Is Etiquette Dead? by Ken Blanchard

I have been doing an informal survey of people I work with on the question of business etiquette. Here are some of the basic courtesies people expect in the workplace when it comes to interruptions, telephone usage, and scheduled meetings.

HANDLING WORK INTERRUPTIONS
Interruptions are considered one of the most annoying distractions in business today. Interruptions keep you from doing what you've already identified as important. To avoid being interrupted, keep your door closed. If someone barges in, acknowledge that person's presence, say how long you'll be, and ask if you can get back to him or her.

TAKING PHONE CALLS WHILE IN MEETINGS
Why should a telephone call take precedence over the person who is in front of you? Answering a phone during a meeting says, "Anyone else has got to be more important than the person who is in your office." With the exception of calls from customers, taking phone calls while in a meeting is a rude practice. Have your receptionist take calls with instructions to interrupt you only for urgent calls or a call you are waiting for. If you are expecting such a call, tell the person you are meeting with prior to your meeting.

INTERRUPTING OTHERS IN MEETINGS
It is rude when more than one person speaks at the same time during a group meeting. One manager in my company has everyone in the meeting speak at once! This demonstrates how futile it is when there is more focus on talking than on listening. Everyone has a laugh and then returns to a more civilized process of sharing information.

TELEPHONE USAGE
Return all phone calls either personally or by someone else you work with, even if it is just to say you received the call and need more time to respond to the caller's need.

TALKING LOUDLY ON THE PHONE
If you talk loudly, shut your door. If the offender is someone in your area, politely close their door "so they can have some privacy." If they don't pick up on this subtle hint, specifically ask that they close their door while on the phone.

VOICE MAIL
Voice mail keeps you from missing calls, but people report it is now almost impossible to get through to someone who has voice mail. Furthermore, it has become too easy to roll over one's phone to voice mail and never get a call at all. If you have to leave a message on voice mail, be concise and explicit about what you need. If you really need to talk to the person "live," schedule a telephone appointment or leave specific times for a call to be returned.

SCHEDULED MEETINGS
Whether you plan a meeting with one person or a group, simple respect will increase goodwill and efficiency.

BEING ON TIME
Good business meetings start and stop on time. To decrease tardiness, make the last person to the meeting take minutes.

BEING KEPT WAITING FOR APPOINTMENTS
If you can't make a scheduled meeting, call the individual and explain the circumstances and what time you will be able to meet. If the delay is great, suggest another meeting time at the other person's convenience.

PEOPLE HOVERING WHILE YOU'RE IN A MEETING
If someone is waiting to speak to you, excuse yourself and ask the person waiting if you can get back to him. This same tactic works for people who hover while you're on the phone or walk into your office without knocking first.

OUTSIDE THE COMPANY
Everything here holds true more so when you are dealing with someone from outside your organization. Keep in mind that he or she may be a potential customer, a future employee or investor, or a friend of your manager. Be safe, not sorry, for giving others the benefit of the doubt and treating everyone with the simple respect and courtesy that we all like to receive ourselves.

This resource is (c)1996 by and excerpted from Executive Edge. To find thousands of resources to help you in business on the World Wide Web: http://www.smartbiz.com

Office Etiquette ... continued