Social and business etiquette can be tricky, and making the right moves can make a big difference in one’s social status as well as their career. I hear many of the younger business people beginning their start in business say rules of business conduct is ‘Old School’, and is something they do purposefully do not want to do. However, these same business people find that eventually they will be held back in their business endeavors if they do not have any business manors.
Most people starting a business and many who have been in business for a long time do not know the etiquettes of business situations. Hopefully this Quiz I put together will help many of the newbies of the business world become more comfortable with how to deal with these touchy situations.
Here is a quiz and see how you fare in the following business situations.
QUIZ:
1. Your boss, Ms. Smith, enters the room where you’re meeting with an important client, Mr. Jones. You rise and say “Ms. Smith, I’d like you to meet Mr. Jones, our client from San Diego.” Is this introduction correct?
Answer: No. Introduce the more important person first. You should address your client and say “Mr. Jones, I’d like you to meet our Vice President of Development, Ms. Smith.” (Alternative answer? introduce the client as the more important person!)
2. At a social function, you meet the CEO of an important Japanese corporation. After a brief chat, you give him your business card. Is this correct?
Answer: No. In Japan (unlike in the United States or the UK), business cards are taken as a serious reflection of their owner and are exchanged with great ceremony. Researching the importance of business cards in various cultures can help in avoiding embarrassing faux pas.
3. You’re entering a cab with an important client. You position yourself so the client is seated curbside. Is this correct?
Answer: Yes. When your client steps out of the car, (s)he will be on the curbside and therefore won’t have to deal with getting out in traffic or sliding across the seat.
4. You’re hosting a dinner at a restaurant. You’ve pre-ordered for everyone and indicated where they should sit. Are you correct?
Answer: Yes It is perfectly acceptable for a True Host or Hostess to take care of all arrangements for their guest, including seating arrangements.
5. A toast has been proposed in your honor. You say “thank you” and take a sip of your drink. Are you correct?
Answer: No. If you do, then you’re toasting yourself. It is appropriate to acknowledge the Toast and then, if appropriate, counter the toast with another toast honoring. It would then be appropriate for all to partake in a drink.
6. You’re in a restaurant and a thin soup is served in a cup with no handles. To eat it you should:
- pick it up and drink it
- use the spoon provided
- eat half of it with a spoon and drink the remainder
Answer: 2. It’s not a cup of coffee, for heaven’s sake. And don’t slurp, either.
7. You’re at dinner and champagne is served with the dessert. You simply can’t drink champagne yet know the host will be offering a toast. Do you:
- tell the waiter “no champagne”
- turn over your glass
- ask the waiter to pour water into your champagne glass instead
- say nothing and allow the champagne to be poured
Answer: 4. It’s more polite not to call attention to the fact that you can’t drink champagne.
8. You’re at a table in a restaurant for a business dinner. Midway through the meal, you’re called to the telephone. What do you do with your napkin?
- Take it with you
- Fold and place it to the left of your plate
- Loosely fold it and place it on the right side
- Leave it on your chair
Answer: 4. Leave it on your chair. Definitely don’t put it on the table–what if you have crumbs on it?
9. You’re hosting a dinner party at a restaurant. Included are two other couples, and your most valuable client and his wife. You instruct the waiter to:
- serve your spouse first
- serve your client’s spouse first
- serve you and your spouse last
Answer: 2. and 3. Sort of a trick question, but this is important.
10. You’re invited to a reception and the invitation states “7:00 to 9:00 PM.” You should arrive:
- at 7:00 PM
- anytime between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM
- between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM
- go early and leave early
Answer: 1, 2, or 3. It’s terribly impolite to arrive early.
11. You’re greeting or saying good-bye to someone. When’s the proper time to shake their hand?
- When you’re introduced
- At their home
- At their office
- On the street
- When you say good-bye
Answer: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. In other words, it’s rarely improper to shake someone’s hand. Make sure you have a firm (but not painful) handshake for both men and women.
12. You’re talking with a group of four people. Do you make eye contact with:
- just the person to whom you’re speaking at the moment?
- each of the four, moving your eye contact from one to another?
- no one particular person (not looking directly into anyone’s eyes)?
Answer: 2. Make eye contact with all of the individuals you’re talking with.
13. The waiter’s coming toward you to serve wine. You don’t want any. You turn your glass upside down. Are you correct?
Answer: No. Again, don’t call attention to your dislike of your host’s chosen beverage.
14. When you greet a visitor in your office, do you:
- say nothing and let her sit where she wishes?
- tell her where to sit?
- say “Just sit anywhere”
Answer: 2. Indicating where your guest should sit will make her feel more comfortable.
15. You’re invited to dinner in a private home. When do you take your napkin from the table and place it on your lap?
- Open it immediately
- Wait for the host to take his napkin before taking yours?
- Wait for the oldest person at the table to take his?
- Wait for the acknowledged head of the table to take hers before taking yours?
Answer: 2, 3, or 4. Just don’t grab it first unless you’re playing one of these roles.
16. You’re scheduled to meet a business associate for working lunch and you arrive a few minutes early to find a suitable table. 30 minutes later your associate still hasn’t arrived. Do you:
- order your lunch and eat?
- continue waiting and fuming that your associate isn’t there?
- tell the head waiter you’re not staying and give him our card with instructions to present it to your associate to prove you were there?
- after 15 minutes call your associate?
Answer: 1. You’ve waited 30 minutes. Expect an apology later, though.
17. You’ve forgotten lunch with a business associate. You feel terrible and know he’s furious. Do you:
- write a letter of apology?
- send flowers?
- keep quiet and hope he forgets about it?
- call and set up another appointment?
Answer: 4. Call and set up another appointment. And don’t forget to apologize for your error. Imagine how you’d feel if it was you!
These are just a few of the situations you WILL find yourself in sooner or later. Hopefully, you can remember that your image or the impression you make upon someone will carry in their memory for a long time, if not forever. So think about how you come across to others when it comes time to use business etiquette.
