Ten Tips for Creating a Successful
Business Meal
Some do's and don'ts
1. Do be on time
2. Don't start talking business the minute you get there
3. Don't discuss your diet, religion, or children
4. Do listen to your guest/client
5. Don't table hop
6. Do order promptly, but don't order food that is messy
7. Do take it easy with alcohol, or avoid it
8. Do pay attention to your table manners
9. Do let the waiter know that you get the check, if you are hosting
10. Do express your appreciation if you are the guest
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WOMEN NEED GUIDANCE IN APPROPRIATE BUSINESS DRESS
I recently had the wonderful experience of appearing on Channel 7 to discuss etiquette with the morning crew.. Because Tracy Butler always looks so perfect, I was agonizing over what I should wear. Like most women I have a full closet and "nothing to wear". So why do we women think like that?
Actually it is because we only have about seven seconds in which to make a first impression. That impression needs to reflect who we really are and also fit the image and expectations of those we wish to impress. We need to be appropriately dressed to fit the occasion.
In the last few years I have had the privilege of addressing 60 high school students in a leadership program which is preparing those students for college, job interviews, and success. The day of the program the students were to be included in a formal luncheon sponsored by a Chamber of Commerce and they were asked to come dressed in business attire. The boys did well. If they owned a suit they wore it. Others were in blazers and slacks, while others wore white shirts and neckties. All of the boys had the concept of how to dress for a business situation.
The girls were a very different story. Although the girls were neat and clean and obviously had groomed themselves for the occasion, most wore clothing that should never be seen in an office. There were bare shoulders, low-cut blouses, tight jeans and camisole tops. Some of the tops looked like high-class underwear to me.
Now, perhaps we should not blame the girls for thinking that they were appearing in dress-up clothes. The rock stars, television personalities, and actresses who serve as role models to our young people are often totally inappropriately dressed for a business situation. You have only to have a look at PEOPLE Magazine to see what I mean.
Even our local stores do not necessarily sell clothes in the teen section that look ladylike. Sex and flesh, are not the image desired in most offices. For instance the rule for proper summer dress in business in order to look professional is: your arms should be covered with either long or short sleeves. A small cap sleeve may also be acceptable, but remember, armpits are not very attractive. Low-cut tops are also prohibited, and very tight clothing is also not a very good idea. Skirts which are so short that they look like they were designed by a gynecologist are definitely out. In other words, the objective is to look conservative not sexy. Save your wild outfits for someplace other than a business.
Courtesy of the Etiquette School of Northern Illinois * Edith Vosefski, Retired Director * 630-969-2111
E-mail, Vosefski@worldnet.stt.net
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