Myka Meier - Business etiquette made easy: the essential guide to professional success

Copyright 2020 by Myka Meier

Photographs copyright 2020 by You Look Lovely Photography unless otherwise noted

, Myka Meier

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Daniel Brount

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-5193-4

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-5196-5

Printed in China

To my entrepreneur father Adrian, who encouraged me as a young girl to start my first business, always telling me be your own boss. To my mother Bonnie, a female CEO for over twenty-five years, who is my constant sounding board and loving guide, and to my amazing, supportive husband Marco, who first encouraged me to open Beaumont Etiquette and to never, ever, ever give upthank you!

To my business partner Anne Chertoff, who contributed to this book with her great wit and wisdom. Thank you for always being by my side, making every day fun, and being brave enough to always say yes to seemingly impossible feats.

Contents

Introduction

What if I told you I knew some of the most successful businesspeople in the world and they all shared one major secret to success, no matter their industrywould you want to know what it was? Now, imagine that you too could learn this secret, and some of the same techniques that these successful businesspeople practice from day to day. I bet youd really be interested in that, right? It differentiates them from everyone else, and has given these people the upper hand in both their professional and personal lives. Anyone can learn it, and once you have this knowledge, you can use it every single day to get ahead.

The big secret? Believe it or not, these people understand, value, and practice good etiquette. You see, etiquette is not commonly taught in most schools anymore. Not even in many of the Ivy League institutions. So, in addition to your textbook education, those who have an education in etiquette stand out in major ways because they have gone above and beyond traditional schooling to achieve a higher level of skill and learning. I like to call it the next level of education, especially in business. These people are therefore the best in exercising it because they sought after this skill set in addition to the traditional means of learning. They took it upon themselves to absorb and practice it, and because they choose to do so, they can recognize and appreciate others in business who have done the same. Sometimes you may be forced to go to school, but nobody is forced to practice good etiquette. Its a choice.

So, how do I know this secret is the common denominator for so many successful professionals? Its because Ive had the great privilege to work with and advise human resources team members, training and development offices, recruiting departments, and internal leadership teams of some of the largest and most profitable companies in the world. My team and I have gotten an inside look at what sets a candidate apart, what makes a company invest in a person, and what makes an employee excel. We have sat with leading CEOs and heard what is important to them and their companies, and have traveled the country training and consulting businesses in all industries and levels, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. All would likely agree that while there are some major recurring themes to a successful professional, one umbrella theme that spans across almost all of them is that of business etiquette.

Now, it could be that you are just starting your career, are currently interviewing for your dream job, transitioning to another industry, already on your way up the ladder, or just want to revamp your professional image. Regardless of what level you are at, the good news is that youre already one step ahead of everyone else, because you recognize the importance of including etiquette in your everyday professional life. The even better news is that youre in the right place! Throughout this book, youll learn techniques and tips that will catapult you to the next level of your career time and time again. Through easy-to-follow chapters, Ill teach you tried-and-tested methods that you can start using today to instantly set you apart. Ready to get started?

Did You Know?

Where does the word etiquette come from anyway? According to Merriam-Webster, one definition of the French word tiquette is ticket or label attached to something for identification. In sixteenth-century Spain, the French word was borrowed (and altered to etiqueta) to refer to the written protocols describing orders of precedence and behavior demanded of those who appeared in court. Eventually, etiqueta came to be applied to the court ceremonies themselves as well as the documents that outlined the requirements for them. Interestingly, this then led to French speakers of the time attributing the second sense of proper behavior to their tiquette, and, in the middle of the eighteenth century, English speakers finally adopted both the word and the second meaning from the French.

Chapter 1

Polished Professional

Etiquette and Why It Matters

Whether youre convinced or not yet that an education in etiquette is one of the skills that sets successful professionals apart from all the rest, this next bit may put you over the edge of being a believer. This statistic is so powerful that I even keep it on both my general website (beaumontetiquette.com) and my corporate training website (beaumonttraininggroup.com).

A Harvard-Stanford study concluded that ones success, particularly in the workplace, is based 85 percent on social skills, and less than 15 percent on technical skill set.

Now, lets think about that. This essentially means you could be the smartest person in the room, with the highest IQ on the team, but if your emotional intelligence or EQ (emotional quotient) is not high, then you still have a lot of area for improvement. In fact, I would rather have a higher EQ than IQ any day. Emotional intelligence is crucial in connecting with people, responding to people, and generally being likable. Your emotional intelligence determines your understanding and awareness of and compassion toward others when communicating both verbally and nonverbally. From the moment people with high emotional intelligence walk into a room, they know how to act, carry themselves, and respond in order to make others feel comfortable. Ultimately, everyone wants to work with these people. They are social chameleons in the way that they can adjust and readjust as needed.