Maintain Your Vacations Glow

Check the statistics below and ask yourself, how do you feel after vacations?

The challenge for most people is to maintain their post-vacations refreshed glow after the vacations are over. Coming back to work after holidays is a great opportunity to increase job performance. There are some tips that can help us keep this glow and become more productive:

• Scan your calendar for the next couple of days to get an idea of upcoming events.
• Don’t read your emails in chronological order. Sort them by subject or sender so that you can erase what is not longer relevant.
• Prioritize your work and make sure your colleagues/team know what your priorities are.
• Cut obvious distractions.
• Coordinate challenging tasks with the times you are likely to be at your best.
• Rethink unnecessary meetings. Meetings should be for decision-making and discussion (Not to share information that can shared in any other way).
• Commit to making decisions. Always move forward.
• Learn to say “No” to the things that take away from your productivity.

 

Finally, you can try to decorate your office in a way that it speaks about your personal-professional brand. This is something really simple that causes a positive impact on you and others.

 

Online Resources:

http://www.employmentmetrix.com/blog/2009/08/maintain-your-vacation-glow-well-after-your-vacation-is-over.html

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/work/everyone-should-know-these-10-tips-before-returning-work-after-vacation.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-business/11807825/Summer-holiday-How-to-go-back-to-work-and-beat-the-blues.html

Essentials of Dining Etiquette for Christmas Time

“And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun,
the near and the dear ones
the old and the young.

A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year!
Let’s hope it’s a good one
without any fear…”

(John Lennon, “So this is Christmas”)

The holidays are around the corner. Traditionally, we gather with our families and celebrate this wonderful season together. Sometimes, we receive invitations from friends and relatives who want to share this special time with us. In any case, we usually end up in somebody’s home sharing quality time with people we truly care about.

Whether it is lunch or dinner, a great way to show gratitude is by paying attention to every detail and acting with manners. These are the essentials of dining etiquette that I highly recommend:

• Respond to an invitation within a week of receiving it.
• A small gift is always highly appreciated (Cookies, chocolates, champagne).
• An Interesting etiquette recommendation is that desserts may be eaten with both a spoon and fork.
• This is a great one: When sharing a sauce with others, spoon some of it onto your plate. Do not dip your food into it.
• You can start eating when your host starts eating or he invites you to start.
• When there are several utensils in a table, use the one farthest from the plate.
• Do not refold your napkin. It will not be used again even if you fold it!
• Say “thank you” when you leave your hosts.

More importantly, start great conversations, smile with everyone, and live the present moment. Rejoice in the fact that there is food in your table as well as friends and family to cherish. This is Christmas!

 *Written by Nubia Granja. 
Online Resources:

http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/dinner-table-etiquette.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/rules-of-dining-etiquette-2012-4

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/etiquette-tips-for-dining.html

http://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_manners/table_manner_tips.html

So this is Christmas (Celine Dion Version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf8db3Vz95I

Business Conversations Etiquette

Some conversations are not appropriate in the workplace or in the business world. Certain topics can trigger distorted perceptions in our listeners, and sometimes, we have no second chances.

These are some general rules to maintain professional conversations:

•  As a general rule of etiquette, do not bring up politics.
• Avoid revealing personal information to new acquaintances.
• Your health problems are not a good conversation topic in a business meeting or event.
• Income and personal finances should be kept private.
• Avoid asking personal questions from new coworkers -if you do not know them well.
• Be conservative. It is better less than “too much.”
• Keep your comments positive.
• Be cautious about bragging.

Having said this, you may be wondering what topics are “safe” to talk about in a business meeting. So, you can feel comfortable talking about the weather, food, culture, fashion, and music.

“Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters.” Dau Voire.

Online Resources:

http://careerplanning.about.com/od/workplacesurvival/tp/work_talk.htm

http://www.businessinsider.com/avoid-these-topics-when-meeting-someone-new-2014-9

http://www.americanbusinessenglish.com/5-topics-to-avoid-in-workplace-conversations/

http://careerplanning.about.com/od/bosscoworkers/tp/annoy_coworkers.htm

http://etiquette.about.com/od/TableManners/a/Dinner-Conversation-Etiquette.htm

Secrets From An Image Consultant

The way you dress is not the only thing that makes you look professional. Everything has to be consistent with your professional look: a good attitude, an authentic personality, a sincere smile and an honest speech. However, I would like to propose some “secrets” of the professional image that can be helpful:

For everyone:

• Wear less than 3 different colors in the same outfit.
• Be careful when your wear prints and patterns in your clothes. A good tip is that you keep your fabrics in the same color family, among other recommendations.
• Dark colors and vertical stripes make you look thinner
• Bright colors in clothing and accessories are perfect in the areas that you wish to flaunt.
• If you have a round face, try to avoid round neck shirts. Instead, wear V-neck shirts.

For men

• The socks should be darker than your pants or suit.
• Oxford-like shoes are the most elegant
• The shirt should be brighter than the suit.
• Shirt sleeves should show under the suit (Half-inch).
• Try to wear a necktie that combines both with the suit and the shirt inside.
• Make sure that the widest part of your tie hangs roughly at the same height as the upper edge of your belt.

For women:

• Less is more. Keep accessories minimal in the professional world.
• Know your body type! Balance and harmony are key elements for a professional image.
• An hourglass figure is the ideal body type for women.
• Some colors are just not for you. You could ask a friend about the colors that make you look better.
• Wear dark colors without patterns in the areas of your body that you want to hide.
• Thick belts do not make your waist look smaller. They bring attention to your waist!

Online Resources:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/maitlandquitmeyer/ways-to-mix-match-and-clash-prints-like-a-pro#.mkRwMGOML

http://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/17-simple-habits-that-make-you-look-more-professional.html

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/09/25/good-fitted-suit-visual/

http://www.tie-a-tie.net/length.html

Attitude Changes Everything

Let’s read the following quotes collection to get some inspiration for our week. We all need to find motivation and passion in what we do!

• “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” (Winston Churchill).

• “Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching” (Wayne N. Outten).

• “Being a professional is doing the things you love to do even on the days you don’t feel like doing them” (Julius Erving).

• “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence!” (Ted Key).

• “Good planners make complicated things simple. Bad planners make simple things complicated” (Steve Jobs).

• “It is not our customer’s job to remember you. It is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don’t have the chance to forget you” (Patricia Fripp).

• “Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic” (Unknown).

• “I never dreamed about success. I worked for it” (Estee Lauder).

• “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it” (Steve Jobs).

There is nothing greater than our inner motivation to excellence. Sometimes, we will not hear, “well done” a thousand times. However, there is greater satisfaction in “doing it well a thousand times.”

Online Resources:

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/203917-integrity-is-doing-the-right-thing-even-if-nobody-is

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/96/2b/ad/962bad9b45dfd901f2bdce91c5110477.jpg

http://www.venticode.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/never-be-afraid-to-try-something-new-remember-amateurs-built-the-ark-professionals-built-the-titanic.jpg

http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/every_job_is_a_self_portrait_of_the_person_who_did_it_autograph_your_work_w

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevejobs416859.html

Become More Efficient in Writing and Reading Your Emails

It is no surprise that many emails go unanswered in job places. Some theories justify this situation as if it were a result of excessive online information and people’s lack of time. The truth is that reading all our emails is mostly a matter of efficiency and time management. However, there is another side of the coin. Email senders truly have to adapt to this new age of overwhelming amounts of information. Here is some advice for email senders:

• Use your subject line to inform others about the context of your email
• Get straight to the point.
• Ask specific questions, and give action plans…Make your emails matter!
• Provide recommendations to make it easier for your reader to decide on a given matter.

As an email reader, there are some tips that can help you to keep your inbox clean:

1. If possible, try to deal with emails immediately. Usually, emails do not require long answers.

2. Unsubscribe from all notifications you possibly can from Facebook, Twitter and other social media –Unless they are an important part of your job.

3. Make it a goal not to have more than 5 unanswered emails in your inbox at the end of the day.

4. Delete emails that do not require an answer. For instance, “Thank you for your message.” You should erase these messages from your inbox.

5. If you have lots of emails with attached files, download those files to your computer or save them to a USB drive.

Online Resources

http://www.fastcompany.com/3023585/how-to-be-a-success-at-everything/its-not-you-why-your-emails-go-unanswered-and-how-to-cope

http://moneysavingmom.com/2013/03/how-i-keep-my-email-inbox-to-fewer-than-5-emails.html

http://www.sarahtitus.com/2015/07/06/how-to-organize-emails/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/386535580490836516/

https://www.themuse.com/advice/get-an-answer-already-how-to-deal-with-people-who-wont-respond

6. Delete past conversations.

9 Basic Rules of Meeting Etiquette

1. Be prepared with the material and data you will need.

2. If a meeting takes more than two hours, there should be a 20 minutes break.

3. Use the proper attire for business meetings.

4. Listen attentively to the meeting and take notes.

5. Avoid nervous habits such as tapping a pen on the table, making audible noises with your mouth, rustling papers or tapping your feet on the floor.

6. Turn off your cell phone prior to the start of the meeting. If you are expecting an urgent call, then set your phone to vibrate and excuse yourself from the meeting if the call comes in.

7. Do not bring unannounced guests to a meeting.

8. Clean up after yourself and leave things the way you found them.

9. Respond quickly to action items after the meeting.

Online Resources

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/tips-on-office-etiquette-2013-3

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-business-etiquette-2900.html

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/10-rules-proper-business-meeting-etiquette-2857.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-etiquette-rules-for-meetings-that-every-professional-needs-to-know-2013-11

http://www.businessinsider.com/meeting-etiquette-rules-every-professional-should-know-2015-8

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-etiquette-rules-for-meetings-that-every-professional-needs-to-know-2013-11

http://www.businessinsider.com/meeting-etiquette-rules-every-professional-should-know-2015-8

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/10-rules-proper-business-meeting-etiquette-2857.html

http://www.chatgrispress.com/Articles/Business/11_Commandments_for_Bus_Meet_Etiquette.pdf

Interesting Facts About Customer Service

When customers share their story, they’re not just sharing pain stories. They’re actually teaching you how to make your product, service, and business better. Your customer service organization should be designed to efficiently communicate those issues.”

– Kristin Smaby, “Being Human is Good Business”

In this new competitive world, an effective customer service is essential to the survivor of any business. It is a proven fact that you can lose more clients due to poor service than from your product quality or cost problems. Let’s take a look at some interesting statistics that will show how important it is to develop a more customer-oriented mind:

• $41 billion is lost by US companies each year due to poor customer service.
• It takes 12positive experiences to make up for 1 unresolved negative experience.
• It can cost five times more to buy new customers than retain a current one.
• 82%of consumers have stopped doing business with a company because of bad customer service
• 40%of customers begin purchasing from a competitor because of their reputation for great customer service.
• 58%are willing to spend more on companies that provide excellent customer service
• 95%of customers share bad experiences with others
• 62%of customer service organizations view customer experience as a competitive differentiator.
• 67%of organizations view improving the customer experience as one of their top three priorities
• 65%are frustrated by inconsistent experiences across channels in the same institution.
• Assessing the personality type of a customer at the beginning of a call can reduce repeat calls by 40%.

Having these statistics in mind, let me propose 10 basic rules of effective customer service:

1. Have a professional, friendly and energetic attitude.
2. Be polite and enthusiastic about your business.
3. Speak clearly but not aggressive.
4. Know your service very well.
5. Tell customers what you can do – not what you can’t.
6. Learn your customers’ names.
7. Listen and allow your customers to “vent”.
8. Timely responses.
9. Keep your customers informed.
10. Solve problems and follow-up.

ONLINE RESOURCES

http://www.helpscout.net/75-customer-service-facts-quotes-statistics/

http://www.insightsquared.com/2015/04/100-customer-service-statistics-you-need-to-know/

http://www.customerservicemanager.com/what-customers-really-want-six-secrets-of-customer-service/

https://fonolo.com/blog/2014/07/5-things-customers-want-and-expect-when-it-comes-to-customer-service/

https://hbr.org/2010/07/stop-trying-to-delight-your-customers

A Commitment to Excellence

A couple of weeks ago, some staff members attended the First Protocol and Etiquette Seminar of the semester. We learned how important it is to take care of our professional image in this social network era. Nowadays, our image plays an essential role in our professional development. It gives us the opportunity to reach more people and become more influential. In this seminar, we discovered that the most important aspect of our image has to do with our attitude. A good attitude is determined by important values such as, optimism, responsibility, professionalism, confidence, courtesy, and good manners.

After the seminar, the participants were asked to propose a list of activities to which they would commit to improve their professional image. This is a summary of the staff’ commitments:

• Dress more professionally according to my body shape and skin color.
• Reply all my emails as soon as possible, even to indicate that I will reply later.
• Create my own protocol for the events that I organize.
• Share my new knowledge with my staff.
• Remember to smile at all times even under pressure.
• Wear make-up more often.
• Improve my voice’s tone while talking to others.
• Open the door to people who are entering a room or leaving it.
• Control my temper.
• Greet all the students that I encounter on campus.
• Make the best of the time I spent getting ready every morning.
• Read the weekly etiquette blogs.
• When picking up the phone, I will answer with a nice and soft tone of voice.
• When a student or a parent visits my office, I will always offer coffee, tea or water.
• Should a student or a parent need help to get to a location on campus, I will personally take this person to that location.
• In the job place, I will show cordiality but not necessarily familiarity or intimacy.
• Treat people well, especially our customers.
• Greet people by saying, “good morning” or “good afternoon” over the phone or personally.

Written by Nubia Granja, Career Services and Alumni Relations Director.

Something Called “Professional Code”

I read once that etiquette is really about kind details. And I agree.

That is why I would like to propose some specific guidelines than can help us flow with grace and confidence in the professional world. I call them “codes” because they help you recognize professional people right away.

People are using these professional codes when:

• They answer the phone with a pleasant good morning! Or good afternoon! Followed by a “How may I help you?” or a similar formula.
• They open the door for strangers coming in or coming out.
• Should have received an invitation, they would confirm attendance or decline the invitation if they cannot go.
• They introduce new people (who have not been introduced) in a group.
• They use two magical words all the time: “Thank you” and “Please.”
• They may not know how to place the fork on the plate after eating, but they make a conscientious effort to show respect to others and to be a pleasant table partner.
• They would say, “Excuse me?” instead of “What?” when someone asks a question that they did not understand.

Basically, etiquette is going the “extra mile” in kindness. There is never too much of that. The more we practice good manners, the better professionals we will become. There is no need to say that our business world definitely lacks these “codes”, and some of us have sadly conformed to this reality. However, some of us have not. That is why we have created this blog. We want to encourage the values hidden behind etiquette rules: Empathy, compassion, manners, humanity and wisdom.

Written by Nubia Granja, Career Services Director.