Business Meeting Etiquette
Business Meeting Etiquette
Some basic rules on business meeting etiquette and protocol.
Business etiquette is essentially about building relationships with colleagues, clients or customers. In the business world, it is these people that can influence your success or failure. Etiquette, and in particular business etiquette, is simply a means of maximising your business potential by presenting yourself favourably.
Business meetings are one arena in which poor etiquette can have negative effects. By improving your business meeting etiquette you automatically improve your chances of success. Comfort, trust, attentiveness and clear communication are examples of the positive results of demonstrating good etiquette.
The article will focus on a few key examples of business meeting etiquette for both formal and informal business meetings. Although these are meant as guides to etiquette in the UK they are very much applicable to other nations too.
Informal Meetings
Informal meetings are generally more relaxed affairs and may not necessarily take place in the office or meeting room. Even so a sense of professionalism and good business etiquette are still required.
There are 7 points to consider with informal meetings:
•Business etiquette demands that the person calling the meeting (henceforth ‘the chair’) should be the most senior or the one with the most direct or urgent interest in the topic at hand.
•The chair should decide the time, place and agenda. These details should be confirmed with everyone to make sure all are in agreement and no inconvenience is caused.
•The chair must make the purpose of the meeting clear to the attendees, how long it will last and what is expected of them, i.e. particular information or preparation of documents. Failing to relay the proper information is bad business etiquette as it could cause embarrassment.
•Punctuality is a must. Keeping people waiting is considered the height of poor etiquette as it abuses their time.
Some basic rules on business meeting etiquette and protocol.
Business etiquette is essentially about building relationships with colleagues, clients or customers. In the business world, it is these people that can influence your success or failure. Etiquette, and in particular business etiquette, is simply a means of maximising your business potential by presenting yourself favourably.
Business meetings are one arena in which poor etiquette can have negative effects. By improving your business meeting etiquette you automatically improve your chances of success. Comfort, trust, attentiveness and clear communication are examples of the positive results of demonstrating good etiquette.
The article will focus on a few key examples of business meeting etiquette for both formal and informal business meetings. Although these are meant as guides to etiquette in the UK they are very much applicable to other nations too.
Informal Meetings
Informal meetings are generally more relaxed affairs and may not necessarily take place in the office or meeting room. Even so a sense of professionalism and good business etiquette are still required.
There are 7 points to consider with informal meetings:
•Business etiquette demands that the person calling the meeting (henceforth ‘the chair’) should be the most senior or the one with the most direct or urgent interest in the topic at hand.
•The chair should decide the time, place and agenda. These details should be confirmed with everyone to make sure all are in agreement and no inconvenience is caused.
•The chair must make the purpose of the meeting clear to the attendees, how long it will last and what is expected of them, i.e. particular information or preparation of documents. Failing to relay the proper information is bad business etiquette as it could cause embarrassment.
•Punctuality is a must. Keeping people waiting is considered the height of poor etiquette as it abuses their time.