30
Business
Etiquette
name
…without saying another word. By simply saying your
name after extending your hand, more often than not, the
person will reintroduce himself or herself to you. Try it!
Besides helping you to refamiliarize yourself with this
person, this strategy will turn what could be an awkward
moment an extremely pleasant experience. It will put both
you and the person you are meeting at ease. Remember,
there’s a chance that this person has forgotten
your
name!
Tip #8
Tip #8
Tip #8
Tip #8
Tip #8
Use a last name
unless invited to do other
Use a last name unless invited to do other
Use a last name unless invited to do other
Use a last name unless invited to do other
Use a last name unless invited to do otherwise.
wise.
wise.
wise.
wise.
One of the most common business etiquette errors is
to address individuals by their first names without the other
person’s (stated or implicit) permission to do so. This has
become an increasingly common practice in these less for-
mal times. Although many people have no problem mov-
ing to a “casual” conversational mode more or less instantly
with new acquaintances, this practice
is still unacceptable
in the minds of many people in a business setting.
Moving to a first-name basis before the other person is
ready to do so is an especially poor policy to pursue during
telephone conversations with customers and prospects.
Common courtesy dictates that you wait until you are in-
vited to address a telephone contact by his or her first
name—especially if the “someone” is an individual you’re
speaking to for the very first time. Staying with “Mr./Mrs./
Ms. Smith” during phone conversations, until you’re invited
to use the first name, is a sound, polite business practice
that should be followed at all times.
In
other settings, the rule of thumb is a little more com-
plicated. If you are meeting someone for the first time, and
the other person is either prominent within his or her field
TE
AM
FL
Y
Team-Fly
®
31
Opening Moves
or at least two decades older than you, then you should use
“Mr./Mrs./Ms.” and then the last name. (In other words,
even though Tiger Woods may be younger than you are,
you should address him as Mr. Woods; even though Bert
Rodriguez, the elderly man who delivers your mail, is not
the head of the U.S.
Postal Service, you should address him
as Mr. Rodriguez.)
Whatever you do, refrain from asking someone permis-
sion to use a first name. Use the last name until you are
directed to do otherwise. If the person wants you to move
to this level of familiarity, rest assured that you’ll hear about
it!
Tip #9
Tip #9
Tip #9
Tip #9
Tip #9
Negotiate
business car
Negotiate business car
Negotiate business car
Negotiate business car
Negotiate business card exchanges flawlessly
d exchanges flawlessly
d exchanges flawlessly
d exchanges flawlessly
d exchanges flawlessly.....
During a first-time meeting, you may, as a general rule,
request a business card from the other person—provided
that you’ve offered your own card first. One exception: If
the person you’re speaking with is of significantly higher
status (say, more than one level above your position), you
should wait for the person to offer you his or her card, rather
than ask for one. (If the senior
person wants you to have a
card, it will be offered to you!) Bear in mind that the more
seasoned a businessperson is, the less likely he or she will
be to distribute business cards or to ask for them.
You should give only one business card to your contact—
rather than leaving two or three. Your contact may inter-
pret this gesture as a request from you to “broker your service.
Tacky! Keep the emphasis on person-to-person contact.
32
Business Etiquette
Key point summar
Key point summar
Key point summar
Key point summar
Key
point summaryyyyy
Make a powerful, positive first impression: Es-
tablish appropriate eye contact, avoid collo-
quialisms and slang, and have the right
“support materials” at hand.
Know who should be introduced first.
Avoid offering a limp handshake; make sure
your grip is confident and appropriate to the
situation.
Manage unconventional handshake situations
by following the other person’s lead.
Remember: You can
use social missteps as an
opportunity to display grace, wit, and poise.
Never ask “Who are you?” Find creative ways
to determine the names of people to whom
you’ve been introduced.
Don’t use the person’s first name unless you’re
invited to do so.
Present a single business card; follow the lead
of a higher-ranking person, rather than ask-
ing for his or her business card.
