Etiquette in English: Where and How?

The era of globalization is remarkably known for communication skills and soft skills. With the advent of Information Technology Revolution, a sea-change in the life of human beings all over the world is observed. In order to relish the taste brought by IT revolution, one has to improve one’s communication skills and soft skills, in addition to one’s hard skills (educational qualifications). As the success of an individual is directly connected with the skills cited above, they have become inseparable from one who dreams of successful life in this cut-throat competitive   corporate world. Etiquette, being a part of soft skills, is playing a pivotal role in the accomplishments of every individual. The word ‘etiquette’ has become a hot cake for discussion in the corporate. Intensely, everyone is waking up to the significance of etiquette. Why? The reasons are as follows:

Today, to talk of the knowledge economy, people are being equipped with traditional degrees and certificates; it is becoming an absolutely important and critical tool that differentiates raw talent from skilled talent. Talent will no longer differentiate people in the knowledge economy. The presence or absence of proper etiquette will be the difference between skilled talent and raw talent. How much one is highly qualified what distinguishes him or her at the work place is how he/she applies skill in the day-to-day activities to make things better for the progress of an organization. This is the place where etiquette comes into force and play a prominent role in shaping the future of either a person or an organization. 

What is Etiquette? It is one of the business tools that acts as cement to build up the bonds, in order to lead the organization towards the right path and thus achieves professional success. Without etiquette there are hardly any chances for professional success despite the candidates having the best academic qualifications. To drive business successfully one needs to pass through the chaos and identified synergies none of which is taught in B-schools.

Can Etiquette be taught? Academic qualifications blended with proper etiquette will ascertain a smooth sailing in any organization. Etiquette cannot be taught. For it is never a theoretical discipline but a practicing ground which requires a person to cultivate interactions and exhibit genuineness. Genuineness should be natural. If one exhibits a real enthusiasm towards people, it will be rewarding to his/her career and interpersonal relationships. There is a false notion that it is about dealing with people in general. But it is to value the other persons’ behaviour too. 

In general, people prefer the company of a well-behaved person rather than an obnoxious and ill-mannered person who may, otherwise, be a knowledgeable person. Only a sociable person’s presence is ever cherished. He alone has more opportunities for advancement. For this reason corporates and universities are hiring professionals to train their executives/students for a good and socially acceptable behaviour. There are subtleties which speak about the professional images of a person: - (i) warm disposition (ii) neat appearance (iii) proper dining manners and (iv) a genuine smile.

Due to liberalization, privatization and globalization, the world is considerably transforming itself into a technical ground where collaboration is spreading an essential business discipline. In the environment of globalised economic system, people of different nations and cultures will have to work together, where collaboration has become an essential business discipline. People with strong collaboration skills are floating MNCs across the world. If one strengthens one’s collaboration skills one can certainly establish companies such as MNC’s. One can undoubtedly become a successful manager but not a successful partner. And even to become a successful manager one must maintain the above shown subtleties of etiquette. But to become a successful partner these subtleties are more vital. It helps one to enrich all the managerial skills such as: Negotiation Skills, Presentation Skills, Leadership Skills, Team Spirit, Time Management and Stress Management, etc.

Is Etiquette followed differently at different places? There are different modes of etiquette and they are also followed differently at different places. Some of them are discussed here.

1. Corporate Etiquette increases Dignity: There are certain identified manners that are to be followed while working in Corporate. The manners that one should keep in mind are: How to introduce oneself to others in a corporate. How to shake hands at the time of introduction. How to attend an interview. How should one appear. What habits should one inculcate in corporates. It can also help one to learn the etiquette of dress during office hours.

There are different kinds of shaking hands that one must discriminate. In professional career one is expected to deal with many people like colleagues, superiors, subordinates and workers with whom one has to work and speak in English. English is the only language that is in vogue in every company all over the world. People here are found with different grounds. Moreover, they may be friends, acquaintances or strangers, or people of your own age, or people who are younger or older than you. The relationship you have with a person determines the kind of language you use. The language we use with people who are familiar to us varies from the language we use with strangers. Learning corporate etiquette helps one to increase one’s dignity and respect as it is all about how to greet people and how to introduce both formally and informally.

Handshake is a universally accepted gesture of accommodation. It is an expression of new cultural behaviour. The original purpose of shaking hands with others proves that one is coming open–handed and unarmed. When we shake hands with others we convey one of the following: 1. Dominance – If one gives handshake by turning the others hand down putting his hand up, it indicates dominance. 2. Submission: If one offers hand with the palm facing upwards it communicates submission. 3. Equality: If each person attempts to move the other person’s  hand it is equality. Of course, there is no rigidity about them.

2. Effective E-mail Etiquette: It is a set of standard acceptable behavior that one needs to follow while sending and receiving formal business messages. There is a bare necessity to maintain e-mail etiquette at workplace. The guidelines are: - 1. Every time one writes it is a practical experience 2. The subject is as important as the headlines in Newspapers 3. Follow the ‘KISS’ rule (Keep It Short and Simple) 4. One should never convey a wrong message 5. Avoiding of SMS Language such as ‘U’ for You, ‘2’ for Two, ‘Plz’ for Please, Thank ‘Q’ for Thank You and ‘4’ for Four. 6. When we have to send four different messages to the same person, it is always better to send four different mails as it helps one to spot out a particular message easily at a later stage when required. 7. We should always end the mail by his/her first name. 8. One should always end the mail by using superscription such as warm  regards, cheers, best regards, look forward, etc. 9. One should never mix official matter with personal matter at the time of sending an official mail.

Protection from liability: Employees’ awareness of email risks will protect one’s company from costly lawsuits. There are many etiquette guidelines and many different etiquette rules. Some rules differ according to the nature of our business than that of corporate culture. Email offers faster communication than any other form of written communication. It is an extremely inexpensive way to stay in touch with customers and colleagues anywhere in the world. Etiquette and manners reflect that one has the business acumen and social skills.

3. Business Etiquette: It is an imperative business tool that offers valuable advantage in conducting oneself properly in business situations. The tool kit consists of essential things like trust and warmth in human relationships. The objective of business etiquette is to develop personal skills in dealing with different personalities of clients in different situations. Useful business etiquette information helps participants achieve their goals while improving their job performance and meet and greet important people in a proper manner, behave and dress correctly in both business and social occasions, maintain effective verbal/non-verbal communication skills. Business etiquette has military origins. It is based on hierarchy and power. A person of lesser importance is introduced to the person of greater importance regardless of gender and age. The name of the person being introduced is mentioned last, the person to whom the introduction is made is mentioned first. The client is more important than anyone else in an organization. But it is not so in social etiquette.

4. Social Etiquette: Social etiquette is based on chivalry. This etiquette helps one to know how to be in a society. How to utilize dinnertime by incorporating quality. How to maintain decency and decorum when we are guests. How to extend thanks to the host.  How to make positive statements about the host’s reception.

Pay equal attention to the hosts and other guests. It is always better to wear a dress that suits the occasion. Both formal and informal introductions are made according to age, then gender, and then social status. Let me not go into details.

5. Telephone Etiquette: There are certain methods of etiquette to be followed while talking over telephone or participating in Videoconferences. The way you speak to your best friend on the phone is very different from the way you should speak to someone in a business setting. Many speakers make the mistake of being too direct on the telephone. It is possible that the person on the other line will think that you are being rude on purpose if you don’t use formal language in certain situations.

In the present IT World even freshers who are in the hunt for jobs are being interviewed on Telephone. Besides verbal talk, voice and body language also play vital role.

It is imperative that one may greet first on the telephone addressing oneself according to one’s designation and then enquire the other person as to what made him to call.

Don’t hurt the feelings of others in case of wrong calls.

Thus, etiquette is an unwritten rule that stands for good manners and good behavior. It can be referred to as a style, which will never be out of fashion or obsolete. A person with good manners leaves an indelible impression and registers cherished memories in the minds of others.