Business And Social Etiquette

Program Objectives
1. To introduce the basics of the universal business and
social etiquette to be practiced at home, work place and
abroad.

3. To develop professional work habits and corporate pride

through appropriate office conduct & discipline.

5. To enable the executives to present themselves in an

acceptable manner..
Course Contents
• Table manners/dining etiquette
• Handling Introductions
• Business card etiquette
• Dress code
• The how to of making meetings matter
• You and your direct superior
• Strategic positioning of chairs and tables
• Gaze behavior
• Etiquette in modern work place
Origin
• The word etiquette comes from the
French etiquette and literally means
‘ticket’, the rules and regulations of the
court were written on tickets, which
were posted in the castle courtyard for
all the lords and ladies to observe and
obey.

• Courtesy derives from court behavior.

• Civility is rooted in the Latin word for

city. Civility was an indication that one
had acquired polish, as opposed to the
crudeness of country behavior. Than
Latin word for polish is the root of
politeness.
Dinning Etiquette
Table Manners/ Dining Etiquette
• Poor table manners could cause a loss of business clients,
bankers and others who are vital to our everyday business
affairs. Unfortunately, too many people think they need
only pull out the proper manners for the company.
Unfortunately, behavioral skills are habitual, and need to be
practiced on a regular basis to become automatic. When
you pull out your proper manners only on special
occasions, you end up focusing on the manners rather on
your dining companions. Incorporate polished dining skills
into your everyday life and you need never worry about how
to conduct yourself for those important business occasions.
Dining Etiquette: Proper Use Of Cutlery
Dining Etiquette-Some Dos And Don’ts
• Excuse yourself when you join in or leave someone through
the meals.
• Use fork, knife and spoon correctly.
• Request the person next to you to pass dishes to you. Do
not stretch across the table.
• Give preference to ladies and guests to be served first.
• Don’t usurp or burp.
• Don’t take tea/coffee by pouring into the saucer. Hold
saucer in the left hand and drink holding the cup in the right
hand at the handle.
• Don’t pass the spoons to others holding the scooping edge.
• Don’t pass the knife to others holding the handle.
Dining Etiquette-Some Dos And Don’ts
• Use quarter plate for Roti/Chapati/Bread and not the
service plate.
• Push the chair back to close to the table after getting up.
• Avoid conversation with the people seated far away. It may
offend the person next to you.
• Avoid using toothpick in the presence of guests/hosts.
Clean the teeth in washroom.
• If you must use the toothpick, then cover you mouth with
hand/hanky.
Dining Etiquette-Some Dos And Don’ts
• After finishing the soup, the soupspoon is left in the platter
and not in the soup bowl.
• White wine is always served with seafood and is served
chilled.
• Red wine is served with meat/poultry and is served at room
temperature.
• Champagne goes well with dessert/sweet.
• Dinner is returnable, lunch is non-returnable.
• Opening and closing of plate:
– 11 & 2 O’clock for second helping.
– 10 & 4 O’clock is closed.
– 8 & 4 O’clock is open/talking.
Dining Etiquette-Some Dos And Don’ts
• Do place your napkins in your lap as soon as you are
seated at the table.

• Do lean slightly forward each time to take a mouthful of

food. If anything drops it will fall into your plate.

• Do wipe your lips with the napkin before taking a drink.

• Don’t wipe your mouth with one hand while holding a knife
or fork with the other.

• Do keep your free hand in your lap or rest your wrist on the
edge of the table.
Dining Etiquette-Some Dos And Don’ts
• Don’t talk about the personal food likes and dislikes at the
dinner table.

• Do leave your plate where it is when you have finished

eating, with the knife and fork in the finishing position.

• Don’t push your plate away, lean back from the table, and
announce, “ I’m stuffed”.

• Don’t rest your cutlery half on and half off the plate like the
oars.

• Don’t gesture with your knife, fork or spoon in your hand. If

you are not using the utensils, put it down.
Dining Etiquette-Some Dos And Don’ts
• Do remember that food is always on your left, beverages on
your right.

• Don’t eat your neighbor’s salad. A right-handed person will

reach across the dinner plate to eat the salad.
Dining Etiquette
• Chewing with the mouth open
• Eating fast
• Shoveling food into the mouth in large forkfuls
• Swallowing with gulps
• Noisily sucking through the teeth
• Licking the fingers
Handling Introduction
Handling Introductions
• The person of authority, the more important person is
mentioned first.

• “ So, to introduce Prem Seth (Your boss) and Sunil Mathur

(who is your friend), you say “Mr. Seth, May I present Mr.
Mathur”, or “ Mr. Seth, this is Sunil Mathur.” It will be easy if
you just remember to say the senior ranking person’s name
first”.

• Business rules follow social rules. In social situations you

would defer to an older person and introduce a younger one
this way: “ My Seventy, May I present Mr. Mathur”.
Smoothing The Way To A Conversation:
• Include a conversational clue in your introduction.

• E.g.: “Mr. Raj, I would like you to meet Mr. Mohan. Like you,
Mohan is very much interested in Hindustani classical.”

• Your conversational clue can provide a basis for their

opening conversation.
When You Are Introduced….
1. Stand up
2. Shake hands
3. Smile
4. Say “How do you do?”

• First time you meet a person, say “How do you do?” next
time always say, “How are you?”
• “Hi” should always be responded by “Hi”.
• “How are you?” should always be responded by “How are
you?”
• It is “Good morning” up to 1’O clock, after that is “Good
afternoon/evening”.
Remembering Names
• Difficult names
It is not only appropriate, it is flattering to ask: “ I am not
sure if I know how to pronounce your name properly. What
is the correct way to say it?”

• Forgetting names
What can you do to avoid embarrassment? That best thing
is to be calm and straightforward. “I remember meeting you,
but I simply can not recall your name.”
Tips For Remembering Names
• Establish direct eye contact and smile during the introduction.
• Give your full attention to the introduction.
• Listen carefully and repeat the name immediately.
• Think of someone with the same name.
• Form an association immediately with the name and outstanding feature
or anything else that will assist you to recall or part of the name. The first
association complimentary or insulting - is best.
• Don’t worry, association is not flattering.
• Use the name frequently during the conversation.
• If you have forgotten the name or didn’t hear it the first time, ask the
person to tell you again or even spell his name.
• Don’t make excuses for yourself such as, “ I am terrible with names.”
• Interference and mental inhibitions are the main reasons for not
remembering names.
Business Card Etiquette
Some points to remember about using business cards:
• Affix your card to the presentation folder or corporate
literature some people may not be familiar with you or the
company you represent.
• Do exchange your business cards at a business or social
gathering, but be selective.
• Do keep your cards protected and fresh. They are the
symbol of you and your corporation. Instead of presenting a
shabby card, it’s preferable to write your pertinent
information on a plain paper.
• Do personalize your card, by underlining your name and
writing a few word on the reverse side, if the occasion
warrants. The card may then be inserted with some flowers
or some small gifts to someone who has been helpful to
you.
Business Card Etiquette (Cont’d..)
• Don't present your business card during a meal, whether
formal or not.
• Use a plastic holder to store business cards, never keep
them in your wallet. Always keep them protected.
• Always use a neat card, not a crumpled one.
• Handing over the card:
– First meet the person
– Introduce yourself
– Sit down and then take out your business card and hand over
to the other person holding it very respectfully.
Dress Code
“The way we dress affects the way people perceive us: the
ways people perceive us affects the way people treat us.”

Your appearance immediately initiates ten decisions in the

first impression you make on others
5. Economic level 1. Economic Heritage
6. Educational level 2. Social Heritage
7. Trustworthiness 3. Educational Heritage
8. Social position 4. Success in chosen field
9. Sophistication 5. Moral character
Wardrobe Basics :
• Your clothes should suit your build.

• Dress should be appropriate to the time, place and

occasion.

• Fabrics, fit, quality, style and the like should be carefully

considered.

• There are standards for suit/jacket & pants, shirts, ties,

shoes, socks, and accessories as watch, cuff links,
hankies, jewelry, belt, briefcase and so on.

• Use mild perfumes. A perfume can serve as your signature

or echo your mood.
Men’s Fashion
Suit:
• Suits should always be with fusing.
• Cloth – Use only woolen/terry-wool. Never use terrene.
• Color – Use various shades of blues and grey. No black
color.
• Collar of the suit should be very close to the neck.
• Shirt collar should be visible at least by ¼ of an inch.
• Lapel should be 3½ inch broad and single breasted.
• Height of the jacket should come to the tip of your thumb.
• Arm of the coat should stop at the wrist, so that shirt cuff is
visible.
• Trouser – Eight belt loops in a trouser. Two creases, cross
pockets no flaps on the rear pocket and shoe shape
bottom.
Men’s Fashion
Tie :
• Regimental ties with diagonal stripes
• Club ties, same insignia repeated several times in the print
• Silk ties
• Ties should be of medium width 3½ inches
• Ties should touch the buckle of the belt
Men’s Fashion
Shoe: Watch:
• Black oxford toe • Analog and not digital
Belt : Hair cut:
• Black • Neat
Handkerchief: Perfumes:
• White • Avoid strong perfumes
Successful Meeting
The How-to Of Making Meeting Matter
• Keep to an agenda
• Always circulate an agenda well in advance, so that there is
enough time to modify it if the feedback warrants it.
• Time is essence
• Environment is everything
• Take a real-time review
Rules For Office Meetings
• Do your homework well in advance. Study the issues
involved & understand the background. “Knowledge
breeds confidence”
• Punctuality is a self-evident factor
• Once you are on your feet, don’t hog your floor. Avoid
indulging in too much self-projection, even if you are the
specialist
• Interruption is generally resented. Wait until the speaker
explains his/her point of view clearly
• Maintain an objective view when others disagree with you.
Don’t personalize your attack. Respect other’s right to
disagree. Listen to them & say, ‘ I appreciate your point of
view’
Rules For Office Meetings
• Give credit where it is due. Express if you are convinced.
• Avoid the most horrendous of sins, “SARCASM”. Temper your
jokes. Encourage speakers. Show respect. They’ll reciprocate.
• Don't surprise your boss with a proposal he/she knows nothing
about. Get boss’s agreement to mention it.
• Avoid being the first to leave the conference room.

“You are on view. Prepare well. Win goodwill of others”

You And Your Direct Superior
1. Wait for your boss to establish your working relationship, be it formal,
informal, or friendly. He/she may call you by your first name, but the
straw in his/her shirt may get ruffled if you address him/her by his/her
first name or use his initials, until he/her himself/herself suggests it.

3. Keep your boss informed. He/she will be updated on all matters relating
to his/her department. It will clue in your superior as to your thinking
your process and working procedures, since your progress and
advancement depend to a large degree on his/her judgment of you.

5. Consult your immediate superior before making any departmental/ or

corporate commitments.

7. Respect your boss’s working time. Don't interrupt with constant

questions. He/she has business problems of his/her own to cope with.
Make the list of points to be discussed and then meet with him/her as
the time permits.
You And Your Direct Superior
1. Observe the chain of command. Never go to your boss’s head. This
is both business tactics and bad business manners.

3. If your superior criticizes you for a mistake, you have made, don’t
take it personally, however rough he/she may be about it.

5. If the criticism is unjustified, swallow your indignation. Try not to blurt

out “It was Satish’s mistake.” Blame shifting will reflect unfavorably on
your character in your boss’s judgment.

7. You may disagree with your boss on certain issues. If he/she doesn’t
accepts your recommendations don’t harp on the subject. There are
certain individuals who constitutionally regard as wrong another
person’s way of handling a problem simply because It is not their way
of dealing with it.

9. Your personal life is your private affair. Your boss’s office is not
confessional. It is neither his/her nor the company’s concern that you
are having trouble with your relatives.
Strategic Positioning Of Furniture
A B2 -
Best

B3 B4

B1 - Corner position
B2 - Co- opposition
B3 – Competitive/defensive position
B4 – Independent position.
Gazing Etiquette
• Business Gaze:
When you look at the person above the eye level and
below the center of the forehead, the situation becomes
serious.
• Social Gaze:
When you look at the person below the eye level and
above the lip, the situation becomes lighter, friendly and
social.
• Intimate Gaze:
When you look at the person on the chin level or at the
cheek, then it is intimate.
Etiquettes In The Modern
Workplace
Etiquette In The Modern Work Place
• Good Manners - courtesy & consideration are prime
necessity if any office is to function with a minimum
anxiety & stress

• Office machine etiquette:

– Try to understand how to operate the equipment if is to be
self operated as in the case of a photocopying machine.
– Keep the equipment clean.
– If there is a line of people waiting to use the system, and you
have dozens of pages to copy, allow the colleagues who have
only a few pages to copy to go ahead of you.
– If yours is a urgent job, explain the situation to waiting
executives and get their approval in a polite manner to go
ahead with your job.
Etiquette In The Modern Work Place
Facilities for employees :
• Leftovers, papers, napkins, wrappers etc. are to be
removed and thrown into the waste paper baskets/dust
bins.

Toilet/unisex facilities :
• Gentlemen should put the seat down and close the lid after
they have used a toilet, just as they do at home.
• Do remember to flush the toilets and the urinals after every
use.
• It gives good feeling to work in a clean office.
Etiquette In The Modern Work Place
Respect for colleagues’ space :
• Conference room is the proper place to entertain visitors or
colleagues who feel the need to relax & talk.
• Smoking pollutes the air in the office & is distressing to others.
People who need to smoke should do so in places set apart for
that purpose.
• Conversations in open-pan offices, like conversations in
elevators, should be carried on softly. No one else should have
to listen to other peoples business or private affairs.
Personal décor :
• Don’t personalize too much your business space.
• It is appropriate to use photographs, diplomas, awards &
honors. But keep them simple.
• Don’t visit anyone uninvited.
Etiquette In The Modern Work Place
Elevator Etiquette :
• Traditionally, men stepped aside the women off first.
• Everyone in the front of a crowded elevator should step out
of the car and to the side when the doors open so that
people in the back of the car can exit.
• Always step briskly, because the people behind you may be
in a hurry , even though you are not.
• When speaking in an elevator, or any public place, the
voice level should be just above a whisper, only loud
enough for the person you are speaking to hear you.

Escalator Etiquette:
• It may seem elementary to mention that two or more
executives should stand behind one another, and to the
right side of the moving stairway, so that others who may be
in a more of a hurry can pass them on the left.
Etiquette In The Modern Work Place
Holding doors :
• In today’s office buildings, the person who arrives at the
doors first- man or woman- holds the door for the person(s)
behind.
• Young people, however, should differ to older or senior
executives.
• In fact, the younger is expected to get to the door quickly in
order to hold it for the others.

Automobile Etiquette:
• When executives of unequal rank travel together, the junior
executive is expected to handle all the details of the trip,
authoritatively but not obsequiously- tipping the porters,
checking into or out of hotels, arranging for the cars or
hailing taxis, paying the drivers and so forth.
Thanks and wish you all the best