Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM Feb_Mar 2019 | Page 22

BUSINESS ETIQUETTE DOREEN HUGHES John Maxwell Certified Business Coach [email protected] To Speak or Not to Speak! R ecently, I met a business colleague for lunch, this was our very first sit-down meeting. Our food was delicious, our conversation delightful, flowing and comfortable. We talked about the usual suspects; family, children, significant others, jobs and things we enjoy doing. My colleague has an interesting background, she was born outside the good old USA. She is well spoken, beautiful, articulate and internationally educated with a master’s degree. I love listening to her stories as well as her adventures of moving her family to our community, getting settled and our cultural differences. Our conversation turned to our cultural difference in our countries; especially in the business environment and what are the “unwritten rules” of culture. She shared the following story, with me. She recently attended a business luncheon, for the first time. As the presentation progressed the presenter is having some technical difficulty with the software; my colleague having knowledge of said software offered to help, with the best intention of helping the presenter. However, after the luncheon ended, she realized her input may not have been welcome. She wondered whether it would have been best to have waited until after the event was over to explain how to fix the software glitch. This is a dilemma we are often faced with in our business and social settings. When is it appropriate to offer to help or speak up? When does business or social etiquette prevail? Would you have raised your hand during the presentation and tell the presenter you can help her? Or would you have waited after the presentation, 20 MOMENTUM approach the presenter one-on-one and let her know you can help? Or would you let it go and move on? Do you risked being viewed as a smartass? Possible being told to mind your own business or worst because you are new and unknown to the audience you are “talked” about by the other luncheon attendees, then shunned. What would you do?