Business Etiquette: Gaining That Extra Edge

If you’ve ever had an awkward moment where: 
-You aren’t sure which fork to use, 
-You don’t know which side plate is yours, 
-You’ve ever had to make small talk with a Very Important Person and been lost for words…

Then you know just how agonizing such moments can be. Even worse (and what can be even more damaging to your career) are the social gaffes you aren’t even aware you make.

This one-day workshop will help you handle most of those socially difficult moments. You’ll have an extra edge in areas that you may not have given a lot of thought of until now.

• Network effectively, including making introductions, shaking hands, and using business cards appropriately
• Dress appropriately for every business occasion
• Feel comfortable when dining in business and formal situations
• Feel more confident about your business communication in every situation
• Develop that extra edge to establishes trust and credibility

You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.

To begin, participants will explore what etiquette is all about and what role manners play.

As a pre-assignment, participants were asked come up with at least five examples of etiquette that they see at work or at home. During this session, we will review their examples; be prepared for some debate!

During the important first few minutes of a new relationship, a handshake is usually the only physical contact between two people. In this session, we will discuss and demonstrate the five factors of a good handshake.

The exchange of business cards is a common ritual when meeting a new person. We will discuss some things to keep in mind when giving and receiving business cards.

Being able to small-talk successfully is one of the most crucial skills a businessperson can develop, but it’s also one of the hardest. We’ll discuss some basic do’s and don’t’s of small talk.

There are four keys to remembering names. In this session, we will discuss and practice each of them.

During this session, we will discuss some ways that participants can make sure their first impression is perfect.

It’s always difficult to know just how to dress, particularly if you’re meeting new people. We will cover some basic guidelines and the details of particular dress codes.

This session will focus on the do’s and don’t’s of business lunches. If possible, we recommend that you have participants practice an actual business lunch.

How a businessperson presents themselves over the phone and via e-mail is just as important as their in-person impression. We’ll discuss some key points of telephone and e-mail manners in both a small group and a large group setting. We’ll also talk about thank-you notes.

At the end of the day, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.