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,
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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?