Joyce Richman: Mind your manners no matter where your office may be
Joyce Richman: Mind your manners no matter where your office may be
Etiquette is more than just saying “please” and “thank you.” It speaks to your ability to conduct yourself appropriately when in the presence of others. That goes for when your on the job, too, even if you’re working outside the office.
For example, coffee cafes and sandwich shops might encourage you to set up a virtual office comprising of your laptop and work documents at a small, round table across from the big bags of beans and bread. But if you decide to camp out, be sure to pay the rent by buying their products.
This guy comes in five days a week, brings his own bottle of water, buys one cup of coffee that lasts him four hours, plugs in his laptop, turns on his cell phone, makes calls, takes calls and points, clicks and yammers right through morning and lunchtime rush. We’re not going to ask him to leave, but we’re thinking, ‘Hey, dude — buy something! You’re occupying valuable real estate.’ We could be turning over his table five times each day that he’s in here, but he acts like he’s entitled.
We like the fact that folks feel comfortable seeing clients in our shop, and we see places like ours as the virtual offices of the future. What we haven’t figured out is how to balance the benefits we provide (tables and electricity to support people and their laptops, a mellow environment, immediate access to great food and drinks) with the benefits we get in return, which right now are next to nothing. If these folks want us to continue our service-plus models, all we ask is that they return the favor by buying our great food and beverages. If they choose not to, let someone else use the table.
Cell-phone calls might ring your chimes, but taking and placing calls in public places while broadcasting the intimate details of relationships and business deals sends a message to everyone both in earshot and at the other end of the line that you neither understand confidentiality nor practice discretion. And that’s a deal breaker in most anyone’s book.
I had just hired a well-groomed, affable, high-energy sales associate. He was about 10 days on the job when I ran into him at a local restaurant, one frequented as a quiet place to conduct business. He was on his cell but gave me a big smile and enthusiastic thumbs up. My client and I had ordered lunch and were huddling over a deal we were there to close when our concentration was broken by someone talking so loudly and incessantly that we literally couldn’t hear each other without having to yell. My client was obviously unnerved, requested the check and suggested we postpone our conversation to a later date.
The outburst was coming from my sales associate, blasting away on his cell phone, churning the air with his arms, oblivious to his surroundings. I let him go that afternoon. If times were different I’d have been more likely to turn the experience into a training opportunity, but not now. There are too many self-aware, experienced, competent people looking for work to put up with this level of insensitivity.
Joyce Richman is a speaker and career coach conducting seminars and workshops throughout the United States, and the author of “Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success.” You can reach her at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com. Watch Richman’s latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. during “The Good Morning Show” on WFMY News 2.
