The Etiquette Edge

Book description

Intelligence, ambition, and skill can take you a long way to achieving your career goals—but no matter where or with whom you work, one of the factors most essential to your success is knowing how to act and interact with your colleagues. In the modern workplace, if you lack good communications skills, social savvy, and a sense of appropriate behavior, you’ll be going nowhere fast. The Etiquette Edge gives you a clear, commonsense approach to making “good behavior” a competitive advantage. Packed with quizzes, helpful checklists, and clear examples, this practical book shows you how to: * Make a great impression on bosses, and get along with “enemies” * Deliver uncomfortable-to-convey information with tact and finesse—including condolences * Turn your body language into a communication asset * Register complaints without sounding like a troublemaker * Skillfully schmooze your way to success…and much more Rather than dwelling on dry, nitpicky rules, The Etiquette Edge gives you the straight scoop on the most effective communication and behavior styles for negotiating the complex terrain of today’s workplace—and getting ahead!

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction: The Case for Courtesy
    1. The Value of Courtesy to Your Career
    2. Who Can Use This Book?
    3. How to Get the Most from This Book
    4. Test Your Courtesy Quotient (CQ)
  7. Part 1: Everyday Courtesy as a Credibility Builder
    1. Chapter 1: Twenty-First Century Manners: Can Courtesy Survive in the Brave New World?
      1. The High Cost of Incivility
      2. Taking Personal Responsibility
      3. What’s In It for You?
      4. The Constantly Changing Rules
      5. The Bottom Line
      6. Action Plan
    2. Chapter 2: Credibility: Creating It and Keeping It
      1. Mastering the Art of Straight Talk
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    3. Chapter 3: Develop Your Gratitude Attitude: Say “Thank You” and Mean It
      1. When in Doubt
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    4. Chapter 4: I See What You’re Saying: Are Your Unspoken Messages Telling on You?
      1. What Exactly Is Nonverbal Communication?
      2. The Power of Nonverbal Communication
      3. Interpreting Nonverbal Communication
      4. Courtesy Is as Courtesy Does
      5. Synchronize Your Body Language
      6. Common Body Language and Its Meaning
      7. The Bottom Line
      8. Action Plan
    5. Chapter 5: What the $%#*!& Is Going On Here? Should We Put a Leash on Our Language?
      1. Obscenity Goes Mainstream
      2. The Professional Cost of Cursing
      3. Is Vulgarity a First Amendment Right?
      4. The Bottom Line
      5. Action Plan
    6. Chapter 6: Tell Me Less: Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid
      1. Rebuilding the Barriers at Work
      2. Balancing Openness and Privacy
      3. When You Are the Recipient of Unwanted Information
      4. What You Don’t Say Tells a Lot
      5. The Bottom Line
      6. Action Plan
    7. Chapter 7: Praiseworthy Praise: Giving Compliments that Count
      1. The Power of Praise
      2. Giving Praise
      3. Praise as Feedback
      4. Accepting Praise
      5. The Bottom Line
      6. Action Plan
    8. Chapter 8: What Did You Say? Developing Your Ability to Listen
      1. Listen for Success
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    9. Chapter 9: Convenience or Curse? Is It Time for a Cell Phone Reality Check?
      1. Keep the Technology in Perspective
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    10. Chapter 10: Travel Courtesy: Don’t Leave Home Without It
      1. Keeping the Skies Friendly
      2. Once You Land: Courtesy at Home or Abroad
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
  8. Part 2: Best Behaviors at Work: Interacting with Bosses and Peers
    1. Chapter 11: Terror on Both Sides of the Desk: Relieving Interview Stress
      1. Guidelines for the Interviewee
      2. Guidelines for the Interviewer
      3. On Either Side of the Desk
      4. The Bottom Line
      5. Action Plan
    2. Chapter 12: The New Job: Getting Started on the Right Foot
      1. Plan for Success in a New Position
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    3. Chapter 13: Office Space: Make Working Together More Enjoyable and Productive
      1. Be a Considerate Colleague
      2. A Team Approach to a Harmonious Workplace
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    4. Chapter 14: E-Mail: Think Before You Send
      1. E-Mail Can Be Tricky Business
      2. Leverage the Advantages of E-Mail
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    5. Chapter 15: Using the Telephone Productively: Conversations, Teleconferencing, and Voice Mail Messaging
      1. Telephone Basics
      2. Look for Ways to Make the Medium Work for You and Others
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    6. Chapter 16: Are We Having a Casual Crisis? Coping with Dress Code Confusion
      1. The Packaging Matters
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    7. Chapter 17: Getting Along with Your Manager: Spotting and Solving Personality Problems
      1. Before You Take the Job
      2. Once You’re on Board
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    8. Chapter 18: Loving Your Enemies: Coping with the Price of Success
      1. Managing the Price of Success
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    9. Chapter 19: When Your Best Friend Becomes Your Boss: Balancing the Professional and the Personal
      1. Reinventing the Rules of Friendship
      2. The Bottom Line
      3. Action Plan
    10. Chapter 20: How to Leave a Job: Making a Graceful Exit
      1. Leaving Gracefully
      2. The Last Impression
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    11. Chapter 21: Refuse to Schmooze and You Lose: Cultivating the Social Side of Business
      1. Be Professional, Not Antisocial
      2. Schmoozing: More than Just Parties
      3. It’s All About Relationships
      4. The Bottom Line
      5. Action Plan
    12. Chapter 22: Let’s Do Lunch: Dining Your Way to Success
      1. When You Are the Host
      2. If You Are the Guest
      3. When All Is Said and Done
      4. The Bottom Line
      5. Action Plan
    13. Chapter 23: Standing Out in the Crowd: Getting Noticed Without Becoming Notorious
      1. Take a Proactive Approach
      2. Make Yourself a Star at Work
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    14. Chapter 24: He Said, She Said: When the Gender Gap Seems as Wide as the Grand Canyon
      1. Men and Women Really Are Different
      2. Bridging the Gender Divide
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
  9. Part 3: Handling Sensitive Issues: Courtesy and Building Trust
    1. Chapter 25: When Silence Is Not a Virtue: Complaining Without Carping
      1. Complain with a Purpose
      2. Be Generous with Compliments
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    2. Chapter 26: When an Apology Is in Order: Saying “I’m Sorry”
      1. The Rewards of Apologizing
      2. How to Make a Meaningful Apology
      3. Accepting an Apology Gracefully
      4. The Bottom Line
      5. Action Plan
    3. Chapter 27: Tell It Like It Is: Delivering Unwelcome Information Without Doing Permanent Damage
      1. Take Time to Plan
      2. A Final Thought
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    4. Chapter 28: Confronting with Courtesy: Preserving Relationships While Resolving Differences
      1. Levels and Sources of Conflict
      2. Avoiding the High Cost of Unresolved Conflict
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
    5. Chapter 29: When the Worst Happens: Dealing with Tragedy and Death
      1. The Do’s of Dealing with Another’s Grief
      2. The Don’ts of Relating to a Person’s Grief
      3. The Most Valuable Response
      4. The Bottom Line
      5. Action Plan
    6. Chapter 30: Citizenship in the Global Village
      1. Avoid Cross-Cultural Communication Pitfalls
      2. Be a Constant Learner
      3. The Bottom Line
      4. Action Plan
  10. A Final Word
  11. Bibliography
  12. Index

Product information

  • Title: The Etiquette Edge
  • Author(s): Beverly Langford
  • Release date: July 2005
  • Publisher(s): AMACOM
  • ISBN: 9780814428924