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Etiquette of greetings and introductions- a set of rules and initial interpersonal interaction regarding the external manifestation of attitudes towards people. In modern business etiquette, some rules have been developed regarding introductions and greetings, depending on the gender, age and position of the contacting people, as well as whether they are in a group or alone. The set of these rules assumes several basic qualities of the ethics of relationships: politeness, naturalness, dignity and tact.

Politeness includes such important elements as: greeting (including a handshake) and introduction, which are a special form of mutual respect, and requires the following rules:

In any situation, a greeting should show your disposition and goodwill, i.e. the nature of the greeting should not be affected by your mood or negative attitude towards the other person.

In the course of a relationship, various situations may arise,

having specific greetings, introductions to each other or handshakes.

This specificity is expressed mainly in who has the right or is obliged to be the first in these actions. To illustrate the display of the right or obligation of the "first step" of any of the employees in some of the most typical situations, table 4 is given.

Table 4 - RULES OF GREETINGS IN VARIOUS SITUATIONS.

In addition to the etiquette of the introduction and greeting procedure, there are also rules of verbal etiquette associated with the style of speech adopted in the communication of business people. For example: instead of addressing by gender, it is customary to address “ladies”, “gentlemen” or “sirs”, “madames”.

When greeting and parting, in addition to the words “Hello”, “Good afternoon” and “Goodbye”, it is desirable to add the name and patronymic of the interlocutor, especially if he occupies a subordinate position in relation to you. If the conditions and time of the conversation allow, an exchange of neutral phrases is possible: “How are you?” “Thanks, it's okay. I hope everything is going well for you.” – “Thank you, yes.”

It is allowed to use psychological techniques, such as, for example, parting words and a brief assessment of communication. These are verbal turns of the type: “Good luck to you”, “I wish you success”, “It was nice to meet you”.

Experience shows that legal norms alone are far from sufficient to ensure normal relations with business partners. It is also very important to observe certain protocol rules and customs, which are presented in the business protocol.

Business protocol is a set of rules according to which the order of various ceremonies, dress code, official correspondence, etc. is regulated. Any violation of these rules will create difficulties for the party that committed the violation, because she will have to apologize and find a way to correct the mistake. The need for business people to follow the protocol is as follows:

The protocol observed during negotiations, preparation of various treaties and agreements, gives its solemnity greater importance and greater

respect for the particularly important provisions contained in them;

The protocol helps to create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere at meetings, negotiations, receptions, which contributes to mutual understanding and the achievement of desired results;

A well-established and observed ceremonial and protocol is, figuratively speaking, the “lubricant” that allows the well-established mechanism of business relations to work normally, without interference.

Where and who should meet the visitor

The visitor is usually met by a secretary. If the meeting was agreed in advance, then the employee responsible for preparing this meeting or negotiations can meet the guest. Many institutions and firms have their own security rules, and if you are expecting a visitor, you must warn the security staff about this. In some establishments and businesses, guests are first shown to a waiting room where they can wait while the secretary announces their arrival. Then they are taken to the negotiating room or to the office of the person who receives them; in this case, he meets them at the threshold or two or three steps away from him.

It also happens that the host himself meets the guests at the entrance, or at least escorts them from the waiting area to the office, meeting room, etc. Such a gesture on the part of the host host emphasizes his respect for them.

Etiquette of greetings and introductions- a set of rules of initial interpersonal interaction concerning the external manifestation of attitudes towards people.

Despite the seeming simplicity of the rules of mutual greetings and introductions, they require certain knowledge and sufficient attention. In modern business etiquette, some rules have been developed regarding introductions and greetings, depending on the gender, age and position of the contacting people, as well as whether they are in a group or alone. The primary rule of greeting is that in any situation it should show your disposition and goodwill. The nature of the greeting should not be affected by your mood or negative attitude towards the other person.

In the process of relationships, various situations may develop that have the specifics of greetings, introductions to each other or handshakes. This specificity is expressed mainly in who has the right or is obliged to be the first in these actions. For clarity, the display of the rights or obligations of the "first step" of any of the employees in some of the most typical situations are given in Table. 5.1. This table reflects some of the main, most common situations. These situations can be conditionally called options for meeting employees of one or different organizations, and these employees are in a different position based on their age, gender, job level, etc.

Table 5.1. – Rules for greetings and introductions

Presentation etiquette. There are a number of generally accepted rules of etiquette that must be observed when introducing and dating. So, a man, regardless of age and position, always appears to a woman first. Men and women who are younger in age or official position should be presented to older ones, and not vice versa. With an equal position (rank), the younger one is presented to the older one, the subordinate - to the boss, one person is introduced to the couple, group, society, even the woman is presented to the married couple first.

When in a society (guests) they introduce one person to several at once, they usually loudly call his last name, first name. The person represented gives a slight bow to the whole society. It is not accepted to bow to each separately.

If a man is sitting at the time of the performance, he must stand up. A woman may not get up unless she is introduced to a lady much older than her in age or position.

Any performance is accompanied by a slight bow. Deep bows, jerky movements and clicking heels should be avoided.

After the introduction, the person to whom the new acquaintance is introduced calls his last name and adds "Very nice." "Nice to meet you". The one who is being introduced should not say this at the time of the presentation. New acquaintances, as a rule, exchange a few words, enter into a short conversation. The initiator of such a conversation is a person who is senior in rank and position, or a woman.

It is preferable to address a woman by her husband's last name. In hard-to-pronounce and complex names, you can do without this by using the international form "madame".

As a rule, they introduce members of their family without naming their names, for example: "Fyodor Stepanovich, let me introduce you to my son Ivan."

At a party, at parties, dinners and other similar events, it is better to resort to the help of an intermediary from among the familiar guests or members of the host's family for the presentation. However, if there is no person who could introduce you, you can introduce yourself. If someone introduces themselves to you, you should respond with your last name.

dating etiquette. If someone introduces two people, he must himself name the person being introduced. You can not bring them to each other and say: "Get acquainted", obliging them to name themselves. It's not polite.

If you need to introduce a woman to a man, you should say, referring to a woman, for example: "Nina Ivanovna, let me introduce Philip Konstantinovich to you" or "Let me introduce you: this is Philip Konstantinovich."

When addressing officials with state status or military, diplomatic, religious rank, as a rule, they do without mentioning the name. They say: "Mr. President", "Mr. Prime Minister", "Mr. General" (without naming the full rank, say "major general", "lieutenant general", etc.). Etiquette also provides for such a remarkable detail: when addressing an official, he is usually slightly "promoted" in his position. So, a lieutenant colonel is called "Mr. Colonel", an envoy - "Mr. Ambassador", a deputy minister - "Mr. Minister". When introducing military personnel, their military rank is indicated, for example: "Comrade (Mr.) General, let me introduce you to Colonel Kuznetsov."

In the event that the introducer introduces people of the same age and gender, he must introduce the less familiar person to the more familiar one.

handshake etiquette. After the introduction, new acquaintances exchange greetings and, in most cases, shake hands. The first to give a hand is the one to whom a new acquaintance is introduced. Giving a hand should be at the last moment, walking with an outstretched hand or shaking hands across the table is not accepted.

If a woman or a senior in position does not offer a hand to age, you should bow slightly. Extending several fingers or fingertips instead of a hand is tactless. As a rule, you should extend your right hand for a handshake. If for some reason it is busy or damaged (in a bandage), you can extend your left hand, but after apologizing.

The handshake should not be too strong or, conversely, too weak. Shaking your hand is indecent, not recommended, and shaking it with both hands.

Although the handshake has become a familiar and standard ritual, it can convey the attitude of people towards each other. The first option - you feel that the person seems to dominate you, that is, he is trying to control you and you need to be more careful with him. This is because his hand is pointing down in relation to your hand and you feel quite a lot of pressure. As a rule, such a person is the first to extend his hand for a handshake. The second option - a person holds out his hand so that his palm looks up and in this way he lets you know that he is ready to obey and recognize your leadership. The third option - the hands move parallel to each other and vertically with respect to the floor plane. The pressure of the palms is also about the same. This is a relationship of equality, partnership.

There are certain rules of etiquette regarding not only the forms of greetings, but also the conditions in which it is most appropriate to use one form or another. The young are obliged to greet the elders first, just like a man - a woman, persons of a junior rank (official position) - seniors, late - waiting, entering - those present, etc. However, a woman, entering a room where guests have already gathered, should be the first to greet all those present, not waiting for the men to greet her. Men, in turn, should not wait for a woman to come up to them and say hello. Better if the men get up and go to meet her. When leaving, a woman should also be the first to say goodbye. Persons of equal rank, age, position can be recommended to follow the advice expressed by Count A.A. Ignatiev, author of the famous book "50 years in the ranks"; "Of two officers with the same rank, the one who is more polite and well-mannered is the first to greet." By the way, this provision is contained in the French military regulations of the past.

Entering the room in which the guests invited by the owner are located, a person should greet each person present separately or all at once. Approaching the table, greet all those present and, taking your place, once again greet your neighbors on the table. In this case, it is not necessary to give a hand in both cases.

At official receptions, first of all, the hostess or host is greeted, after them the ladies, first the older ones, then the young ones; after that, older and more senior men, and then the rest of the guests. The hostess and host must shake hands with all guests invited to their home.

Of great importance when greetings is the manner of holding. You should look directly at the person you greet with a smile. An unfavorable impression is made by a person who, while extending his right hand in greeting, keeps his left hand in his pocket, looks away, down, or continues to talk to another person. Such impoliteness is not conducive to continuing the acquaintance.

A seated man, greeting a lady or a person older in age or position, must necessarily stand up. If he greets people passing by without engaging in conversation with them, he may not get up, but only rise.

If married couples meet, then first the women greet each other, then the men greet the women, and only after that the men greet each other.

The first person to greet is a woman walking in the company of a man, with a woman walking (or standing) alone.

A woman is the first to greet a man if she overtakes him.

On the street, a passing man is the first to bow to a standing man.

When greeting a woman he knows on the street, a man should raise his hat or cap (but does not take a winter hat either). If the greeting is accompanied by a handshake, the man must take off the glove, and the woman may not take it off, since gloves (silk, cloth, kid), a bag, a scarf, a headdress are part of the ladies' toilet. However, it is recommended that women also remove mittens and a warm leather glove.

A woman is never kissed on the street as a sign of greeting: they do it only indoors.

They do not introduce themselves in the elevator, but in the presence of a lady, the men take off their hats.

Always say "you" when addressing a stranger. You can only address close people, relatives, relatives (if they are younger or your peers), children and friends. In a number of foreign languages, in particular, in English there is no appeal to "you" at all.

Verbal etiquette also allows the use of various psychological techniques, such as, for example, parting words and a brief assessment of communication. These are verbal turns of the type: “Good luck to you”, “I wish you success”, “It was nice to meet you”.

If you are addressing a stranger with a request, be sure to use introductory words: "Excuse me", "Excuse me", "Please", "Let me", etc.

When greeting and parting, in addition to the words “Hello”, “Good afternoon” and “Goodbye”, it is desirable to add the name and patronymic of the interlocutor, especially if he occupies a subordinate position in relation to you.

If the conditions and time of the conversation allow, an exchange of neutral phrases is possible: “How are you?” - "Thanks, it's okay. I hope everything is going well for you as well.” “Thank you, yes.”

In conclusion, it should be noted that there are no trifles in etiquette, so you should always strive to show maximum courtesy and comply with generally accepted rules and norms of behavior and communication.

The handshake accepted here and in the West when meeting or introducing a man and a woman in Muslim countries is absolutely inappropriate. Islam does not accept even the simple contact of people of different sexes, if they are not related by blood ties. It is not customary to shake hands among the peoples of Southeast Asia.

Greetings

Politeness as the main attribute of a well-mannered person involves, first of all, a greeting. Since ancient times, people have shown each other special respect through greetings.

Forms of greetings in different countries are very different.

But with all the variety of greetings, international etiquette is basically the same: when people meet, they wish each other good and well-being, health, success in work, good morning, afternoon or evening.

Just “hello”, after all, we didn’t say anything else.

Why did a drop of sun increase in the world?

Why did a drop of happiness increase in the world?

Why did life become a little more joyful?

These poems by V. Soloukhin very accurately reflect the features of the psychological impact that simple, familiar and seemingly imperceptible formulas of politeness have on us.

A manager, like any other person, needs to carefully study and firmly grasp the following rules of business etiquette regarding greetings.

The main rule of oral greeting is the principle “from the bottom up”, the subordinate greets the boss first, the younger one greets the elder, the member of the delegation with the leader, in our country a man with a woman.

For handshakes, the “top-down” principle applies, that is, the first person to offer his hand is a person who is more senior in position or in age. Handshakes are not always required. For example, when a visitor enters the head, it is quite polite and correct to confine yourself to the verbal greeting “Good morning”, “Hello”, while making a slight bow with your head and smiling slightly.

Currently, in connection with the democratization of business etiquette, handshakes between a man and a woman have begun to spread. Moreover, there are still many prejudices in the solution of this issue. Thus, many leaders still believe that a woman should initiate a handshake. Some women even make remarks about this rule to their leaders. So, an employee of a consumer society in the Penza region, in response to a man's hand extended to her for a handshake, reprimanded him that he was illiterate. In this situation, it was not worth considering the outstretched hand as impolite. On the contrary, it is a recognition of her professional level and authority. The leader in the above example was offended and broke up with the employee at the first opportunity.

The handshake is also becoming popular among business women. By this they demonstrate the confidence and strength of their position.

Business partners from Europe and America, as a rule, shake hands with a business woman, thereby showing that she is an equal business partner.

Entering the premises is obliged (regardless of official rank) to be the first to greet those present. And those present do not answer in unison, as in high school, but only those who sit closer, who are more comfortable.

You can greet the newcomer without getting up from your workplace, but be sure to break away from work for a few seconds. Many managers say that when they enter the room to a subordinate, he continues the phone conversation.

With all the variety of greetings, they should not be cheeky. When greeting, do not allow tautologies. When you hear “Hello!”, pick up something similar - for example, “Good afternoon!”.

If, upon entering a room where there are several people, you want to shake hands with one person, it is etiquette to reach out to everyone else (of course, if there are not too many of them).

When meeting with a group of acquaintances, you do not need to shake hands with everyone in turn. But, if you have already stopped and shook hands with a friend who is talking to one or more strangers, greet everyone, calling yourself, as when you first met.

Despite the fact that the subordinate greets the boss first, it happens that the leader does not respond to the greeting of the subordinates. Such behavior inevitably worsens the attitude towards him.

It is important to take into account national traditions and customs. Thus, it should be remembered that the vigorous handshake accepted in the West and considered a sign of a strong character in most countries of the East and Southeast Asia is completely inappropriate. The Hindu handshake replaces the inclination of the head to the hands folded at the chest. In Japan, it is customary to bow in response to a greeting. In Arab and South American countries, it is customary for male partners to hug each other when they meet.

Recently, one of the recognized rules of business etiquette has been violated: “The only permitted touch to a business person is a handshake.” In public places, it is indecent to kiss when greeting, even if it is your good friend. Kissing in business relationships should be treated with caution. A welcome kiss should only be allowed if you know the person very well and have a close business friendship. And be sure to take into account the situation in which the meeting takes place. For example, during a social reception, at a banquet where guests are invited with their spouses, the exchange of kisses between business partners is appropriate.

Performance

In secular etiquette, it is customary to adhere to the rule that a person begins to exist for you only from the moment he is introduced to you. Before that, you have no right to talk to him, greet him, etc. Unlike secular business etiquette, there are slightly different rules. For example, self-representation is allowed.

Presentation in business life is an important element of courtesy. Through it, you can establish the necessary and useful connections. According to business etiquette, to introduce someone means to give his name, surname, position, organization in which he works.

According to the strict rules of business etiquette, acquaintance should take place with the assistance of a third party who knows both acquaintances. This person acts as a guarantor for both parties, a guarantor of the decency of the people introduced to each other. But in today's business world, the role of guarantor can be filled by an organization where employees work (or meet at a business event).

For example, managers of the firm's branches are invited to study at the parent company. Some of them are unfamiliar or familiar in absentia. To get to know each other, they do not need to look for someone who could introduce them to each other. You should simply say: “We are strangers, let me introduce myself” (or “Do you mind if we get to know you?”).

When you introduce people, you should introduce the youngest to the older, the single to the married, the lower to the higher, the man to the woman, the younger woman to the eldest, etc. For example: “Viktor Alexandrovich, let me introduce you Boris Ivanovich, vice president of marketing. Boris Ivanovich, this is Viktor Alexandrovich, the president of our firm.” Of course, asking for permission to introduce someone is a mere formality, because if there is any doubt about the appropriateness of the introduction, the golden rule is to refuse it! Names and surnames should be pronounced clearly and clearly so that there is no need to ask again. When introducing people, try to describe them to each other to facilitate further communication.

After the introduction, you can say “Very nice”, “Heard about you”, “I also work as a personnel manager”.

Nodding your head, smiling - this is quite enough to show your interest, respect and pleasure from a new acquaintance.

When a man is introduced to a woman, he stands up and bows slightly, while the woman remains seated.

When you have just been introduced to a person, and you did not immediately remember his name and surname, and you, in turn, need to introduce him to someone else, do not be shy, but bringing them to each other, just say: “Get acquainted, please.”

At the official acquaintance at the company, a new employee is introduced to the director and guests - to the director. An exception is especially honored guests (mayor, president). When introducing, be sure to mention the name, surname, position and company where the person serves.

If you are introduced to a group of people, it is enough just to make a slight bow, and not to approach everyone and shake hands.

Appeal

In business etiquette, there are different approaches to the choice of forms of address to the head, subordinates, unfamiliar visitors. In addition, most firms have their own unwritten rules of internal behavior, which, of course, we do not propose to change. However, I would like to draw your attention to generally accepted norms.

A sense of tact plays a decisive role in choosing a form of address that reflects the relationship existing between people. Appeals offer interlocutors to communicate in a certain tone, observing certain relationships: relations between people close or distant, equal or unequal, official relations, friendly, familiar, respectful, etc.

In our country, for a long time, the generally accepted form was the address "comrade". Recently, this request has been abandoned. The new form "master", "gentlemen" is used in the sphere of state, political relations. However, it is not widely used in the sphere of interpersonal relations, in everyday life. The address "Mr." can be used together with the surname: "Mr. Ivanov", the title of "Mr. Professor" or the position of "Mr. Mayor". As for titles, they are now used less and less.

In some cases, you can do without recourse. If you need to address a person you are seeing for the first time, use common courtesy phrases: “On what subject”; “Be kind, introduce yourself”; “Excuse me, can you tell me who I can contact on such and such an issue”; “Good afternoon, could you...”, “Please tell me...”.

It is not customary to talk about those present in the third person, in this case it seems that the speaker does not respect the person he is talking about.

In addition, there is a special rule in speech etiquette: a woman does not have the right to call a man by his last name. Unfortunately, in Russia it is very common to hear that a woman talking about her husband calls him by his last name. Sometimes such an appeal can be heard in the conversation of employees. It seems that this is a ghost of disrespect for a person.

The Russian psychologist and linguist A. A. Leontiev, noting the special role of personal pronouns, says that “a pronoun is like a tiny mirror that reflects the system of social relations.” There are few personal pronouns in Russian, but their weight in speech etiquette is quite large. The choice between “you” and “you” is especially important.

“You” is used in those cases in which it is customary to address by name and patronymic. When referring to business partners, the form “you” should in most cases be used. Turning to “you” is permissible by mutual agreement or may be due to informal relationships.

At the same time, it is not recommended to address each other as “you” with business partners and clients. When a visitor appears, it is recommended to go to “you”. In the same way, executives in the presence of employees should address each other as “you”.

The transition from “you” to “you” or vice versa is always an exciting event, the establishment of a new relationship. There are people who quickly and easily switch to “you”, others, on the contrary, do it reluctantly. There are those who regard the rejection of the “you” as a conscious distance and even as a personal insult.

There are no special rules when and under what circumstances you can switch to “you”. It completely depends on the nature of people, relationships, environment. At the same time, the younger in age should never be the first to switch to “you” with the elder, the subordinate - with the boss, the secretary - with the visitor.

With the offer to switch to “you”, you need to be careful enough, because refusal can cause a feeling of embarrassment, especially for the one who made this offer.

The recently proposed communication at corporate trainings on an equal footing between participants, regardless of their age and position, is a trap. In a linguistic and non-verbal way, it seems to break the hierarchy and create the illusion of equality. And only an illusion, because real equality between the boss and the subordinate is almost impossible.

The peculiarity of the Russian language in naming people is that the name consists of several components: first name, patronymic and last name. The choice of appeal has an etiquette meaning, expresses an attitude towards the addressee.

As a rule, a person is pleased to hear his name. Try to use it more often, referring to the interlocutor. It is clear that not every interlocutor can be called simply by name.

Not addressed by name:

to a person who is older than you in age;

to an employee who is older than you in status;

To your boss, if this is not a service tradition.

You should not abuse the appeal only by name, and even in the American manner, when the name is pronounced in an abbreviated form. By name, they are more likely to address their closest colleagues if they are young and do not mind such treatment. It has been noticed that the age limit of addressing by name is gradually rising higher and higher in our time.

At the same time, there is still a tradition in the CIS countries, according to which addressing by name and patronymic is considered respectful.

I would like to specifically say about the traditions that are imposed on us by foreign firms operating on the Russian market. The address by name adopted in most countries to people of any age is incorrect in relation to Russian employees aged 50 and over. Foreigners work in our country and must take into account our traditions, although, of course, it is difficult for them to remember names and patronymics.

If a senior in age or position asks to be called simply Volodya, one should not object: refusal means disrespect for a friendly gesture, a desire to establish warmer relations. On the other hand, senior executives and the elderly should be wary of such proposals. In relations between a boss and subordinates, such familiarity can lead to a drop in the discipline and authority of the leader, and the persistence of a respectable elderly man who suggests that a young subordinate call him simply by his first name puts him in an awkward position, and himself in a somewhat ridiculous position.

Etiquette of greetings and introductions- a set of rules of initial interpersonal interaction concerning the external manifestation of attitudes towards people.

Despite the seeming simplicity of the rules of mutual greetings and introductions, they require certain knowledge and sufficient attention. In modern business etiquette, some rules have been developed regarding introductions and greetings, depending on the gender, age and position of the contacting people, as well as whether they are in a group or alone.

One of the conditions for success in professional activity is the creation in the eyes of a potential partner of an image of a self-confident person who knows how to behave in society without causing bewilderment and a scornful grin with his actions. It should be remembered that our responsibility for our own behavior is enhanced by the wide and active development of international contacts. In this situation, they look at us as representatives of the country and its people, and they are often judged by our actions. Therefore, it is necessary to learn the rules of conduct adopted in all countries. The set of these rules assumes several basic qualities of the ethics of relationships: politeness, naturalness, dignity and tact.

Politeness involves first of all a greeting, which is a special form of mutual respect. The primary rule of greeting is that in any situation it should show your disposition and goodwill. The nature of the greeting should not be affected by your mood or negative attitude towards the other person. An important element of courtesy in business life is the introduction. Through it, you can establish the necessary and useful connections. Etiquette provides certain rules indicating when and how to present and be presented.

Such an element of greeting as a handshake came to us from time immemorial. At one time, he demonstrated the absence of a weapon in his hand. At the moment, a handshake is a rather responsible manifestation of the mutual disposition of people towards each other and requires tact, combined with naturalness.

In the process of relationships, various situations may develop that have the specifics of greetings, introductions to each other or handshakes. This specificity is expressed mainly in who has the right or is obliged to be the first in these actions.

In addition to the etiquette of the introduction and greeting procedure, there are also rules of verbal etiquette associated with the style of speech adopted in the communication of business people. There are both historically developed and borrowed standard speech patterns used for acquaintance and greeting. So, for example, instead of addressing by gender or the word “comrade”, the appeal of “ladies”, “gentlemen”, “sirs”, “madames” is becoming more common. These are primordially Russian words, and they reflect the necessary degree of respect and courtesy that corresponds to modern business etiquette.

When greeting and parting, in addition to the words “Hello”, “Good afternoon” and “Goodbye”, it is desirable to add the name and patronymic of the interlocutor, especially if he occupies a subordinate position in relation to you. If the conditions and time of the conversation allow, an exchange of neutral phrases is possible: “How are you?” - "Thanks, it's okay. I hope everything is going well for you too.” “Thank you, yes.”

Verbal etiquette also allows the use of various psychological techniques, such as, for example, parting words and a brief evaluation of communication. These are verbal turns of the type: “Good luck to you”, “I wish you success”, “It was nice to meet you”.

In the speech etiquette of business people, compliments are also of great importance - pleasant words expressing approval, a positive assessment of the activity, mind of a business partner. From this point of view, a compliment is not a flattery mechanism, but a necessary part of speech etiquette, especially if the business partner is a woman.

Some remarks should be made regarding the handshake.

Increasingly, a handshake is used as a greeting or farewell to a woman, but modifications are possible here compared to the male version. As a rule, the initiator of the handshake should be a woman. An exception to the rule is the situation when a man is much older than a woman in age or official position. In this case, he may give his hand first.

Although the handshake has become a familiar and standard ritual, it can convey the attitude of people towards each other. The first option - you feel that the person, as it were, dominates you, i.e. trying to control you and you have to be careful with him. This is because his hand is pointing down in relation to your hand and you feel quite a lot of pressure. As a rule, such a person is the first to extend his hand for a handshake. The second option - a person holds out his hand so that his palm looks up and in this way he lets you know that he is ready to obey and recognize your leadership. The third option - the hands move parallel to each other and vertically with respect to the floor plane. The pressure of the palms is also about the same. This is a relationship of equality, partnership.

According to the general rules of etiquette, the first to greet:

• man - woman;
• junior - senior;
• passing - standing;
• late - waiting;
• incoming - located in the room.

These norms, of course, are preserved in business etiquette, but the business sphere is making its own amendments: here gender and age, as criteria for who should greet whom first, recede into the background, and the position comes to the fore.

For example, a secretary (a woman) is the first to greet her supervisor (a man), students standing and talking near the doors of a higher educational institution are the first to greet the rector passing by, etc. position comes first: the lower in position is the first to greet the higher. However, even here there may be deviations from the rules: for example, a young CEO (male), if he is well-mannered, will not wait for a greeting from his deputy for financial affairs (woman), but will greet her first, although she is below him in official rank .

In general, it is worth noting that there are no strict rules for who should greet whom first; usually in everyday business practice, the first person to greet is the one who first saw the other - if there is not too much difference in official rank and age.

When greeting a woman or a senior in position or age, a man usually gets up - this prescribes secular etiquette. Business etiquette makes its own amendments here too: a woman in a business setting also greets an incoming employee (employee) by standing up - if the incoming one is much higher in position. That is, in this case it does not matter who greets - a man or a woman, and it does not matter who greets - a man or a woman; another thing is important - the person below greets the person above by standing up.

When greeting, it is best to use the traditional official “Hello”.

“Good morning” is customary to say before 12.00, “Good afternoon” - until 18.00, “Good evening” - after 18.00. (The last three greetings are not recommended to be addressed to superiors, although the latter may thus be addressed to subordinates.)

If the circumstances are such that greeting with a voice is impractical - there is too much distance between the greeting or there are other employees standing or walking along the corridor, it only makes sense to exchange bows.

A bow is not a nod of the head; when bowing, the head is fixed in a tilted state for 1-2 seconds.

The bow can be formal, polite, ingratiating, dismissive, cold, warm, respectful, graceful, deep.

On the street, employees greet each other following the same rules, but a man should raise his hat or at least touch it with his hand. This rule does not apply to other headgear.

The greeting may be accompanied by a handshake, however, we note that in daily communication, it is not customary to shake hands with each other every day, usually this is done if the employees have not seen each other for some time (for example, shaking hands after returning from vacation).

When shaking hands, a man takes off his glove, a woman does not.

Stretches out his hand first.

• woman - man;
• older in age - younger.

But again, these generally accepted rules of etiquette are inferior in the field of business relations to others, where the main criterion is official status, i.e. the senior in position extends his hand first. There are deviations here too - the president of the company (man) at a business meeting should be the first to extend his hand to an ordinary employee of the advertising department (woman), but he, being a secular person, may not use his right to a senior officer and hesitate to extend his hand, giving the woman an opportunity be the first to do it, and only then shake her hand.

For those who find it difficult to remember who and to whom is the first to extend their hand, let's make a little hint: the first to extend the hand is the one who “condescends” to a partner, and the one who has a more privileged status in society “condescends” is the “fair sex” , an older person, or in a higher position.

The handshake should be neither too strong nor too weak. You can not shake or shake someone else's hand, squeeze it with your two hands, stretch out only the fingers of your hand.

As for the presentation, business etiquette is also based on the rules of secular etiquette.

According to business etiquette, to introduce someone means to give his name, surname, position, organization in which he works.

In order to have the right to introduce anyone to anyone, the presenter must be familiar with both parties.

Present:

• man - woman;
• younger in age - older in age;
• having a lower official status - having a higher official status;
• one employee - a group of employees.

Having named the name of the represented, one should also name the one to whom we represent.

If the first person (the president of the company, the director leading the meeting or meeting) wants to introduce a newly arrived employee, he must do this as follows: he goes to meet the newcomer, they shake hands, after which the president (director, etc.) says to those present: “Let to present to you - Mr. Sergeev. The newcomer and those present shake hands, while those present take turns calling their names. The newcomer does not do this, as he has already been introduced by the president of the company. Names and surnames should be pronounced clearly and clearly so that there is no need to ask again.

With a big difference in official position, the performance goes like this: the presenter says: "Mr. Director, let me introduce our new young employee in the advertising department - Sergey Kuznetsov."

The presenter, introducing persons of the same sex, close in age and official position, can use the wording: “Please, get acquainted, dear colleagues,” without focusing on who is represented to whom.

After the introduction, to confirm acquaintance, it is usually customary to exchange a few pleasant general phrases, or to have a short conversation. The initiative in this case belongs to a woman or a person of a higher position, i.e. the one to whom they were introduced. However, if the phrases uttered during the presentation are clearly “loyal” in nature, they can also be uttered by the one who was introduced - for example, the person being represented cannot help exclaiming joyfully: “I have long dreamed of getting to know (option - I dreamed of being introduced) with the leader such a reputable company!”

However, I would like to warn against pronouncing the on-duty wording “Very nice to meet you.” Your new acquaintance is free to think: “Why, in fact, is it nice?” One more nuance: there are cases when the representing person is simply not needed, his services are not required. In general, the presenter is needed as a guarantor for both parties, a guarantor of the reliability of the data, the decency of the people represented to each other - his role is determined by the rules coming from the depths of centuries. But in today's business world, the role of guarantor can be filled by an organization where employees work (or meet at a business event).

Example: the heads of the firm's branches are invited to a meeting at the parent company. Some of them don't know each other. To get acquainted, they do not need to look for someone who would introduce them to each other - they are employees of the organization, which in this case acts as a guarantor. You should simply say: “We do not know each other, although we have been sitting at this meeting for an hour; Let me introduce myself” (or: “Do you mind if we get to know you?”). Next is the exchange of business cards.

Another atypical situation: you started a conversation with a stranger, and this is not an employee of the organization, but you came to the conclusion that you want to continue acquaintance; reach out and identify yourself, offer a business card.

Another detail of the presentation and acquaintance. In former times (as early as the beginning of the 20th century), a married woman was considered a more respected member of society than an unmarried woman, so an unmarried woman was represented as a married woman, who used the title and title of her husband. In today's business society, this tradition does not work, it is outdated. An unmarried woman, and besides, also young in age, will nevertheless be respected in accordance with her official position (for example, the head of a company), and whether she has a husband with certain merits does not matter. Let's talk now about titles and titles.

The title reflects the position of a person in the social and service hierarchy:

1. Titles associated with the position held- Mr. Minister, Mr. President, Mr. Director, Mr. Rector. It can be noted that in personal contacts, business etiquette allows the use of the name and surname of an employee without a title. However, if there is a business event or written business communication, it is recommended to use the title when addressing.

Titles by position are expedient until the moment when a person holds this position, in contrast to scientific titles.

2. Titles associated with scientific titles. Scientific titles (associate professor, professor) are assigned on the basis of relevant documents (certificates) for life, so this title can be used in relation to this person all the time. For example, if an employee holds a professor's certificate, he can be appropriately addressed using the title "Mr. Professor" - no matter what position he holds - as opposed to titles determined by the position.

Another “cute” detail of titles in the modern scientific world is that the title “Mr. Associate Professor” is not used if a person has the scientific title “Associate Professor”, it is customary to use the title “Mr. Professor” in relation to him.

3. Courtly titles, which are applied in relation to members of royal families (king, princess), in relation to persons who manage the country or represent it in other countries by exercising the functions of the diplomatic service (prime minister, minister, ambassador). Note, however, that the use of courtly titles in relation to the listed groups of persons is not mandatory, and in some countries such titles are not used at all.

Courtly titles have been preserved and are currently used, which belong to the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church (Your Holiness, Your Eminence).

Another courtly title that has come down to us from time immemorial, from the time of the first students studying at universities and teaching them professors, is magnetsium. This title denotes the first person of a higher educational institution - the rector. This title is used in especially solemn circumstances.

Titles help to demonstrate respect for the one being titled and the good manners of the one who is titled. However, excessive titles speak just about bad manners, since the desire to show subservience, fawning is not one of the best personality traits. If, in personal contact, a subordinate uses the title “Mr. Director” in almost every phrase, this may look like “provincialism” - in the worst sense of the word - and in any case - like a lack of good education.

But moderate titling and even sometimes self-titling is beneficial, informing those present at personal contacts about the rights of a given person to a particular title.

Let us give an example of appropriate self-titling. Let's say that the secretary of the rector of a certain university is called by a certain Johnson. The rector, having listened to the secretary's message, has no idea what questions Mr. Johnson might have for him, the rector. But if the caller calls himself: “This is Henry Johnson, professor at the University of Michigan,” it immediately becomes clear to the rector that the circle of interests of the caller to him, the rector, is most likely in the professional sphere. Here, as we see, self-title and self-representation are very close.

As for written business communication, titles are required when addressing: “Mr. Professor”, “Mr. Minister”, “Mr. Editor-in-Chief”. Abbreviations in titles when addressing are unacceptable - you cannot write “Mr. Prof.” or "Mr. dir."

In everyday business contacts, especially if they proceed at an approximately equal official level, titles are usually omitted, and the head of a department or director is addressed by name and patronymic - without adding a title.

The following requirement of modern business etiquette is interesting: if a business woman got married and changed her surname to her husband's surname, she must send notification letters to her business partners indicating how she should now be addressed, i.e. what title should be used.

4. Anonymous title- this is the use of a title without designation of official, scientific, etc. status.

It is currently customary to use the following anonymous titles:

• in Germany - “Herr”, “Frau”;
• in the UK and other English-speaking countries - "Mr", "Mrs", "Miss";
• in France and other French-speaking countries - “Monsieur”, “Mademoiselle”, “Madame”.

In Russia, until 1917, the titles “Mr”, “Madam” were commonly used in business circles (both in oral and written communication); in subsequent years - "Comrade", without distinction between the sexes. At the present time, when the Russian Federation has entered the world community, having adopted a social market system of relations, there are clear desires and their practical implementation to return to the traditions of pre-revolutionary Russia, i.e. use in business contacts (and we are only interested in them) the titles “Mr” and “Madam”. In the early 1990s, this “new old” form was welcomed by many, and in business circles by almost everyone. Currently, in written business communication, in most cases, the above form of anonymous titles is used in combination with an official title or surname: “Dear Mr. Director!” or “Ms. Kiseleva!”.

One can only welcome the return to traditions. After all, anonymous titles are also used between people who are completely unfamiliar with each other - to express mutual respect, establish friendly, friendly contacts, even if they are fleeting.

In general, when using titles, including anonymous ones, one should adhere to the golden mean: both the absence of titles and the excessive use of titles are equally undesirable and are not a demonstration of good manners.

Review questions

1. What are the criteria for distinguishing between priorities in greeting and introduction in modern business life?
2. To what extent does general civil (secular) etiquette determine the greeting and introduction ceremony in a business setting?
3. What factors, besides the norms of general civil etiquette, influence the procedure of greeting, introduction and title in the practice of business life?
4. What is the essence of the main difficulties in anonymous titles in the sphere of Russian business?
5. What are the basic principles of anonymous titling practiced in the business world?
6. Indicate the trends of changes in the modern procedure of greeting, introduction and title.
7. Formulate your proposals for the implementation of the principle of mandatory anonymous titles in relation to the conditions of business life in Russia.