Master Your Meetings - Five Rules of Business Meeting Etiquette
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Whether
you are looking to come to an important decision or hoping to seal the
deal
with a prospective client, face to face meetings are an opportunity to
well and
truly make the most of.
Time
is
of the essence so it is important not to waste business time with a
plethora of
distractions- focus is key. A meeting is also not time to sit back and
let
others do the talking but a time to shine. A lack of etiquette and poor
planning are two of the main reasons business meetings fail; don’t let
it
happen to you.
Ensuring
that you get it right, here is Easy Office’s advice on how to master a
meeting.
1. Time
Keeping is Key
Like
any
meeting, formal or informal, it is impolite to turn up to a meeting
late and
more importantly extremely unprofessional. Try to be there early so
that you
have time to prepare and get relationships off to a good start by
making
introductions. If for unforeseen circumstances you do end up running
late,
always phone ahead and take your seat with the minimal amount of
disruption and
make your apologies known.
2. Dress
Appropriately
They
say
that first impressions count the most, so dress well and allow your
clothing to
position yourself in the upmost of professional manners. It will also
say
something about your credibility and confidence. Take your appearance
seriously
and find others treating you with the respect you deserve.
3. Be
Prepared
No
matter how good you are at bluffing your way through things, preparing
for a
meeting and arriving with the correct knowledge and materials is an
absolute
must. Be ready to take notes on any of the agreements that are made for
further
reference, so don’t forget a pen and paper or an IPad for the more tech
savvy
amongst us. Speaking of technology, don’t forget to switch off any
device which
could cause a rude distraction.
4. Stay
on
Track
Chances
are your meeting will be one of many things people have to turn their
attention
to on that day. Don’t make a meeting over run by discussing unrelated
issues-
they can be dealt with on a further occasion. For those who often lose
track of
time, make sure an agenda is made available and ensure that it is stuck
to
where possible. Don’t interrupt people when they are speaking, and
allow those
with seniority to speak first- your time will come.
5. Remain
Confidential
What
has
been said in the boardroom should remain confidential until agreed
otherwise.
Doing so could be considered a serious breach of business etiquette
which could
lead to unfavourable relationships. What has been discussed should be
considered and treated with confidentiality.
Follow
these rules and you are bound to go far, making a long
lasting, professional impression amongst colleagues and clients alike;
you can
thank us later.
About the Author
Easy Offices
(UK) was formed in 1999 and since then has grown to become one of the
UK's leading specialist advisers on serviced offices, office space and
virtual offices around the country. We offer
solutions to both businesses and individuals. You
can access our service online, by telephone on 0808 231 8103.
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2013-12-03 09:15:30 in Business Articles
