Soft Skills

Soft Skills for Success

Etiquette: Introduction, Definition, Origin
q Definition of protocol in general and politically. q Definition of etiquette. q Where does etiquette start ? q The origin of the word etiquette.

Soft Skills for Success

Etiquette: Introduction, Definition, Origin
q Four Things Etiquette is Not A set of rigid rules. Something for the wealthy or wellborn. A thing of the past. Snobbishness. q What is Courtesy ?

Soft Skills for Success

Etiquette
q Etiquette is a combination of manners and principles. Principles are the guiding concepts on which all manners are based. Consideration. Respect. Honesty. Manners tell us what to do in all kinds of situations and what to expect from other people.

Soft Skills for Success

Why Does Etiquette Matter in Business?
q Business Etiquette is very important for creating a harmonious work environment and for representing your company in the best possible way. Etiquette positions you to: Project a positive image. Project confidence and authority. Distinguish yourself from the competition. Build relationships. Develop and maintain business.

I will pay more for the ability to get along with people

Soft Skills for Success

I. Impact of your image
Expression Impression Action Reaction

55%

38%

7%

Message Delivery Appearance

Soft Skills for Success

I. Impact of First Impression

You never get a second chance to make agreat first impression.

Soft Skills for Success

I. Impact of the First Impression
q A few things that matter to make a
first positive impression

Deportment. Smile. Eye Contact. Mood. Clothing. Attitude. Attention. Elocution.

Soft Skills for Success

II. The Corporate You
q

Good manners in the workplace. With your staff The best way to earn respect is to treat others with respect. Ask others to do things rather than tell them. Be clear. Be polite. Learn peoples names and use them. Recognize that everyone has a life outside work. Be accommodating.

Soft Skills for Success

II. The Corporate You
Good manners in the workplace.

With your superiors Do your job. Treat your boss with respect and understanding. Call your boss Mr or Mrs Dress in a style which reflects your corporate identity. Dont assume that your boss is your friend. Dont confuse business entertainment with social event.

Soft Skills for Success

II. The Corporate You
Tips for good manners.

With your peers Respect the companys culture. Respect rank and treat it appropriately. Respect others privacy and be courteous to them. Respect others views and handle disagreements gracefully. Handle job stress without imposing yourself on others. Extend courtesies to all members of the company.

Soft Skills for Success

II. The Corporate You
q Good manners in the workplace. With your clients - you are your corporate Ambassador Respect your clients time. Respect your customers. Respect your clients privacy. Handle yourself in a gracious and courteous way during business meetings. Write followup letters and thank you notes to clients. Remember that you represent your company and your peers.

Soft Skills for Success

II. The Corporate You
Good manners in the workplace.
q Offering and receiving compliments Compliments are directed to a persons work and professional conduct, nothing related to a persons personality or physical appearance. Always compliment Politely. Precisely. Promptly. Publicly.

Always say THANK YOU when getting a compliment

Soft Skills for Success

II. The Corporate You
Good manners in the workplace. q Offering and receiving criticism Giving and receiving criticism is difficult. Unfortunately, it is a part of the corporate life. It should be directed to a persons work and professional conduct, nothing related to a persons personality or physical appearance. Always criticize Always take criticism Privately. Professionally. Politely. Politely. Precisely. Positively. Promptly. Appropriately.

Soft Skills for Success

III. The Corporate You
q Handling office visits and hosting visitors When you leave the office to visit colleagues and other associates, your behaviour reflects not only on you but on the people youre visiting. And how you handle visitors in your own office speaks volumes about your social skills.

Soft Skills for Success

III. The Corporate You
Tips for preparing a corporate visit: Make an appointment - be punctual. Look up your destination on a map before departing. Dont bring any food or drinks with you to someone elses office, unless youve been asked to provide food for the meeting. Be polite to everyone at the office. Sit only when invited to do so. Dont touch things in someones office without asking, even if they look like toys. Dont read any document, letter, card etc.. on someone elses desk unless given to you.

Soft Skills for Success

III. The Corporate You
Tips for Hosting Provide clear direction. Be ready on or before time. Make sure your documents are ready. Always stand up to greet and shake hands with visitors entering your office. Move from behind your desk and sit at the same side as your visitor. Clear a comfortable space for your visitors to sit, as well as some writing space on the desk, if needed especially if your office is a pile file.

Soft Skills for Success

III. The Corporate You
Tips for Hosting Offer your visitors something to drink , such as water, coffee etc Make your time limitation clear up front. Escort you visitors out instead of letting them wander, especially if your office layout is confusing. Accept only emergency phone calls and concentrate on your visitor as they shouldnt be made to feel secondary to telephone callers.

Soft Skills for Success

q Importance of Communication Skills
No matter in which business you are, effective communication skills are essential for success.
The purpose of good communication skills is your way to get your message across to others clearly and unambiguously. Via non verbal channels Via spoken communication channels Via written communication channels

Soft Skills for Success

IV. Non Verbal Communication Channels
The distance you stand from others matters.
Westerns are comfortable standing some 2 to 3 feet apart. Arabic and Asian expect more. Latinos expect less.

Soft Skills for Success

IV. Non Verbal Communication Channels
q Impact of personal space

Intimate zone 618 in.

Personal zone 1848 in.

Social zone 412 ft.

Public zone Over 12 ft.

Soft Skills for Success

Impact of Body Language
Our gestures, expressions, body position and movement convey unspoken messages. Sometimes the message expressed by body language contradicts the verbal message.

Soft Skills for Success

IV. Non Verbal Communication Channels
q Impact of personal space

Positive Body Language helps you winning your first impression. Eye contact. Head movement. Posture. Sit straight in your chair, without slouching. Territory . Walk with grace and ease. Smile often.

Soft Skills for Success

IV. Non Verbal Communication Channels
q Body Language Signs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Arms crossed 1. Defensive Brisk erect walk 2. Confidence Foot kicking 3. Boredom Tapping fingers 4. Impatient Hands in pocket 5. Dejection Playing with hair 6. Lack of confidence Biting the nails 7. Nervousness, Insecurity Shuffling feet while 8. Anxious to leave the seated situation 9. Standing with hands on 9. Aggression, Ready to take hips charge 10. Looking down with face10. Disbelief turned away

Soft Skills for Success

V. Body Language in Specific Cultures
In Mediterranean countries. In Arab countries. In China. In India. In Japan.

One finger point: In most middle and far eastern countries, pointing with the index finger is considered impolite. The open hand is used instead, or, in Indonesia the thumb.

Soft Skills for Success

VI. Spoken Communication Channels
Speech Delivery Your voice volume. Your voice tone. Your speech rate. Your elocution. Your accent. Your vocabulary.

Soft Skills for Success

VII. Spoken Communication Channels
q Conversation Manners Stop, look, listen. A few hints to conduct an efficient business conversation. The warmup. The core. The wrapup.

Soft Skills for Success

VII. Spoken Communication Channels
q Good conversationalists all share these abilities
They know how to give and accept compliments gracefully. They can talk about many different subjects and are able to maneuver through conversations about subjects they know little about without difficulty. They can quickly discern potential topics of interest to any given group and steer the conversation in that direction. They know when to discuss business and when not to. They know how to step in to fill in an embarrassing void in conversation.

Soft Skills for Success

VII. Spoken Communication Channels
q Good conversationalists all share these abilities They never correct another persons vocabulary or grammar. They involve everyone in the conversation not just one person. They have a good sense of humour and are able to relate stories well. They can sense when they are boring people. Abstain from giving wrong information, when not sure about a subject better to listen and to get informed. They dont gossip.

Soft Skills for Success

VIII. Spoken Communication Channels .
q Active Listening Skills Three basic requirements Be there. Listen carefully. Hear.

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IX. Spoken Communication Channels
q

Handling Titles and Forms of Address Titles are important in business situations. Shifting from formal address to first name basis.

Follow The Guiding Principle.

Soft Skills for Success

q

Use of Titles in Different Cultures

Western cultures appear to give primary

emphasis to egalitarian communication styles where status differences are minimized.

In contrast, Oriental cultures give primary

emphasis to respect patterns of interpersonal behaviour where differences in status among people are acknowledged.

Soft Skills for Success

X. Spoken Communication Channels
q

Business Cards Protocol How to hand out business cards and to whom? Dos and Donts.

Soft Skills for Success

X. Spoken Communication Channels
q Business cards protocol in different cultures.

Remember! Dont leave home without them

Thank you . . .