Dear Entrepreneur, Here Are Social Etiquette Rules That Should Define Your Life

By Getrude Mathayo / Published January 21, 2022 | 11:55 am

KEY POINTS

There’s always a tension between how much we should follow our instincts and how much we should yield to social conventions.

You don't know whom you might be offending or how you might be sabotaging your own success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

When it comes to business etiquette, there are rules that aren’t meant to be broken. Some of these may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised by how many times you may have made a mistake without even noticing it.

There are many ways that people can influence our behaviors, but perhaps one of the most important is that the presence of others seems to set up expectations.

We do not expect people to behave randomly but to behave in certain ways in particular situations. Each social situation entails its own particular set of expectations about the proper way to behave

As times change, so do social norms for personal and professional behavior, but that doesn’t mean basic etiquette doesn’t matter. Performance and quality are important, too, of course, but not exclusively. We sometimes forget that business is about people.

There is no shortage of competent and reliable people in the business world and manners can make the difference

In life, we follow so many rules; work rules, house rules, traffic rules, laws, etc. At school, they teach us geography, biology, maths, literature, and all the subjects you can think of but they taught us nothing about ethics, manners, social rules, or how to grow up as decent, considerate, and respectable human beings.

Then, only if you are lucky enough, either your parents have passed down to you ‘the decent gene’ or have spared some time teaching you how to become one

There’s always a tension between how much we should follow our instincts and how much we should yield to social conventions. You don’t know whom you might be offending or how you might be sabotaging your own success

Whether you are starting your ﬁrst internship or have many years of professional experience under your belt, how you present yourself to others in the workplace matters. Setting a professional tone is crucial to building new relationships and ensuring you have a positive, successful experience in the workplace.

Don’t call someone continuously more than once unless it’s a really urgent matter and if they don’t pick up, wait until they return the call. They might be sleeping, sick, busy, or have something important going on.
Return money that you have borrowed even before the person you borrowed remembers or asks for it. It shows your integrity and character. The same goes with umbrellas, pens lunch boxes, etc.
When someone treats you to lunch or dinner, don’t buy the most expensive dish on the menu. Also, treat them the next time. Only suggest splitting the cheque evenly if your dish is the least expensive among the rest.
Always open the door for the person coming behind you. It doesn’t matter if it is a guy or a girl, senior or junior. You don’t grow small by treating someone well in public
Don’t ask awkward questions like ‘Oh so you aren’t married yet?’ Or ‘Don’t you have kids’ or ‘Why didn’t you buy a house?’ Or why don’t you buy a car? For God’s sake, it isn’t your problem
If you take a taxi with a friend and he/she pays now, try paying next time
Respect different shades of opinions. Remember what’s 6 to you will appear 9 to someone facing you. Besides, a second opinion is good for an alternative.
Never interrupt people talking. Allow them to pour it out. As they say, hear them all and filter them all.
If you tease someone, and they don’t seem to enjoy it, stop it and never do it again. It encourages one to do more and it shows how appreciative you’re.
Say “thank you” when someone is helping you
Praise publicly. Criticize privately
There’s almost never a reason to comment on someone’s weight. Just say, “You look fantastic.” If they want to talk about losing weight, they will
When someone shows you a photo on their phone, don’t swipe left or right. You never know what’s next.
If a colleague tells you they have a doctors’ appointment, don’t ask what it’s for, just say “I hope you’re okay”. Don’t put them in the uncomfortable position of having to tell you their personal illness. If they want you to know, they’ll do so without your inquisitiveness.
Treat the cleaner with the same respect as the CEO. Nobody is impressed at how rude you can treat someone below you but people will notice if you treat them with respect.
If a person is speaking directly to you, staring at your phone is RUDE
When meeting someone after a long time, unless they want to talk about it, don’t ask them their age and salary.
Mind your business unless anything involves you directly. – JUST STAY OUT OF IT
Remove your sunglasses if you are talking to anyone in the street. It is a sign of respect. Moreso, eye contact is as important as your speech
Never talk about your riches in the midst of the poor. Similarly, don’t talk about your children in the midst of the barren.