Mastering Business Meeting Etiquette for Success
“A good character carries with it the highest power of causing a thing to be believed.”
– Aristotle
Etiquettes are the social norms and expectations that are being followed to present polite behavior in a society while interacting between different people. Business meeting etiquettes hold a high standard amongst business professionals because they create an environment of politeness, professionalism, and culture among the people participating.
Etiquettes are followed during business meetings because they reflect professionalism amongst the participants and create a positive and more trustworthy credibility. Good etiquette is a way to ensure clear communication within respectable boundaries that promotes a better exchange of ideas. Etiquettes also help to create a cooperative atmosphere by preventing misunderstandings and conflicts. Etiquette helps to achieve more during a business meeting without being distracted by unnecessary topics and behaviors. It helps to make everyone feel valued and heard. Most business professionals ensure that they practice business meeting etiquette, as those practices create a good reputation amongst their peers, clients, partners, colleagues, etc. Good business meeting etiquette reflects on a company’s reputation and facilitates a more respectful, professional, efficient, and goal-oriented atmosphere. We have created a list of the most important business etiquette that is required for one to be successful.
Business Meeting Etiquette for Success
- Be on time.
- Study the purpose of the meeting.
- Dress professionally
- Know your fellow attendees.
- Test the technology setup and surroundings.
- Turn off electronic devices.
- Actively listen and participate.
- Take turns speaking.
- Be respectful
- Speak loud enough.
- Stick to the agenda.
- Ask questions only at the appropriate time.
- Be attentive to your nonverbal cues.
- Eat and drink appropriately.
- Say thank you.
Be on time.
The most important business meeting etiquette is to be on time. You should always double-check your calendar for the meeting time and ensure that you are punctual and not late. If you are the host of the meeting, ensure that you are available at the meeting spot before the meeting time. This will help you check your surroundings and remove any unnecessary distractions.
Study the purpose of the meeting.
Read the purpose of the meeting, understand the requirements, and be prepared so that you do not deviate from the topic and put in your best input in the business meeting.
Dress professionally
In a business meeting, it is very crucial to dress professionally. To add to the business meeting etiquette, ensure that you wear clothes that uphold your office dress code standard. Do not wear anything that is shabby or loud, as this can have a negative impact on your image.
Know your fellow attendees.
Another aspect of business meeting etiquette is to familiarize yourself with the other attendees and learn their name, designation, and basic profile so that you know who is who.
Test the technology setup and surroundings.
Before the meeting starts, ensure that you invest some time in checking the equipment and the surroundings. Ensure that the microphone, projector, laptop, Wi-Fi, etc. are working at their finest. If necessary, ensure that there is an ample amount of water available for all the attendees. Remove any unnecessary objects from the meeting space.
Turn off electronic devices.
One of the most important rules of business meeting etiquette is to turn off personal electronic devices. When you turn off your mobile before starting the meeting, it helps you to focus better on the meeting and saves you from the sudden embarrassment of your phone ringing, which can cause a disturbance while the meeting is being conducted.
Actively listen and participate.
A meeting is only productive when all the participants are actively listening to and participating in it. This is a necessary step to ensure that the time invested in such a meeting is fruitful and the agenda of the meeting is successful.
Take turns speaking.
The next rule of business meeting etiquette is to ensure that everyone speaks during their turns. This helps to ensure the avoidance of chaos and creates an environment where everyone is heard. Let the other person complete their points before someone else adds to them. This shows a high level of business meeting etiquette.
Be respectful
Being respectful is an important part of business meeting etiquette. Even when you do not agree with someone’s point, make sure you are polite, open-minded, and professional. Feedback is an important part of business meeting etiquette, so ensure that you are providing constructive feedback that is within the boundaries of being respectful.
Speak loud enough.
During your turn, ensure that you are speaking loud enough for everyone to hear you clearly. This portrays a confident and professional picture of you.
Stick to the agenda.
Business meeting etiquette always emphasizes the importance of following the agenda. To make the business meeting more productive, one must ensure that no one deviates from the agenda and achieves the main goal of the business meeting. It is important that everyone sticks to the relevant topics and systematically covers the whole agenda. This helps to reduce the waste of time and increases the efficiency of the business meeting.
Ask questions only at the appropriate time.
Business meeting etiquette states that one should only ask questions at the appropriate time. Having questions is a good thing, but make sure that you ask them at the right time. Do not keep all your questions at the end of the meeting. If you still have some unanswered questions, you can privately ask them or send an email asking about them.
Be attentive to your nonverbal cues.
Gestures are an important part of a business meeting, but ensure that you avoid unnecessary non-verbal cues, such as fidgeting, tapping your feet, making clicking noises, tapping your pen, etc., as this can cause distractions and build a poor impression of you.
Eat and drink appropriately.
In a business meeting, avoid eating anything that can make noise or have an unpleasant or strong smell. Drinking a cup of coffee, tea, or water is generally acceptable business meeting etiquette.
Say thank you.
The final business meeting etiquette is to ensure that you thank everyone for their time in the meeting. Ensure that you tell them that their input is valuable and that having them present in this meeting is really helpful for the business.
The above business meeting etiquette helps to improve communication, increase productivity, and strengthen relationships between different participants in a business meeting. All the above business meeting etiquette refers to the standard of behavior that every attendant must comply with so that the meeting goes on without any interruption. These etiquettes are the general rule for creating a respectable image between peers. It helps to ensure that professionalism is maintained and increases the efficiency of the meeting. Mastering business meeting etiquette is crucial for success.