What's Your Business Etiquette IQ?

Review the questions below and make note of your thoughts. Keep reading for some generally accepted guidelines for each circumstance.

1. Should a man wait for a woman to initiate a handshake?

2. When a woman who is seated is greeting someone, is she required to stand?

3. When you want to introduce a junior level executive and a senior level executive, which is the proper form?

A. Introduce the junior person to the senior
B. Introduce the senior person to the junior

4. At a business reception, you've been given a stick-on name tag. You place it:

A. On the breast pocket of your jacket
B. On your left shoulder area above your heart
C. On your right shoulder area
D. On the lower edge of your jacket

5. In the realm of dining etiquette, which one of the following is not proper?

A. Salting your food before tasting it
B. Cutting your salad with your knife
C. Removing an olive pit from your mouth with your fingers

6. When in doubt about the proper way to behave in a business or social situation, the best rule of thumb is to:

A. Make others around you feel comfortable
B. Just be as witty as possible
C. Watch how others are behaving

Answers

1. No.

In the not too distant past, etiquette dictated that a gentleman did not shake a woman's hand unless she extended hers first. In today's business world, men and women are viewed as equals. As such, they should not hesitate to extend their hands in greeting to their business associates, regardless of gender.

2. Yes.

To show proper courtesy when greeting a newcomer, a guest, a visitor, or anyone senior to you, you should rise from a seated position. This is true regardless of the gender of either party.

3. A. Introduce the junior person to the senior.

While this may seem simple enough, many people are confused about how to actually do this. The thing to remember is say the name of the senior person first and last. "Mr. Smith, I'd like to introduce Jack Jones, a new employee in our department. Jack, this is Bob Smith, the president of our company." Mr. Smith was the senior person, and his name was mention first and last in the introduction.

4. C. On your right shoulder area.

The reasoning for placing name tags here is very practical. When you extend your right hand in a handshake, notice how easily the eye follows the line of the arm to fall naturally on the right shoulder area of the person you're greeting. This placement is simply a technique to make it easier for you to identify and learn people's names.

5. A. Salting your food before tasting it.

This sends a message that you make decisions before checking the facts. Both Henry Ford and J.C. Penney were known to make hiring decisions on this basis. This action is also rude to the cook or hostess, because it implies that you didn't trust them to season the food properly.

6. A. Make others around you feel comfortable is the best guidance you can following any business or social setting.

People appreciate others who treat them with consideration and kindness. Even if you don't all the P's and Q's of proper decorum, it's a cinch that people will think you have a high business etiquette IQ if you have managed to make them feel comfortable and at ease.