I wrote this article for a magazine published in Chattanooga. And, I must admit…..when I was asked to write it, I thought, “ME? Proper business protocol? Why would they ask ME?” Painful thoughts of past mistakes quickly propelled me to a point of confession…again. Happily, the mercy of confession soon directed my thoughts to the wonderful remembrance that mistakes are great teachers. I began to contemplate all I had learned and the application of that learning in my life and to today’s businesses. I now humbly share those lessons with you, in the form of Tips #1 and #2 of 16, corresponding to the letters of B-u-s-i-n-e-s-s P-r-o-t-o-c-o-l.
B - Be on time for business meetings. An estimated $11 billion dollars per day are wasted on inefficient meetings, and tardy attendees are partially responsible for that amount. In today’s sometimes hectic workplaces, it is easy to get so busy that punctuality takes a back seat to getting one more thing checked off your list. Still, your tardiness will likely cause a coworker to wait, and that is not a good thing. It's really rude and unacceptable to keep busy coworkers waiting for you to get there. If you leading the meeting, start on time!
U - Use the “relate to” model to help you remember names and titles. If you are trying to remember the name of your bosses’ boss who is named Jimmy and he happens to have a large nose, relate him to Jimmy Durante--not out loud, of course! Or if you are meeting someone with the same name as your cousin, relate her to your cousin! Using another’s name is powerful and viewed very positively in the business world. If you have trouble remembering names but are great with faces, ‘fessing up works best for me. Say something like, “I am so good with faces, and I know I know you, but I’m sorry to say that I am not great with names. Could you share yours with me once again?” Most business people will be forgiving.
Tips #3 and #4--"S" and "I"-- coming next week!
--Pamper