Raising the Bar on Business Etiquette

Image a highly visible executive at a large private firm announcing she will stop using irony and parody in her blog posts. Her intention was to use wit to further her point although some readers misunderstood her humor. As a gesture to her readers she writes that going forward she will focus her tone on clarity of message with the goal of forging a stronger connection with her readers.

Her action is commendable—why?—because she chose to pay attention to her readers comments with empathetic understanding. She chose to pay attention to her online readers over indifference. She chose to tell her readers that they are worthy of her attention, and will honor their worth. In essence, she told her readers she will show consideration for them even though she doesn’t personally know them.

Some view etiquette as an arbitrary set of “rules” for being nice in society. Yet when looking closely at etiquette, and the action of our executive, we see that etiquette includes an ethical component, a consideration beyond ourselves. Etiquette at its highest level, goes beyond the “rules” to pay attention to others, to acknowledge their needs, and to meet their needs in a considerate way. These actions demonstrate a transcending of Self by acknowledging the value of others and how your actions impact them. 

Now some will say that what I describe are nice social virtues but the actions require a denial of self-expression. That withholding true thoughts goes against being authentic and transparent. 

I ask you to look at it another way.

Think of paying attention to others, acknowledging their needs, and meeting their needs in a considerate way, as a choice to be sensitive on how your actions affect others. It is a decision of self-control over concealment, of self-restraint over self-indulgence, a choice to express one part of yourself over another.

We have a choice to treat people the best way we know how. What choice are you making?

Photo Credit: John Fletcher / USA Jump Rope

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