Is Business Etiquette Dead?

My teenage daughter is enrolled in an etiquette class this Spring (she’s not thrilled).

But it got me thinking, “Is professionalism in the business world dead?”

If you categorize yourself as an older generation worker, manners labeled as common sense are not so common anymore.

I’m saying this as I worked with Millennials earlier in my career.

Let’s make the argument that soft skills cover the areas of being professional because they include how effectively you interact with others.

Take for instance: conversation skills.

Eye contact, non-verbal cues, intonation, tone and active listening are just part of the list.

Employers assume new employees are equipped with these skills until they witness the initial interview. 😳

Consider that 40% of companies offer basic soft skill training.

Regardless how you feel about that, there’s a need for it.

• It’s impossible to close a deal as a salesperson without essential soft skills.

• But these skills are not taught in schools, colleges or certification programs.

• Professionalism is handed down through mentors, leaders and trainers only.

It’s funny how many parents of teenagers agree their kids need etiquette training.

Yet the majority of companies hire and think one day their new workers will acquire the skills to be professional. 🤦🏻‍♂️

This isn’t a laughing matter, in fact it’s a dire need.

In a world of Ai and technology driven communication, leaders stand out with strong soft skill application.

Try starting with the end in mind.

What skills are needed in the workplace to succeed as a professional? 

• List 5 - 10 of them and prioritize teaching them to your colleagues.

We’re past the point of assuming soft skills are included when hiring.

But even if you’re lucky to evade consistent people interactions at work, soft skills only increase in value as you move up in position.

So the better question as a company isn’t “Is business etiquette dead, but what are we doing to train our people to be professionals?”

The list may be long, but a great place to start is: soft skill training.

For managers this is mandatory, but I generally address the entire company in my talks then work with groups/individuals as a follow-up exercise.

How you treat people will impact your bottom-line (ROI) in two ways:

1. Internally through retaining top talent because your people love their managers

2. Externally through customer retention. Loyal customers return because they are treated well.

So if professionalism is dead at your workplace, it’s only a matter of time before your business is too.

Get ahead of the curve by starting here.

God Bless,

Scott

If you found this helpful and you’re looking to improve your soft skills as a leader, here are ways to work with me directly:

• 🗣 Hire me to speak at your company or next event (watch my speaking reel here)

• 🎤 Invite me to lead an interactive training workshop, remotely or in-person (depending on location)

• 🤝 Start 1:1 coaching with me as a new manager, current leader or executive (I once managed 30 people 1:1 weekly❗️)

Also, you can help me out by forwarding this to friends whom would benefit from it! Thank you!