Leadership Skills

Being Honest

Perhaps honesty seems to not fit within business etiquette, but the little things can mean a great deal to other people. Being honest means to be a real person and see other people as individuals. Never try to be someone else because that will make other people question your authenticity. If you are not authentic, they will not trust you. Some of the tips in this section are common sense, but they will be worth remembering.

The Little Things

Try to always do these, and you will be welcome in any new group:

• Never appear to be “Too Busy” for people
  • Mingle with others and "share the love"
  • Greet friends as well as strangers
• Never be “Monopolized” by people
  • After a few minutes of conversation, politely excuse yourself and move to someone else
  • Listen attentively, but keep conversations brief
  • If you are at an event with friends, help each other out by watching for other people monopolizing someone's time
• Never be the first in line for food
• Wear good quality shoes so you can walk and stand
• Wear clothing that you feel "comfortable" in
• Remember the 80/20 rule—listen 80% and talk 20%
• Be aware of your body language; other people are aware
• Likewise, watch your facial expressions
• Use other people’s names (they like that)
• Always say “Please” and “Thank You”

Stress and Frustration

Now, what will you do if there is stress and frustration within a group? Sadly, this happens, and people will moan and groan. Here are some tips for handling stress and frustration:

• Remain calm and cool
• Empathize with the people involved
• Try to understand the problem(s)
• Accept responsibility (or partial responsibility) if you are part of the problem
• Review alternatives
• With the other people, create an action plan
• Take action
• Remember to check back in and review progress at a later time

Apologizing

None of us like to make a mistake, but what if you do? Well, then it is time to accept responsibility and apologize. With new groups, you could have arrived late, misunderstood something, or something more embarrassing. Here is the best way to step up and apologize:

• Apologize immediately
  (The longer you wait, the worse it gets)
• Look and act as though you mean it
• If you offended a perosn, talk to the person directly rather than skirt around the issue
  If necessary, send a handwritten card and gift)
• Ask for forgiveness
• Never make excuses
• Try to make amends

If you are not forgiven, accept that it may take the other person a while to be comfortable enough to forgive. Just let it go.