Managing your behaviors in a positive way – good manners or “etiquette” if you will – will serve you well in your business and personal life. The term “business etiquette” refers particularly to those behaviors in the business world that can impact your career favorably. But what is it exactly? The dictionary defines etiquette as “the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life.” Now, here’s the problem with that definition: it conjures up images of people drinking tea out of delicate china cups with their pinkie fingers extended. For that reason, I don’t like the term “etiquette.”
Emily Post once said, “Etiquette is the science of living.” Ah, now that’s better. Given that it’s all about our behaviors and attitudes, I choose to call this concept “Business and Social Dynamics,” since we’re talking about the dynamics of your interactions in your business and social life. There are other terms I like, as well: presence, professionalism, emotional intelligence. Why is this concept so important? When our behaviors are positive and professional, we have a powerful, positive presence – we’re noticed and taken seriously. When we practice these skills, we’re more likeable. And when we’re more likeable, our interactions are more productive, our environment is more pleasant, and our desired outcomes are usually more successful.
Here are some of these dynamics or behaviors — little things that mean a lot:
Show interest in others. Nothing – and I mean nothing – is a stronger likeability factor. Be a good listener. Pay attention when others are talking, hear what they’re saying, and let them know you’ve heard them by responding appropriately. Don’t interrupt someone who is talking. Resist trying to top another person’s story. Practice basic good manners: say “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” when appropriate. Step up, take initiative, volunteer – it’s extremely memorable. Learn to make proper introductions. Here’s a tip: whenever possible, you say the name of the more important person first. Strive to learn and remember people’s names. Repeating the name, asking for its spelling, committing to remembering it, and making word associations will help. Return phone calls and emails promptly. Mind your dining manners. Don’t talk with your mouth full, learn place settings so you know which glass is yours (everything you drink from is on the right), choose your utensils from the outside in, put your napkin on your lap when you sit down at the table, and leave it there until you rise to leave. Compliment good ideas and good work. Be a team player. Not everyone can be the captain. Don’t engage in malicious gossip or spread rumors. Don’t whine and complain to others about things that can’t be fixed. Make your Facebook and other social media profiles clean and professional – something you’ll have no regrets about. Write a note – to say thank you, congratulations, best wishes, I’m sorry, etc. Strive to make others feel comfortable – whether it’s a newcomer, a customer, a guest, a junior associate. Show enthusiasm and energy in everything you do.
By: Barbara Busey
Posts Tagged ‘Business World’
Business Systems Lessons From the ICU
November 20th, 2009
Early in my business career I worked at the world-renowned UCLA Medical Center, running the non-medical patient care activities in several regular and intensive care units. I frequently heard comments that ‘healthcare just isn’t the same as business.’ It was said in ignorance about the true complexity and need for accurate coordination needed to provide excellent customer service: patient care.
As a Unit Service Coordinator, I was in charge of arranging all the movements of the patients and the services, treatments, food, pharmaceuticals, and so on for each patient. I was also in charge of making sure the information that came from one source, such as a physician, was distributed to every other resource that needed to know it.
I later implemented improvements of the operations of several out-patient clinics: front office, reception and billing functions to serve the patients themselves.
So you might say I’ve got an experienced eye when it comes to assessing the ‘business systems’ of healthcare. I’ve had the opportunity to spend time in UCLA’s new facility this past week and was reminded about the common challenges in business, no matter the industry.
Lesson 1: Take The Human Element Into Account
Clients often ask me “Is this the best solution?” If business were entirely run by machines perhaps the answer could be “Yes!” Fortunately I learned a deeper appreciation for what it really takes to accomplish results in medical care.
Medicine is an ‘art’ not a science. Each patient is a complex system that will interact with medicines and surgical procedures differently than the patient in the next room. The best hope is for ‘optimal’ results, called healing and health. So standardized care steps are used. I took that wisdom with me into the rest of the business world.
Depending on the complexity of your customers’ challenges, there may be no ‘best’ solution you can guarantee, either. From the employees running your company, to the customer on the phone, the results you’ll get depend on their actual experience, training, tools, systems, personality and mood.
Start by creating standardized process to approximate ’science’ in the results you want to deliver.
Lesson 2: Build Your Systems By Asking The Users
Information flow, manufacturing steps, people movement inside the business… each poses it’s own challenges. The designer of the system believes they know what’s needed. Yet very often they haven’t spoken with the true users.
A district headquarters I worked with had 60 percent of the personnel relocated to new locations by an industrial planner who ‘knew’ where they should sit. Of course that worked when data was correct. But when there were problems, with 17% of the data, problem solving was best done face-to-face. Yet folks suffered through having been relocated 2 floors away from each other.
The brand new cardiac intensive care unit at UCLA is a visual marvel. A ‘U’-shaped hallway, private rooms for each patient, high definition TVs to entertain them. But the loss in nursing productivity is enormous. The unit’s curving layout was designed by a famous office architect and a physician who strolls through for a total of one hour daily. The result? None of the nursing staff have line of sight beyond 3 rooms.
Nurses are no longer able to do quick visual checks about patient status or colleagues needing an extra hand. Their walking has increased 400% every day. They have to carry phones to call each other from 30 feet away.
Always include the ‘users’ in the design stage for your systems.
Lesson 3: Find Out Where The True Knowledge Is
In the metal finishing manufacturer I’m working with, the detailed expertise is often with the blue-collar worker standing at the machine, and not the ‘planner’ sitting in a meeting, or the CEO.
In a teaching hospital the ‘doctors’ walking in and out of the patient rooms are often training in one- or two-month rotations. It’s not uncommon for a patient to be admitted, and then handed off a few days later to newcomers who are trying to familiarize themselves with 20 different patients’ cases. Then off they go to ‘learn’ about another area of medicine.
So when a patient care system is being designed, the critical source may be the nurse who has worked continuously with thousands of patients for years. I know that comes as a shock to many folks who assume ‘the doctor’ can give them the best information.
The person with the biggest title may not be the one with the most thorough expertise.
Take a look at your business today and see which people you need to have at the table to design the inner workings of your company, the solutions for your customers and the systems to deliver those results.
Copyright (c) 2008 Linda Feinholz
By: Linda Feinholz
Importance of Business Software
November 18th, 2009
If you are a starting your own small business you need to be as organized and efficient as possible. One of the tools that you can use to achieve these goals is business software. Many entrepreneurs who are interested in the process of starting their own business may not be into computers or even have an aversion to technology, unfortunately in today’s business world if you don’t have the right tools which usually includes business software you and your business are dead in the water.
The good news about business software is that it is easier and in some case more affordable than ever. With much more powerful computers and many different software producing companies competing against one another, the consumer ultimately wins. No matter what industry or type of small business you have, there is business software that can help organize your expenses, analyze your sales and correspond with customers, manufacturers and other businesses.
Besides general business tools such as MS Office, there are plenty of business software available for ecommerce web sites and auction site merchants. Whether you are a one person operation or have a dozen employees, using business software can ultimately help you be more profitable.
You can find current information and up to the minute reviews and opinions online at software forums. Whether it is Microsoft products, Adobe Photoshop or any type of specialize business software, you can usually do a search and find some reviews based on using a specific software product. So before you go out and spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on business software, do your homework and see what others have to say about it.
By: Christain Cullen
