Etiquette: The Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings

Etiquette is more than bells and whistles. At its core, it means people are respectful to one another, listen closely, and provide useful feedback. While these are skills that are useful to everyone, etiquette is especially important for executives and entrepreneurs to master. The flap of a Butterfly’s Wings

Believe it or not, basic etiquette isn’t exactly common in the traditional workplace. There are strong egos, full of voices speaking over each other, yet no one seems to listen to what the other is saying. Having stellar business etiquette is the key to standing out in a crowd, because while the rest may have promises and plans, people with etiquette have ears to listen to their client’s pain points, the tact to craft the right answer, and the grace to properly deliver that response.  

For entrepreneurs and executives who are trying out new ways to market their businesses, good etiquette is one of the best ways to show clients and customers that they’re in good hands. 

Playing Your Cards Right- the flap of a Butterfly’s Wings

Etiquette is useful in most situations, but it often finds itself in certain places more than others. As mentioned earlier, the key between someone with good manners and etiquette and someone without those skills is all about listening. 

Take a casino, where etiquette is an absolute must. Someone with poor etiquette would be asking the dealer or other players for advice, boasting or groaning about their hand at the table, and ultimately ruins the experience for everyone else. On the other hand, the reserved, respectful player, keeps their thoughts to themselves and carries on with the game be it roulette, blackjack or any other casino game for that matter. 

That’s because they observe their surroundings, listen to the dealer, and know when to speak. Those are just a few of the basic etiquette rules, but as anyone with good etiquette knows, there’s still much to learn.  

Key Rules of Business Etiquette- a Butterfly’s Wings

While the rules of etiquette are quite simple, they can be difficult to master. There are several types of business etiquette and it’s important that executives are well informed in each area. Luckily, practice makes perfect, so even if executives aren’t on their A-game when it comes to etiquette, they can slowly but surely develop these skills to become all-around excellent executives.

Grooming and Attitude 

This may be a bit obvious, but looking the part is often the first step to believing executives are fit for the client. Behaving as if it’s a Friday night with friends around customers is a big no-no, even as work environments become more casual. Grooming tends to be the way many executives get their foot in the door because by making a good impression with a smile, appropriate clothing, and eye contact, clients are more likely to trust executives and listen to what they have to say. 

Listening

There is nothing more frustrating than talking with someone who doesn’t seem to absorb what the other is saying. As the common saying goes, “they could talk to a wall!”  As funny as the idea might be, in reality, it’s quite uncomfortable for the other party and definitely a red flag to let them know that the executive might not be the best choice to work with. How can they listen to what a client needs if all they are doing is senselessly blabbering? 

Speaking and Writing

Of course, the art of speaking well is essential and includes key skills like eye contact, proper volume, and confident body language. However, textual communication is just as important. As more and more communication happens on screen, there is now a higher risk of sounding rude and inconsiderate. Partly because executives don’t have the chance to read the other party’s body language, inflection, and tone, things can often escalate in ways they don’t need to. That’s why it’s important to clarify as often as possible, and if things still aren’t making sense through text, it’s a better idea to request a call to make things as clear as possible so there’s no damage done.