The term etiquette usually connotes a practice that remains resilient to this modern day. Many approach the concept and practice with a sense of fear and dread as at times they may not be adequately tooled to efficiently operate when faced with the circumstance related to the concept of etiquette, protocol and diplomacy.
Today’s modern business world is becoming increasingly ‘instant’ with the focus on cultivating relationships becoming less formal. However, once we appreciate that success in any industry or business relies on relationships, whether with co-workers, clients, partners, suppliers, or investors, and when you are well mannered, considerate and learned in dealing with others, you create lasting, productive and long term business relationships.
Etiquette represents ‘conventional rules of polite behavior.’ They are guidelines on how to behave befitting good manners whilst in the company of others. The concept covers most aspects of social interactions, including self-presentation, communication, courtesy and hospitality.
Business Etiquette in particular, covers the interactions between the organization and its various publics, and can assist to improve in areas including team synergy, employee engagement, branding and customer care. Sound business etiquette, is driven by a number of factors, one such combined factor includes Business Intelligence which is mastered with the understanding of a mix of intelligences.
Business Intelligence is defined as the ability of an organization to take all its capabilities and convert them into knowledge, ultimately, getting the right information to the right people, at the right time, via the right channel, very much synched with the mastery of effective communication.
The elements of Business Intelligence [BQ] include:
Emotional Intelligence [EQ]; the ability to identify, assess and manage the emotions of oneself, whilst understanding and appreciating the emotions of others;
Social Intelligence [SQ]; the human capacity to effectively navigate and negotiate complex social relationships and environments. This concept is very similar to interpersonal intelligence;
Linguistic-Verbal Intelligence [L-VQ]; the capacity to be strong with speech, language and writing;
Conversational Intelligence [C-IQ]; understanding the use of various types and tones of conversations to influence actions; a very important aspect of modern business etiquette is communicating with tact and diplomacy;
Political Intelligence [PQ]; related to the understanding of foreign and domestic state policies and the impact on both business and national matters;
Cross Cultural Intelligence [CCQ]; the ability of people within business to recognize, interpret and correctly react to people, incidences or situations that are open to misunderstanding due to cultural differences. In the practice of modern business etiquette, cross cultural competence is a highly desired practice that should be encouraged at all levels of the organization, particularly for organizations desirous of penetrating global markets.
Modern Business Etiquette & Business Intelligence [ BQ]
Investment into the human capital of any organization sees the rewards not only in terms of dollars and cents, but more so in the development of a strengthened brand, and stronger team dynamic. The business intelligence of any organization can be quickly evaluated by a simple handshake at a first meeting of clients, or immediately after the first business meeting luncheon, where the organization representative’s business intelligence skills or lack thereof is quickly demonstrated. A simple example related to the understanding of the need for a combined business intelligence framework, can be viewed from the standpoint of a simple business luncheon, from introduction to seating, one must always presume that evaluations are being undertaken.
Many times we oft take for granted that perhaps ‘we operate with different rules’ or codes based on our geography, however, within the business and diplomatic worlds, certain norms and practices are expected and it is optimal to always err on the side doing what is right, simply because it’s the right thing to do.
