Top 10 Modern Workplace Etiquette Rules For an Open Office

Top 10 Modern Workplace Etiquette Rules

Office layouts have shifted dramatically over the years, and so have the expectations around behaviour in these shared environments. Today, workplace etiquette rules are more important than ever as open office plans become the norm. Employees are expected to balance productivity, professionalism, and respect in spaces that have fewer walls and more shared responsibilities. These etiquette practices not only preserve harmony but help reinforce a culture of collaboration and respect.

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Gone are the private cubicles and corner offices. Today’s modern workplace features treadmill desks, shared lounges, and even nap pods. And while these perks may boost morale, they also bring new challenges in navigating day-to-day interactions. Without the right etiquette, even a simple conversation can disrupt the flow of an entire team.

Key Takeaways

  • Clear communication and spatial awareness are critical in shared workspaces
  • Etiquette rules in the workplace help prevent disruptions and maintain professionalism
  • Adapting to open offices means being mindful of noise, scent, privacy, and shared areas

In this post, we’ve compiled ten workplace etiquette rules tailored for open-plan offices. These simple habits help everyone feel respected and stay focused.

1. Keep short visits, well, short

It might feel convenient to shout a question across the room, but it’s rarely respectful. Loud interruptions not only distract the person you’re speaking to but everyone else around. If you need to talk to someone, walk over and keep your visit concise.

Short interruptions can break concentration, especially in environments that rely on deep focus. Even a friendly chat can delay someone’s momentum. By keeping your visits brief and intentional, you’re respecting both your colleague’s time and the collective workflow of the room.

2. No egg salad for lunch, please

Shared spaces come with shared air. Strong-smelling food can linger long after lunch is over. While eating at your desk is often necessary, consider how your meal might affect those around you. Stick to food that’s quick, tidy, and low on odour.

Open offices often lack ventilation that clears strong odours quickly. The lingering scent of reheated leftovers or pungent ingredients can affect nearby coworkers for hours. Respecting the communal airspace contributes to a more pleasant and inclusive environment.

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3. It may be your desk, but it’s not your desk

Personal touches are fine, but in an open office, your workspace is visible to everyone. What used to be private is now public, and clutter can distract or even signal disorganization. Keep things neat, professional, and minimal.

In an open environment, visual distractions impact collective productivity. Excessive decorations, noisy gadgets, or unkempt paperwork can clutter not just your space, but also others’ sightlines. Think of your desk as part of the shared visual landscape, it should communicate clarity and competence.

4. What if you need some privacy?

Open offices don’t eliminate the need for focus or discretion. If you need to work without interruption, try placing a polite sign at your desk. A clear message like “Time to Focus” can help others respect your workflow without creating awkwardness.

Many offices now offer “focus zones” or allow portable desk dividers. Even noise-cancelling headphones signal that you’re not available for casual chat. Communicating your need for quiet doesn’t make you antisocial, it shows that you value deep work.

5. A phone call with the president

Confidential conversations deserve confidentiality. Avoid discussing sensitive topics near others or in open areas. Use a meeting room or quiet corner for important calls, and never leave confidential documents lying around.

Discretion is part of professionalism. Open office workers must treat every document or conversation as potentially visible or overheard. Simple actions like locking screens, facing monitors away from walkways, and securing papers reinforce workplace trust.

6. Is your ringtone Lady Gaga’s newest release?

Noise distractions can ripple across an entire office. Keep devices on silent or vibrate and use headphones for music or video calls. Not everyone works well with background noise, so your silence is a courtesy to others.

Even small digital interruptions, a ping, a buzz, a calendar alert, can derail someone’s concentration. Consider switching to silent alerts, disabling push notifications, or setting do-not-disturb modes during peak work hours.

7. Avoid the urge to gossip

The openness of the office doesn’t invite open sharing of everything. Gossip travels fast and reflects poorly on you. Keep things professional, and if you need to discuss someone, make sure it’s respectful and necessary.

Gossip undermines trust and morale. It creates unnecessary tension and damages reputations. If you have concerns, escalate them appropriately rather than speculating at the water cooler. Respect breeds integrity.

Gossip hurts culture. Respect builds it.

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8. Clean up after yourself, Gordon Ramsey!

Shared kitchens and lounges should feel neutral and usable by everyone. A dirty coffee mug or snack wrapper might not seem like much, but it adds up quickly. Always leave the space as if you were never there.

Office etiquette means treating shared areas as community property. Refill the coffee pot if you take the last cup. Wipe the microwave after spills. These habits reflect care for your environment and your colleagues.

For etiquette around food and social functions, read Dining Etiquette Matters.

9. I love Chanel No. 5 too, but…

Personal scents can be a big issue in enclosed environments. Some colleagues have allergies or sensitivities. A subtle application is fine, but anything more can distract or discomfort others. Keep it light and non-invasive.

Even products like scented lotions, deodorants, or cleaning sprays can trigger reactions in sensitive coworkers. Choose unscented or hypoallergenic alternatives when possible, and check your office’s scent policy.

10. If you’re sick, take a sick day

Coming to work when you’re unwell may seem like dedication, but it puts others at risk. In close quarters, germs spread fast. Staying home is a sign of responsibility and respect for the entire team.

With hybrid work policies now common, many companies support remote attendance when you’re mildly ill. Use those tools. Protecting team health is part of strong professional etiquette.

open office etiquette

DOs and DON’Ts of Open Office Conduct

stressful for everyone. These practical habits can make or break the shared experience for your team. When adopted consistently, they support mutual respect, limit distractions, and keep productivity on track. More importantly, they reinforce foundational workplace etiquette rules that help your environment run smoothly.

DOs

  • Use headphones when listening to music: Open spaces amplify sound. Headphones let you enjoy your favourite work playlist without impacting others’ ability to concentrate.
  • Keep your voice low during calls or conversations: Even casual work discussions can travel. Try to speak in a soft tone, especially when the room is quiet.
  • Respect shared space by cleaning up after yourself: Treat kitchens, lounges, and meeting rooms like public property. A quick wipe or returning supplies to their place shows care for your colleagues.
  • Take confidential conversations to private rooms: Always look for enclosed areas when discussing sensitive topics. This safeguards both company information and personal boundaries.
  • Acknowledge quiet signals like “do not disturb” signs: If a coworker signals that they’re focusing, respect it. Don’t assume it’s personal, just give them the time they need.

DON’Ts

  • Use speakerphone for calls: This is one of the most disruptive behaviours in any open space. Use headsets or move to a meeting room.
  • Bring loud or smelly lunches to your desk: Foods that crunch, crackle, or carry strong smells linger long after lunch. Use the break room instead.
  • Interrupt colleagues without checking first: Even in open spaces, people may be deep in work. Ask if it’s a good time before jumping in.
  • Decorate your desk excessively in a shared area: Bold decorations can be visually overwhelming. Keep it minimal, especially when desks are visible from multiple angles.
  • Leave confidential documents in the open: Always store private documents in drawers or folders when not in use. Visibility matters in a shared environment.

By following these workplace etiquette rules consistently, you’ll not only support a professional atmosphere, but also make open office life more manageable for everyone.

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Adaptation Tips for Hybrid or Remote Workers

Workplace etiquette rules apply even when you’re working remotely. While home offices feel more casual, maintaining a standard of professionalism is still critical. These behaviours reflect your reliability, communication style, and respect for team dynamics, even when you’re not in the same room.

Hybrid and virtual settings bring their own challenges. It’s easier to unintentionally break etiquette norms when face-to-face feedback isn’t immediate. That’s why reinforcing digital versions of workplace etiquette rules, like punctuality, clarity, and presence, matters just as much as it does in physical offices.

Be camera-ready

Appearances count, even through a screen. Dress appropriately for virtual meetings and ensure your background is tidy. A polished look conveys attention to detail and signals that you’re present and prepared.

Mute yourself

In virtual calls, noise etiquette is critical. Always keep yourself muted unless speaking. Background noise is distracting and signals a lack of courtesy for others’ listening experience. If you’re joining from a busy environment, inform the group at the start.

Be punctual

Remote work requires more self-management than in-person environments. Log in a few minutes early, check your tech setup, and avoid joining late. When you respect others’ time, you reinforce trust and keep things moving.

Communicate proactively

Visibility drops in remote environments, so it’s your job to make your status clear. Use away messages, Slack updates, or calendar sharing to show availability. Prompt replies and scheduled check-ins reduce confusion and foster connection across locations.

These simple adjustments help hybrid and remote professionals align with core workplace etiquette rules, no matter where they’re working from.

Wrapping Up Workplace Etiquette Rules for Open Offices

Adapting to shared workspaces isn’t about sacrificing individuality; it’s about showing awareness. These workplace etiquette rules are simple in theory, but their real power lies in consistent practice. When everyone follows the same respectful standards, collaboration becomes easier, productivity rises, and office life improves.

Start applying these etiquette rules in the workplace, whether you’re in-person or remote, and you’ll build trust, comfort, and credibility every day.

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Five Business Networking Faux-Pas To Avoid For Young Professionals

business-networking-young-professionalsStarting your career in your chosen field is certainly an exciting time in your life. As your career begins to take off and flourish, there are certain activities and behaviours you can engage in to make the transition into work like more successful and fulfilling. One of these activities is often dreaded and feared by most, let alone young professionals who have little to no practice engaging in it: networking.

Despite this inherent fear, many people choose to overcome it and engage in as many networking opportunities as possible. They do so because they’ve realized one simple truth: your network is your net-worth. The more people you know, the more relationships you form, the more you will succeed in your field, whatever field that may be and regardless of the position you hold.

Now that we’ve established the importance of networking, there are some behaviours to stay away from when at a networking event. These behaviours will serve to not only undermine your executive presence, but will also result in a less-than-stellar networking “performance.” Here are four faux-pas to avoid while networking:

  1. Smelling like smoke
    It is understandable that many people smoke these days. However, if you are a smoker, it is really important that you do not go into a networking event right after smoking a cigarette. Non-smokers (and even many smokers) can’t handle the smell of second hand smoke on someone else. Remember, you are going to this event to meet people and engage them, and turning them off with cigarette smoke is not a great way to start.
  2. Trying to talk to everyoneIt is true that in networking and in business networking, the idea is to touch as many people as possible. You definitely do not want to be talking to the same person the whole night, as that defeats the purpose! However, you don’t want to be simply introducing yourself to someone, handing them your card and then moving on. It is important to establish a rapport with someone before you exit the conversation, to ensure they remember you. Handing them your card is simply not enough to do that.
  1. Have professional-looking business cards, no matter what stage you’re at
    Even if you are still a student, it is important to have professional-looking business cards (and enough of them!). Heavy card stock is always good, and a simple, clean look can go a long way. Make sure your information is easy to read and straightforward. If you are a student, your school likely has a business card format that you could use.
  2. Don’t bring a friend
    The idea at networking events is to meet new people, not to catch up with a friend. Often, when friends go to networking events together, they spend most of their time talking to each other. Going alone will force you to engage with and talk to others.
  3. Don’t drink too much
    This may seem like an obvious one, but often in stressful situations where we don’t feel the most comfortable, another glass of wine usually seems like a great idea. Having a few drinks over the course of the evening is acceptable; overdoing it to the point of inebriation will seriously damper your chances of a successful evening of networking. Pace yourself to one drink an hour, alternate with a glass of water or soft drink, with an absolute limit or three.

Networking can sometimes be scary and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. If you are equipped with the right tools and know what behaviours to avoid, chances are you will have a fun and successful networking experience! Networking doesn’t always have be done at organized networking events, either. Check out our post on unique places you can network!

Double Standards: Why Women Often Struggle with Their Executive Presence

women-executive-presenceWe hope you enjoyed our blog series on The Secret Handshake: Mastering the Politics of the Business Inner Circle. There was certainly a lot to cover from the book, and in reality, each section covered could have been expanded upon much more. However, there was one section in particular, on power, that is arguably one of the most important sections from the book. Power can either make or break you; power comes first, and everything falls into place afterwards. It is for that reason that this week we will delve further into notions of power and powerlessness, what it means, and how it affects things like your physiology and emotional and mental states.

Dr. Amy Cuddy, a global leader on research around presence and body language, has recently published a book called Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. Chapter five in this book is entitled “How Powerlessness Shackles the Self (and How Power Sets It Free), and it examines the differences between personal and social power (which was covered in the Secret Handshake blog series), and the difference between having power and being powerless. Dr. Cuddy begins by explaining that powerlessness can often come about when were are faced with a big change in our lives, and is followed by a self-perceived loss of power, accompanied by feelings of insecurity and anxiety. This depleted state that we experience makes us feel that we cannot cope with the situation at hand. When this happens, opportunities become threats, and therefore we actively avoid them. This is arguably the most important aspect of power versus powerlessness: when you feel powerless, you avoid opportunities, and vice versa. Power activates the behavioural approach system, and powerlessness, the behavioural inhibition system.

Another important aspect of power that is essential to understand is that personal power is uniquely essential (as opposed to social power). As Cuddy states: “Unless we feel personally powerful, we cannot achieve presence, and all the social power in the world won’t compensate for its absence” (114).

Feeling Powerless

  • Feeling powerless impairs thought: powerlessness and the anxiety that results from it undermine what psychologists call executive functions. These executive functions include high-order cognitive tools like reasoning and attention control. It also induces goal neglect, which is the phenomenon of failing to remain focused on a goal
  • Powerlessness makes us feel self-absorbed: the link between anxiety and self-absorption is bidirectional – the more self-focused we are, the more anxious we become
  • Powerlessness prevents presence

Feeling Powerful

  • Power can protect us: power acts as a buffer against negative emotions
  • Power can connect us: feeling powerful can often improve our ability to read and relate to other people. In addition, when we feel powerful we allow ourselves to be more open to others
  • Power can liberate our thinking: power seems to improve our ability to make good decisions under complex conditions
  • Power can synchronize us: feeling powerful can synchronize our thoughts, feelings and behaviours
  • Power can incite action: simply put, feeling powerful makes people proactive
  • Power can make our actions more effective: remember how when we feel powerful, we approach opportunities instead of running away from them?

Clearly, there are so many incredible side-effects of feeling personally powerful. Not only does power positively affect our lives in these ways, but it also affects our physiology. For instance, studies have shown that high-status individuals (i.e. those who possess social power) tend to have high levels of basal testosterone, which is the dominance and assertiveness hormone. Secondly, those who lack feelings of power often exhibit higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. It therefore makes sense that people who have a high sense of personal power cope better in crises. Evidently, the power of power cannot, and should not, go unnoticed.

Ways to increase your personal power can be so simple as to adopt a better body posture. Other ways include adjusting how you speak with and engage with others, as well as actively trying to deter negative thoughts that make you feel powerless. When you do so, you will notice feelings of power slowly encroaching in your day-to-day interactions. Others will notice too!

Works Cited

Cuddy, Amy. Presence: Bringing your Boldest Self to your Biggest Challenges. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2015. Print.

Self-Knowing and Authenticity

Alas! We have finally reached the last blog post on Leadership Presence – self-knowing and authenticity. Over the past few weeks, we’ve discovered what leadership presence means, what it can do for you, and how to attain it. Last week we began to dissect the final piece of the puzzle in the quest to obtaining leadership presence: self-knowing. This week, we continue with this theme but discuss it in terms of authenticity.

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What is authenticity? Well, at its most basic level, it means to be genuine. To be genuine is to be oneself. The ability to connect with others in the business world is of the utmost importance, however the connecting must be done genuinely, or authentically, for it to have any meaning or impact.

According to Belle Linda Halpern and Kathy Lubar, authors of “Leadership Presence: Dramatic Techniques to Reach Out, Motivate and Inspire”, there are three rules for authenticity. We shall discuss each in detail below.

Rule #1: Accept yourself and be open to growth (Halpern and Lubar 230)

Many of the greatest leaders feel comfortable and happy with themselves, despite their shortcomings. They know of their weaknesses and work to improve them, however they also accept them. When you’re aware of, and accepting of, your limitations it will allow you to develop the skills you need to overcome them. In addition, a good leader will know if their limitations cannot be overcome, at least in a timely manner, and in that case will delegate the task to someone more appropriately equipped to handle the situation. One of the best ways to accept yourself is to be open to hearing commentary about yourself and your performance, including criticism.

Rule #2: Live your values (Halpern and Lubar 235)

 In the last blog, we discussed values and how important they are to a leader. Well, it’s one thing to have values, however it’s another to put them into practice, especially in a workplace setting. Halpern and Lubar suggest leaders take two related steps in order to make sure their actions are congruent with their values:

  1. Ask others straight up if they believe you are someone who lives your values.
  2. Every time you speak of your values, ask others to tell you when your actions don’t align with your values.

It’s one thing to realize or discover that your actions don’t align with your values. If and when you do realize this, it is imperative you do some soul searching in order to figure out why this discrepancy exists, and then come up with a plan to correct the discrepancy. Remember, when your actions and values don’t align, you risk being perceived as inauthentic.

Rule #3: Create an authentic connection to work (Halpern and Lubar 240)

In order for a leader to be their most inspiring, authentic self, they must connect their values and interior life to the work that they do, similarly to how actors need to create a true connection to the characters they are portraying. At the end of the day, it is simply about creating meaning; if you truly believe in what you do and say, others will recognize that and will want to follow you. Connecting authentically with others allows the leader, as well as the led, to connect with something “bigger than themselves and their own self-interest” (Halpern and Lubar 247).

Being a leader is not about being “the boss”; it is about much more than that. It’s about inspiring, connecting, and motivating others to succeed and reach their highest potential. It is about communication, values, and the ability to make decisions. The steps we’ve outlined over the past few weeks are not necessarily the easiest things to do (opening up to others and becoming vulnerable is typically an anxiety-causing activity for most), however, if put into practice, they will help you achieve the leadership presence you deserve and need to reach the next level.

Works Cited

Halpern, Belle Linda and Kathy Lubar. Leadership Presence: Dramatic Techniques to Reach Out, Motivate and Inspire. New York: Gotham Books, 2003. Print.

 

Leadership Presence: Reaching Out and the Importance of Empathy in Leadership

This week we continue our series on leadership presence – focusing on reaching out with empathy in leadership. Last week we looked at the first aspect of leadership presence and arguably its foundation, being present.

For this next installment, we will discuss the next step on the path to attaining leadership presence: reaching out with empathy. According to Belle Linda Halpern and Kathy Lubar, authors of “Leadership Presence: Dramatic Techniques to Reach Out, Motivate and Inspire”, reaching out means “the ability to build relationships with others through empathy, listening, and authentic connection” (77).

This may sound easy or obvious, but in fact, it is not. A true leader is someone who reaches out first, and does not wait for opportunities to cross them by. In addition, it is one thing to reach out to others, to seek out opportunities, but if one does so without empathy and compassion, the effect will be lacklustre. Both of these characteristics complement each other and work together to foster leadership.

The Importance of Empathy in Leadership

Empathy lies at the heart of effective leadership, setting it apart from mere authority. In opposition to sympathy, which involves feeling for someone, empathy demands a deeper connection — feeling with someone. It necessitates an internal journey, one that requires leaders to delve into their own emotions and inner selves. Empathetic leadership means understanding and sharing the feelings of others, creating a compassionate and supportive environment and building stronger, more genuine relationships with team members.

Regrettably, many leaders adopt the habit of compartmentalizing their emotions, leaving them at home when they step into the organizational realm. However, this approach severely hampers their ability to demonstrate empathy toward their team members. An important leadership skill, empathy enables leaders to connect authentically with their teams, fostering trust and creating a supportive work environment where employees feel valued and understood.

Through our observations in client interactions, we’ve noticed a striking divergence in perceptions across different respondent categories. While friends and family often rate their leaders highly in terms of empathy, colleagues, direct reports and superiors frequently provide lower ratings. This variance underscores the role empathy plays in leadership effectiveness and highlights the importance of empathy as a leadership skill.

Leaders who lead with empathy create an inclusive work environment that fosters emotional intelligence and compassion. They cultivate a culture where team members feel valued and understood, leading to improved productivity and organizational success. Conversely, less empathetic leaders often struggle to build trust and rapport, resulting in lower employee satisfaction, higher turnover rates and diminished overall performance.

Learning to Reach Out and Be an Empathetic Leader

There is a saying: “People want to be loved, heard, and made to feel important.” This statement is true in every aspect of life, and especially in business. A true leader will make their colleagues feel heard, and their actions and ideas are integral to any business situation. This includes, for example, active listening, as opposed to passive listening, and sensitivity in dealing with potentially awkward situations (such as someone’s terrible idea for a proposal to a potential client). Halpern and Lubar state: “When you know and acknowledge your people and their feelings, they feel more motivated, work more productively, and they’re more likely to stay, even if the going gets tough” (89). If you can learn to reach out and be empathetic with your employees, they will be loyal to you and will work harder for you.

If empathy and the ability to reach out don’t exactly come naturally to you, there are certain actions you can take to encourage this behavior in yourself.

Figure Out What Makes People Tick

Being empathetic does not mean having warm and fuzzy feelings of happiness for the entire population; it simply means understanding someone’s thoughts and feelings. To do this adequately, it is important to get to know the person and find out what makes them tick, so that you may better understand them in any situation.

Empathy is at the heart of building genuine connections with others. It allows you to truly understand their perspectives and emotions. As a leader, developing empathy is essential; it forms the basis of effective leadership. By embracing empathy, you can build trust and create strong relationships with your team. It also improves decision-making and conflict resolution by encouraging leaders to recognize and address the feelings and concerns of their team members. Therefore, fostering empathy in your leadership style is key to achieving success and becoming a more influential leader.

Creating the Link to Your Own Feelings when Showing Empathy

In opposition to sympathy, empathy involves feeling with someone, as opposed to for someone. Therefore, empathy requires you to connect with your own feelings and inner self. Many leaders have the “bad habit” of leaving all their feelings at home before coming to the office. If you do this, your ability to empathize will be gravely affected. We often see this be the case for some in our 360 with clients. Categories of respondents differ in their opinions of the subject. Friends and family will rate their empathy high while colleagues, direct reports and bosses rate it low.

You Possess the Capacity to Empathize with Anyone

Naturally, it is easier to empathize with people we like. Empathizing and connecting with others that you may not like or respect can be a challenge, but it is certainly not impossible. Halpern and Lubar suggest thinking about the person with whom you cannot connect and trying to find at least one thing (however, the more, the better) that you admire about that person and connecting with them surrounding that. The authors state: “In the end, though, empathy doesn’t involve finding what you like in someone else. It involves finding the humanity in someone else, even in their weakness, and connecting that humanity to your own” (98).

A study of over 38,000 leaders and their organizations (conducted by Hay/McBer), found that “leadership styles that rely heavily on empathy tended to create a more positive company climate {…}” (99), and as we can imagine, a more positive company climate will lead to positive company results. Empathetic leadership leads to fostering trust and stronger relationships within teams. Leaders who prioritize empathy leadership traits can effectively navigate decision-making and conflict resolution by considering the feelings and needs of others. Therefore, cultivating empathy within leadership practices is paramount for nurturing a positive organizational climate and achieving favorable outcomes.

Lead with Empathy and Compassion

This week, challenge yourself to connect with others, especially those whom you may know you’ll have trouble connecting with. See what a difference empathy can make on your path to developing your leadership presence.

Organizations can encourage empathetic leadership by recognizing the importance of empathy in leadership development. Empathy in the workplace fosters empathy and compassion among team members, leading to increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover. Empathetic leaders understand the diverse perspectives of their team members and guide them through transitions, creating a positive work environment where everyone feels heard and valued. By enhancing their empathy skills, leaders can effectively communicate with their teams and make business decisions that benefit both employees and the organization as a whole. Developing empathy in leadership is crucial for fostering these positive outcomes.

In conclusion, empathetic leadership is a critical skill that fosters a positive workplace culture and improves business outcomes. Leaders must recognize empathy as an essential leadership trait, creating a safe space where team members feel heard and valued without fear of judgment. Effective communication and strong listening skills are key for empathetic leaders to connect deeply with their teams and understand their personal lives.

Enrol in our leadership presence online training workshop to develop empathy in leadership today.

Works Cited

Halpern, Belle Linda and Kathy Lubar. Leadership Presence: Dramatic Techniques to Reach Out, Motivate and Inspire. New York: Gotham Books, 2003. Print.

Before Your Next Trip Overseas…

Travelling abroad for work can often be an exciting and rewarding perk of your career. It is an opportunity to visit a new place, meet new people and see new sights. Often, traveling abroad for work isn’t always just about work, and usually involves some leisure time as well.

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You will be conducting business with those you are traveling to meet, and perhaps even travelling around the city or country with them as well during some leisure time.

As much as your mind is (and should be) focused on the important meetings to come, it is imperative that you take the time to do some research on the culture you will be visiting before you leave the comfort of your home. Ed Fuller from Marriott International, details the importance of knowing about others’ culture while traveling, in his article for Forbes Magazine.

Before you leave on your trip, consider completing some of the following exercises so that you can get the most out of your business trip, which will benefit both you personally, as well as the company you represent.

Watch YouTube videos

YouTube videos are a great way to see and hear about a foreign culture. Videos might be the most effective research tool, as you get both sound and movement, and can really start to appreciate the culture of a certain country.

There are also endless videos out there, and so finding appropriate ones should be fairly simple. For instance, you can search “traditional Peruvian meal” and watch how a meal might be cooked as well as consumed. You may also search things such as “traditional Indian dance” or “Moroccan cultural ceremonies.”

Learn your “hello’s” and “goodbye’s”

It is always a good idea to learn a few basic words or phrases in the language of the country you are visiting. Not only will it show that you did your research (this will likely be viewed as a sign of respect), but it is a great way to connect with others on a deeper level, which may help to foster and grow professional relationships.

If you don’t have a great memory, or if you don’t have time to sit and memorize how to say “thank you” in Swahili, create a cheat sheet before you leave that you can study on your 24 flight to Kenya. 

Pick up a small travel guide of your destination 

Many bookstores sell small travel guides to the majority of popular destinations. In them, you’ll find a plethora of information on the country in question in a(n often) very small package, one that you can likely take with you in your carry-on. It will outline many common phrases, places to eat, and sights to see.

The fact that this is a business trip, as opposed to a leisure vacation, indicates that it is important to learn as much about the new culture as possible. This will reflect extremely well on you as a business professional, which will also translate back to your company. Present your best and most informed self, especially when traveling for business.

 

Setting Goals to Develop Executive Presence

Executive-PresenceSetting goals to develop Executive Presence is a solid starting point for enhancing your leadership abilities and demonstrating you have the ability to be a great leader. At Corporate Class Inc., Executive Presence is neither exclusive nor elusive – it can be learned. Still, a powerful presence is not something that you can acquire instantly without guidance, training, mentoring, and practice. You must take time to understand and incorporate Executive Presence into your life while building your reputation to go with it.

However, do not let this discourage you from trying to improve Executive Presence as part of your leadership growth goals.. Instead, set achievable goals and identify stages on the path to developing a strong, credible presence – and suddenly it will seem easier than you think!

The Impact Leaders with Executive Presence Can Make

Developing Executive Presence is crucial for leaders aiming to inspire confidence and command attention. It involves exuding self-assuredness, demonstrating strong leadership qualities, and showcasing well-defined personality traits. While some may view Executive Presence as an innate trait, it’s a skill that can be honed through various means. Participating in Executive Presence training, coaching or mentoring, focusing on speaking skills and mastering effective communication techniques are all ways to build and strengthen your Executive Presence. Leaders with Executive Presence inspire trust and respect among their team members, paving the way for effective leadership and organizational success. By understanding what’s required and actively working on the elements of Executive Presence, you’ll be able to improve your leadership style and become a more successful leader.

Some Easy Tips for Developing Your Executive Presence:

Attend an Executive Presence Training Program or Seminar

Whether you are attending a half-day, one-day, or two-day intensive Executive Presence training program, you will gain a solid foundation on which to build your Executive Presence skills. We provide you with knowledge of all the components of Executive Presence as well as opportunities to practice them in a small-group setting.

With our training on all aspects of Executive Presence, including interpersonal and digital communication, non-verbal cues, executive dining, workplace best practices, professional image, and more, we set you well on your way to reaching your goal of developing Executive Presence.

Improve and Update Your Wardrobe

Once you understand how to achieve your look of success, act upon it by updating your wardrobe, accessories, and makeup tools accordingly. For example, does your wardrobe match the workplace culture and dress code of your current position? Do your garments appropriately fit your body type and your personal style? Swap out the items that do not put forth your best professional image. Even investing in one to two polished and appropriate pieces can go a long way for your image.

Attend Networking Sessions to Sharpen Communication Skills & Body Language

Do not simply practise your interpersonal communication skills at random when the occasion arises. Instead, purposefully attend networking sessions so that you can sharpen these skills. Take some tips from our blog on working a room – learn to enter a room with confidence, knowing you are prepared and have set your intentions to work the room. Make it a goal to introduce yourself to a few strangers and engage in small talk. The more often you do it, the more natural it will feel.

Practice Conducting Business Over a Meal

Just as you can practise interpersonal skills at networking events, schedule a business meeting over lunch in order to refine your executive dining. Start by inviting a close colleague or friend to a meal, so that you can focus on best practices for business dining in a low-pressure situation. This way, when you are meeting an important client or contact over lunch or dinner, you will feel in control.

Watch our video on 5 Business Dining Etiquette Tips to learn more.

After attending an Executive Presence training program apply your skills immediately in real-life scenarios, your Executive Presence will become increasingly stronger over time.

Additionally, with these single initiatives working together, ultimately Executive Presence will come naturally to you and you will have built a winning reputation. Focusing on small, achievable goals makes the path for you to develop Executive Presence attainable to anyone!

Haste Makes Waste in the Workplace: Get it Right the First Time

Have you ever heard the phrase “haste makes waste in the workplace”? There is truth to this expression – as making decisions and producing work too quickly can have negative effects. However, getting caught up in a rush can be difficult to avoid. The fast-paced environments of many workplaces demand immediate results.

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How, then, do employees reconcile the requirement for prompt action and production with high-quality work? There are a few strategies to take so that you can work smarter, not harder. Management should develop a policy or procedure that positively impacts the performance of the team and plan to utilize the correct tools for every activity.

Read our guide on how to stop being hasty in the workplace:

When Making Decisions

Especially for major decisions, a hasty choice made with poor judgment can have consequences that carry far into the future.

  • Even if a decision requires a fast response, ensure that there is enough time for accurate reflection and consideration of possible results. This not only includes your own reflection, but also implies that there is enough time to reach all other individuals who should be consulted in the process.
  • Ensure that everyone involved in the decision-making process agrees on an appropriate timeline to reach a conclusion. This will set expectations and clarify uncertainties. If you do not set a proper timeline, certain individuals may feel more urgency, stress, and anxiety when an answer isn’t reached within their expectations.

When Responding to Emails

The immediate nature of email sets the tone for constant and prompt communication. However, do not be tempted to send messages quickly that may require further contemplation.

  • For simple emails such as meeting requests, it is fine to respond promptly. But if a question or request over email demands a more lengthy response, don’t feel tempted to type as fast as you can to appear efficient to your contact. Under most normal circumstances, a good benchmark for responding to emails is within 24 hours. Use that time to think about how to convey just what you want to say.
  • Never send an angry email in the heat of the moment. If you are in the midst of a confrontation and type an emotional response, do not hit send – instead, save the email to your draft folder and revisit it a few hours later when you are calmer. Chances are, you will revise the email or start over from scratch.

When Producing Work

The quality of your work reflects directly on you as a professional. Ensure that it is a positive representation of your abilities.

  • Proofreading a document, spreadsheet, or report can take as little as 5 to 10 minutes and avoid costly errors. If a co-worker can spare a few minutes, ask him or her to look over your work as well. Taking even a small amount of time to ensure you have done a good job can make a huge difference. For more on this topic, see our previous post, “How the Little Details Matter for Executive Presence.”

Taking the time to reflect and review your work doesn’t mean sacrificing speed and productivity. In fact, it helps you avoid rushing and making careless mistakes, ultimately making you smarter in your approach. Being thoughtful and diligent improves your standing in the long run at work and beyond. Work smart not hard, especially when it comes to organization and leadership. Rushing only makes it harder and increases the chances of making mistakes.  Remember, haste makes waste in the workplace!

The (Often Dreaded) Conference Call: Survival Tips and Tricks

Conference calls are often an inevitable part of any major company’s management system, and they are, more often than not, a dreaded exercise for those involved. We live in an age where we expect instant gratification and in which we’ve developed short attention spans; we anticipate our questions being answered immediately, we expect those to whom we’re talking to listen effectively and react accordingly, and we hope (and often expect) that our problems will be solved promptly. This is due, in large part, to the age of technology. Technology, such as email, text messages and Internet on-the-go, has led to this sense of entitlement, this desire for instantaneity. During a conference call, the likelihood of instant gratification is slim, and your full attention is required to get the most out of the call. It is imperative that you take this into account and adjust your behaviour accordingly in order to protect your EP (executive presence).

conference call        The reason why instant gratification is unlikely during a conference call is simply due to the amount of people on the phone at the same time; there are many opinions on the line, many voices to be heard, and many questions to be asked and answered. Our egos can often get in the way and we may abandon what we know to be good, professional behaviour in order to get our thoughts heard. We may also think that our EP is protected because our colleagues can’t see our face, but that is not the case.

Of course, every conference call has a different purpose, however there are some simple tips and tricks that can help you make it through your conference call, all while protecting, and perhaps even enhancing, your EP.

Conference call tips and tricks:

  1. Keep excellent track of conference call dates and times, as missing a call due to disorganization definitely doesn’t enhance your EP. It is also often a good idea to call in a few minutes early to ensure you will be on time.
  2. Eliminate background noise! There is enough going on over the phone already without the need for those on the call to hear your Starbucks barista grinding coffee beans for ten minutes.
  3. Remember, you can’t read body language over the phone. That’s why it’s so important that you ask for clarification if you’re not sure what a colleague meant. We can often tell, by a person’s body language, if what they are saying is positive, negative, or neutral (or something else for that matter), but this gift is not available to us over the phone.
  4. It is important to always state your name before speaking. Because all attendees are not in the same room together, it is important for the effectiveness of the call that all members know who is speaking.
  5. Wait your turn to speak. Interrupting someone mid-sentence can be perceived as a huge EP blunder.
  6. If, however, you feel it necessary to interject because you have something integral to add, it is important, to protect your EP as well as your colleagues confidence and ego, to bring the conversation back to what they were saying before you broke into the conversation.

It can often be harder to protect and enhance your EP over the phone, mostly due to the lack of visual cues that are so integral to thorough and complete communication. That is why it is imperative that you take the necessary steps to adopting proper conference call etiquette – these manners and communication skills will serve you well over the course of your career, and can often translate into the physical workspace.

 

Multitasking Can Hinder Your Executive Presence

55777753In recent years, several studies have suggested that it is actually impossible for the human brain to multitask. Yet we continue to persist in our attempts: every day many of us juggle simultaneous responsibilities at work and an endless to-do list at home, all while managing alerts and messages on multiple devices.

Not only is your brain truly incapable of multitasking, but also trying to multitasking constantly can hinder your Executive Presence. In this post, I discuss how multitasking can weaken your presence and I provide some suggestions for cutting back on this habit.

First, imagine yourself working a room – you walk into a space and instantly feel confident, at ease, and ready to make a great impression. You are prepared to connect with others in a meaningful and sincere manner. With this approach and attitude, you exhibit great presence.

Now imagine yourself trying to work a room while simultaneously sending texts and emails from your smartphone. It’s impossible! Your body language will show that you are more interested in your phone than the situation at hand, and in your distraction you will remain disconnected and isolated from the individuals in the room. In other words, you will have no presence.

Constantly attempting to multitask can hinder other aspects of work life that contribute to your Executive Presence as well. For example, it can impact the effectiveness of your communication. Have you ever tried to work on a task or write an email while talking on the phone? Chances are, all results from this type of multitasking will turn out sloppily. On the phone you will sound distracted, and your task or email may contain careless mistakes. A combination of these elements over time will begin to reflect poorly on your overall presence.

If this is the case, how can you reduce multitasking to improve your Executive Presence? At the pace of today’s corporate culture, it is incredibly difficult to prevent yourself from multitasking. Our working environments and tools are designed for it. However, use this idea as motivation: you will improve your presence as well as become more productive when focusing on a single task at a time.

A few tips for staying focused and directed in your work:

  • Start your day focused. Do not wake up and immediately check your email or phone. Instead, leave enough time in the morning to have a quiet moment or a brief walk outside. This can be refreshing and help you to take on one task at a time throughout the day with renewed energy.
  • During meetings, leave technology behind. Do not try to catch up on emails when others are leading a meeting. It will show disrespect to your colleagues, and you will not retain any of the information exchanged. Additionally, you will not be able to contribute anything of value if you remain distracted throughout the meeting.
  • Allocate set amounts of time to each of your tasks. For example, if you allow yourself one hour to complete a single task, chances are you will be much more productive and efficient in that single hour than if you worked on it throughout the afternoon while getting distracted by other things.
  • What are your tactics for staying focused and dedicated to the task at hand? For more on the disadvantages of multitasking, see Time’s “Don’t Multitask: Your Brain Will Thank You” or “Why Multitasking Doesn’t Work” from Forbes.