The Essential Guide to Business Etiquette Lillian Hunt Chaney Jeanette St. Clair Martin Praeger The Essential Guide to Business Etiquette The Essential Guide to Business Etiquette LILLIAN HUNT CHANEY AND JEANETTE ST. CLAIR MARTIN Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Chaney, Lillian H. The essential guide to business etiquette / Lillian Hunt Chaney and Jeanette St. Clair Martin. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–0–275–99714–4 (alk. paper) 1. Business etiquette. 2. Interpersonal relations. 3. Business communication. 4. Self-presentation. I. Martin, Jeanette S. II. Title. HF5389.C468 2007 395.5’2—dc22 2007022771 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright © 2007 by Lillian Hunt Chaney and Jeanette St. Clair Martin All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2007022771 ISBN: 978–0–275–99714–4 First published in 2007 Praeger Publishers, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.praeger.com Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984). 10987654321 Contents Introduction xi 1. Job Interview Etiquette 1 Applicant Etiquette 2 Interviewer Etiquette 8 2. Business Dress and Grooming 13 Dress Considerations 14 Attributes of Dress 17 Research Findings Related to Business Dress 18 Business Professional Attire 18 Business Casual Attire 21 Dress for Special Events and Occasions 22 3. Office Politics 25 Self-Promotion 26 Honesty and Truth-Telling 28 Compliments and Flattery 29 Gossip 30 vi Contents Favors and Hidden Motives 32 Dress and Grooming 32 Business Socializing and Etiquette 33 4. Social Sensitivity 37 Office Courtesies 38 Disabled Persons 42 Office Conflict 43 Sexual Harassment 44 Office Romance 46 5. Electronic Communication Etiquette 49 Telephones 49 Speakerphones 52 Cellular Telephones and Pagers 52 Answering Machines and Voice Mail 54 Electronic Mail (E-Mail) 55 BlackBerry Devices 57 Facsimile (Fax) Transmissions 58 6. Manners for Special Occasions and Events 61 Births and Birthdays 61 Illnesses and Injuries 63 Hospital Etiquette 63 Holiday and Office Parties 64 Weddings and Wedding Anniversaries 66 Business Receptions, Conventions, and Trade Shows 67 Promotions and Retirements 68 Funerals 69 7. Written Communication Manners 73 Letter and Memorandum Formats 73 Stationery 75 Writing Guidelines 76 Contents vii Thank-You Notes 77 Condolence Letters 79 Congratulatory Letters 80 Invitations 80 Acceptance or Regrets 81 Announcements 82 Complaint Letters 83 Cards 84 8. Dining Etiquette 85 Styles of Eating and Place Settings 86 Basic Guidelines for Business Dining 86 Problem Dining Situations 89 Manners for Difficult-to-Eat Foods 91 Cultural Variations in Dining Etiquette 92 9. Business Entertaining 97 Restaurant Entertaining 97 Wine and Toasting Etiquette 99 Entertaining at Private Clubs, Sporting Events, and the Theater 101 Cocktail Parties and Receptions 102 Home Entertaining 103 Entertaining International Visitors 104 10. Meeting Etiquette 107 Meeting Planning and Preparation 108 Introductions and Seating Arrangements 109 Chairing Responsibilities 110 Participant Responsibilities 112 Refreshments 113 Follow-Up Activities 113 Business Meal Meetings 114 Conventions 115 viii Contents Virtual Meetings 116 Multicultural Meetings 116 11. Presentations 119 Eye Contact, Posture, and Gestures 119 Presentation Attire 120 Vocal Characteristics 121 Presentation Organization 122 Humor 123 Visual Aids 124 Presenter Etiquette 125 Distracting or Annoying Presenter Behaviors 126 Presenter Introductions 127 Audience Etiquette 128 12. Sports Etiquette 131 Rules of Etiquette for All Sports 131 Handball and Racquet Sports Etiquette 133 Golf Etiquette 134 Water Sports Etiquette 136 Gym or Health Club Etiquette 136 Hunting and Fishing Etiquette 138 Running, Biking, and Rollerblading Etiquette 138 Spectator Etiquette 138 13. Travel Etiquette 143 Suggestions for Business Travel 143 Air Travel Etiquette 144 Bus, Train, and Mass Transit Etiquette 147 Automobile Etiquette 148 Taxicab and Limousine Etiquette 149 Cruise Ship Etiquette 150 Hotel Manners 151 Contents ix 14. Global Manners 155 Travel Preparation 155 Guidelines for Global Interactions 157 Tips for Women Business Travelers 158 Manners for Selected Regions of the World 160 Notes 167 Index 185 Introduction Etiquette alone will not enable you to reach your targeted goal. It will give you the extra edge that will make the difference between you and the competition.1 Business etiquette is the behavior and manners considered appropriate in the business and professional world. Business etiquette involves rules of conduct that allow us to communicate with people in business and to interact with them in a civilized manner. Most people who are successful in the business and professional world conform to these guidelines of expected behavior.2 Research findings indicate that etiquette is important to business suc- cess. Results of a survey of 200 members of the American Marketing Association revealed that a majority of respondents (91.1%) rated eti- quette as either very important or important to business success, regard- less of age, gender, educational level, income, or marital status.3 Despite the acknowledged importance of business etiquette, research has shown that a lack of courtesy and respect for others is currently a serious prob- lem in the United States. In fact, a study by a nonprofit organization revealed that 79% of U.S. persons surveyed expressed the belief that a lack of respect and courtesy was a serious problem in U.S. businesses. In addition, 73% felt that U.S. Americans treated each other with more respect in years gone by than they treat each other today.4 According to corporate trainers who conduct sessions on civility, as well as professors at well-known universities who study workplace behavior, people are becoming increasingly rude to their office col- leagues. They seem oblivious to the fact that a standard of behavior xii Introduction exists.5 Top executives in major corporations agree; many feel that some of the problems their companies are experiencing are directly related to a lack of knowledge about proper business etiquette.6 According to Leon- ard, ‘‘Like it or not, management equates good manners with competence in business and poor manners with incompetence.’’7 Thus, employees will want to invest the necessary time to become knowledgeable about the rules of polite behavior and to practice their etiquette skills in the office environment so that they will not only be perceived as competent but will also be considered as assets to the firm. Confidence comes with knowledge; nothing else quite compares to knowing that you know— how to dress, how to eat, and how to behave in various situations. Know- ing that you will make a positive initial impression is a great confidence booster. Keep in mind that when you make a negative initial impression, about eight subsequent encounters that are positive are needed to reverse an initial bad impression.8 The Essential Guide to Business Etiquette features fourteen chapters on the most critical areas that can help you succeed in your career. It is a practi- cal guide for interacting effectively with colleagues, supervisors, and cus- tomers. The book begins with information essential to getting off to a good start during the job interview by preparing an effective re´sume´ and dressing appropriately; correct behavior during the interview and suggestions for follow-up procedures are also included. In addition to job interview attire, dress appropriate for the work environment, includ- ing both professional dress and business casual attire, are discussed. The chapters on office politics and social sensitivity provide strategies for dealing with situations that go beyond hard work and good perfor- mance; they involve becoming adept at political maneuvering and being sensitive to appropriate behavior in certain situations. The chapters on electronic communication etiquette, manners for special occasions and events, and written communication manners provide guidelines for com- municating electronically and in writing, in addition to the nuances of proper behavior at such special events as birthdays, office parties, wed- dings, business receptions, promotions and retirements, and funerals. Information in the chapters on dining etiquette and business entertaining includes U.S. styles of eating and business entertaining as well as cultural variations in dining and entertaining. The chapters on meeting etiquette and presentations include chair and participant meeting responsibilities and suggestions for making effective presentations, including attire and other nonverbal behavior, use of humor and visual aids, and audience eti- quette. The chapter on sports etiquette addresses the importance of cor- rect behavior as a player and as a spectator. Business executives often find that observing the behavior of potential clients or business partners during these sporting events provides useful information upon which to base business decisions. Introduction xiii Thegrowthininternationaltrade, as well as increased numbers of minorities in the U.S. workplace, has led to more interactions with people from other cultures. Thus, knowledge of the rules of etiquette must be expanded to