Last week, a close friend of mine asked me to do a special favor for his client. You see, she is a very successful business executive, although she is keenly aware that she intimidates people - both socially and professionally. She was attending a high powered meeting that weekend and wanted to be a part of "the club".
As I was coaching her, it became clear she lacks the ability to create relationships with people. I coached her on her body language, how she dresses, and about how to create productive and sincere conversation. She is so bright, with just one problem - she genuinely does not care about what other people have to say!
The art of Business Etiquette is about being gracious and making other people feel comfortable. I suggest she takes a deep breath, and realizes there are other bright people in this world that she could learn a lot from if she would just "listen."
Are there people in your company like this? They may be wildly successful in sales, closing deals and taking charge, but does their personal brand image project your company image? Could they use a bit of polishing. It's uncomfortable, as a business owner, to have one or two staff members that make you wince when they are out in public representing the company. Or, do you get embarrassed at the thought of them meeting with top management or another division within your company? If this sounds familiar, offering one of my Image and Business Etiquette sessions will make a remarkable difference for your company (and you).
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