The 3 Biggest Mistakes in Business Etiquette
By NETWORK. LEAD. EXCHANGE.
It’s difficult to improve if one doesn’t know what they’re doing is wrong. Network Lead Exchange focuses on three of the biggest mistakes in business etiquette and explains how to fix them.
Not everyone is expected to know everything, but there are plenty of people who make silly mistakes in terms of business etiquette. Unfortunately, these mistakes lead to bad impressions. These impressions make others reticent to make referrals and create professional distance. Sometimes, mistakes are explained away by inexperience. After a while, if the same mistakes continue to be made, then the problem isn’t a lack of knowledge but instead a lack of corrective action.
Not Returning Contact
One of the biggest etiquette issues in business is not returning a contact, then expecting something in return the next time the person approaches you. Often, not replying stems from a lack of answers. Whether it’s a call or an email, let the person reaching out know that there aren’t answers at the moment. A personal touch would be calling the person directly. Email is convenient, but a call communicates a professional took time out of their day to reply, even if it’s with less than satisfactory news. Consideration is the foundation of etiquette, and replying is always considerate.
Put the Phone Away
Especially among the younger generations, the phone is out too much. When meeting with a fellow professional or a client, keep the phone on vibrate. Emergencies happen, if it’s important to have contact, set up a different ringtone for a person such as a family member. The only time phones should come out is when it’s known there’s an important issue. Apologize and let the person know it’s a spouse/child/parent calling. People are understanding if respect is shown to them. That’s why the phone stays in the pocket.
Interrupting
The easiest way to draw the ire of others is interrupt them. Interruptions rarely arise from a place of contempt. Instead, enthusiasm gets the best of people and they chime in. The best way to avoid interrupting is to make note of a thought and wait for the person to stop speaking. Usually, people cover the point the interruption would make. In a meeting, keep a notepad handy. This is the perfect place to jot down interruptive thoughts. In a normal conversation, turn the interruption into a question. People enjoy answering questions; they don’t enjoy being stopped mid-sentence.
Etiquette is the backbone of all the great networking groups. Find a networking group that values etiquette @ NETWORKLEADEXCHANGE.COM.
