Developing Skills and Creating Value in the Workplace (Dining Etiquette)

The subject of dining etiquette might seem benign as something to take serious in the business world.

It is widely believed that human beings are higher animals, and that is why we subscribe to certain behavioral patterns. There is a way that is expected of professionals to behave both in and out of the office and anything contrary can be termed inappropriate.

As a human, there are requirements for propriety, this is what we call decorum, there are specific protocols for certain situations and the dining area is no exemption.

Because humans can be highly irritable and these may vary according to the individual.

That is why we must understand the general dining etiquette for us to maintain respect and good human behavior during meals with others.

There are several reasons why learning proper dining etiquette is becoming more important by the day;

Firstly for work related events like professional dinners or interviews, dinner interviews are becoming more popular as corporations are taking a more creative route while searching for and vetting candidates. In many instances, employers favor candidates who display proper interaction and etiquette, and that could be the deciding factor in getting a job offer. You ideally want people to focus on what you bring to the table and not what you are doing at the table.

Dining etiquette can have a big effect on your social standing, make or break business deals and even influence diplomatic decisions, we live in a world where people are compared and judged all the time, when people are spending valuable time assessing your table manners, they are spending less listening to the valuable conversation that can make or break you career.

Lastly your capabilities for growth in your career can be assessed over a simple meal. You cannot have important stakeholders thinking thoughts like “If you haven’t learnt to eat correctly, what else did you miss learning on the way to growing into the position you are in?”

Here are some basic dining etiquettes that can save you a lot of embarrassment. 

? If you are someone’s guest, wait till you are offered a sit.

? If you are a host, point out chairs for your guests.

? Do not slouch, sit upright with your back straight.

During the meal

? Wait for your host to begin to eat.  If you are at a table of 8 to 10 being served by waiters, wait until all at the table have been served to

To learn more on dining etiquette for improving yourself both as a professional and a person simply click here