetheinformationtohelpbuildyourrelationship,saysDeborahGoldstein,afounderofGoldie'sTableManners,aNewYorkCity-baseddiningetiquettebusiness."Ifyoufindahobbyincommon,youcansteertheconversationto'stumbleon'thatcommonality."

Arriveearly.

Gettingtotherestaurantaheadofyourguestscanhelpensurethatthedinnergoessmoothly.Foronething,you'llhavetimetocontrolthenoiselevelbymakingsureyou'renotsittingnexttoalargegroupofpeopleandthatthetableisn'tinthepathoftraffic,saysLydiaRamsey,abusinessetiquetteexpertinSavannah,Ga.Also,shesays,iftheguestsarrivefirst,theymaynotfeelthey'reahighprioritywithyou.

Prepaythebill.

Seeingthebillarrivecanbeawkwardforyourbusinessguestseventhoughtheyaren'texpectedtopay.Ifit'sarestaurantyou'recomfortablewith,lettheserverrunyourcreditcard,designateatippercentageandsignthebilleitherbeforeyourguests'arrivalorwhenyoudiscreetlystepawayfromthetablemid-meal.Youcaneitherpickupthecheckasyouexitorhaveitmailedtoyou,Ramseysays."Thatwaythechecknevercomestothetable.Itmakesitverycomfortablefortheguest."

Matchtheclientinconsumption.

Tokeepabalancethroughoutthemeal,letyourguestorderfirst.Forexample,skiptheappetizerifyourguestordersonlyanentrée--dittowhenitcomestodessert.Evenifyouorderthesamecourses,adjustyourpacesoyou'reeatingatasimilarrate,Goldsteinadvises.Sittinginfrontofyourfinishedplatemaymakeitawkwardforyourcompanionifhe'sonlyhalfwaythroughthemeal.Ifyou'rehavingdrinks,it'salsoimportanttofollowyourguest'slead,Hemmetersays."IwanttorelatetothepersonIamdiningwith,andunbalancedalcoholconsumptioncanmakethatdifficult."Ifthegueststartsdrinkingtoomuch,however,keepingpaceclearlyisn'tagoodidea,headds.

Related:

15RulesforTalkingBusinessOverDrinks

Respectthewaitstaff.

Howyoucommunicatewithrestaurantstaffcanaffectyourbusinessrelationshipbychangingthewayyourguestsfeelaboutyou.Sodon'tloseyourcoolevenifdishesorservicearenotuptopar."Ican'tstanditwhenpeoplearerudeorcondescendingtoserversinarestaurant,"Hemmetersays."Theyusuallycarrythatattitudetotheirworkforce,andIdon'twanttoworkwithpeoplelikethat."

Takeadvantageofthesmalltalk.

Invitingaclienttodinnerdoesn'tmeanyouneedtotalkaboutonlybusiness.Infact,itmaybeappropriatetoavoidworktopicsaltogetherandsimplygettoknoweachotheronapersonalbasis.Smalltalkcanoftenbeagreatwaytoassessanotherguest:

Doeshedominatetheconversationorisheagoodlistener?

Doessheactinarespectfulordemeaningmannertowardsubordinates?

Ifyoudoneedtodiscussbusinessmatters,Ramseyrecommendsthatyousavethemforafterthemaincoursewhentherewillbefewerinterruptionsfromtheserver.

Besuretofollow-uponthedinnerconversation.

Takenoteofwhatyoumayneedtodopost-dinnerandbesuretofollowthroughonanyrequestsfromyourguests,suchasmakingintroductionstothirdpartiesortrackingdowninformation."Manypeoplepromiseaction,butdon'tfollowthrough,"Goldsteinsays.

Table Manners in China and Western Countries  

 As the basis of all other ceremonies, table manners are the essential procedure in everyones daily life. To anyone’s education, we usually start from table manners. Then Table manners are very important since it is repeated many times every day. It must be done properly whether eating alone, with family, or with friends. You should train yourself in proper table manners, whether alone or with your family. It will then become a natural part of your behavior, and you will be at ease at the table.  

Table manners in every kind of culture are totally different. For example, Chinese use chopsticks, western people use knives and forks, while Indian use hands what evidently reflect the difference between different cultures. Meanwhile, these differences can actively express the connotation and characteristic of different culture.  

A.Chinese table manners 

  Chinese table manners of families have no intrinsic quality even there are different region and position. No matter three meals a day or guest’s arrival, always bowls with chopsticks, food with soup. There is no rule for how to put the tableware. What people care about more are not the gorgeous tableware but the sumptuous food. People’s dining position reflects the most obvious etiquette of Chinese table manners. In ancient society, men are supreme, and women are not allowed to sit with men on the same table. Although this is moder