“Business etiquette”: How to properly communicate with business partners. Rules for conducting a business meeting with clients

Any business meeting is a kind of business platform. During such meetings, entrepreneurs share experiences, discuss new ideas and plan joint mutually beneficial cooperation. If a trusting relationship between partners does not develop, this will negatively affect the outcome of the conversation.

During business meetings, entrepreneurs share experiences, discuss new ideas and plan joint mutually beneficial cooperation.

There are official and informal types of business meetings. The first option is considered more “strict”: its regulations are determined in advance, and the topics that must be covered are known to all participants in advance. The second option is closer to a friendly meeting, but the subject of conversation becomes a discussion of work issues. Serious negotiations often consist of 2 stages: the official part and the reception. In addition, based on the number of people, there are types such as collective or personal meetings.

How to spend

Before organizing and holding a business meeting, you should prepare for it. First you need to know the features of such negotiations. And they consist in the fact that special attention is paid to gestures, facial expressions and intonation. These psychological moments are important because the conversation takes place in person, and this is where the laws of human psychology come into force. You need to be able to win a person’s favor and gain his trust.

But how to prepare for the meeting? The following steps can be used:

1. Collect as much information as possible about your partner. To do this, you can conduct a mini-research. Data is taken from various sources: corporate websites, pages on social networks, media. Any information may be useful.
2. Creating a positive image. They greet you based on their clothes, so you need to dress accordingly. In most cases, business attire is appropriate, but not very formal. Some psychologists advise using one trick to win over your partner: dress a little worse than him. Then the partner will not feel constrained. When choosing clothes, you need to build on the previous stage. For example, if you find out that your partner is a serious person who is a member of a political party and often attends major events, then you need to come to a meeting with him in a classic suit. And if the collection of information has shown that the partner does not suffer from conventions, you can allow him to dress more simply, in jeans and a turtleneck.
3. First impression. Psychologists say that the first impression is always the strongest, and it is formed in five minutes of communication. Think ahead about what to say at the beginning of a business meeting. The speech must be thought out in such a way that it is natural. In business negotiations, two things are often valued: developed intelligence and a sense of humor. There is a proven template: at the first meeting, the partner’s name and patronymic are announced (so that there are no mistakes), then you should introduce yourself and name your company. Then handshakes are exchanged and the conversation begins. It’s better to start with distant topics and get down to business later.
4. Structure the conversation correctly. A personal meeting with a partner is always difficult from a psychological point of view. Therefore, it is better to use certain techniques to be able to establish contact with a person. Firstly, you must immediately make it clear to your partner that this is a business person. To do this, you can announce the rules and purpose of the meeting. Secondly, you need to pose questions correctly so that they are short and clear. Questions should be prepared in advance and memorized. And thirdly, you need to behave calmly and confidently.

In business negotiations, two things are often valued: developed intelligence and a sense of humor.

Rules

Experts have developed rules for business meetings:

1. Plan your meeting in advance. This refers to the approval of organizational issues, such as time and plan of the event.
2. No delays. Lateness is unacceptable; it can ruin the first impression. In addition, if you arrive early, you can collect your thoughts and mentally tune up, and this will help.
3. Prepare materials. These can be booklets, documents and other materials that may be useful in negotiations.
4. Turn off your cell phone. Nothing should distract from a business conversation with a partner. And if you are expecting an important call, then you should notify your partner about it in advance.
5. Observe . This means not interrupting the person, speaking in a calm tone, and being polite.
6. Strictly monitor the time. Time is money, so don’t delay your meeting with your partner. Time frames should be discussed in advance and adhered to.

Finally

To effectively conduct a business meeting with a partner or client, you need to thoroughly prepare for it. The most important stage is collecting information about a person, because it is this that will help you catch the desired mode of communication. After this, a proposal for a business meeting occurs. Nowadays, a proposal for a meeting in a business letter is popular. Participation in business meetings is extremely important for every entrepreneur, so this point should not be neglected.

Compliance with basic rules of a business meeting allows you to win over your interlocutor from the first minutes of the meeting and create an atmosphere of mutual respect between the participants of the event. Indifference to established rules of business etiquette is one of the main reasons why a business meeting can end unsuccessfully. Any professional in his field knows the basic business meeting rules:

1) You should not be late for a business meeting. The surest step is to arrive at your destination 15 minutes before the appointed hour to get yourself in order and collect your thoughts.

2) It is necessary to plan the meeting in advance. Serious people value their time and the time of their partners, so it is necessary to think in advance about the course of the upcoming meeting, the structure of the conversation and the main points that need to be touched upon in the conversation. If a business meeting is held in group mode, it is considered good practice to first familiarize all meeting participants with its plan.

3) Preparation is an important step. If documents, booklets or introductory material may be needed at a meeting, it is recommended to prepare and structure it in advance so as not to look confused in front of your business partner and reinforce his confidence that you are a business-like and practical person.

4) It is important to observe business conversation etiquette. A business conversation assumes that opponents are interested in each other’s point of view, so they listen carefully to the interlocutor, do not interrupt, and leave their comments and questions only at a specially designated time, which is better to discuss in advance.

5) Before the meeting, you need to turn off your mobile phone and other means of communication (Skype on a laptop, instant messengers) that may interfere with direct contact with your interlocutor. If one of the meeting participants is expecting an important call and must leave the phone on, he needs to warn the partners in advance so that an awkward situation does not arise during the conversation.

7) Time is money. During a meeting, it is always necessary to keep track of time; if the event is planned in blocks, it is important that each block takes exactly as much time as allocated for it in the plan, and it is even more important to finish on time, because in business every minute is someone’s money , you should not abuse the precious time of your partners.

publishing house:
"Mann, Ivanov and Ferber", 2014

How to say hello

If you enter a room, always say hello first, regardless of whether you are a woman or a man, a top manager or an ordinary employee, an elderly person or a young man. If there are other people in the office of the person you are visiting, limit yourself to a general bow and greeting. Then shake hands with the person who invited you. When greeting someone, don't limit yourself to just a formal "Hello." Call the person you are talking to by name.

When meeting someone, when you are introduced or you introduce yourself, do not rush to offer your hand. The person you are introduced to must do so first. Remember: according to business etiquette, it is not customary to kiss ladies’ hands at an official meeting (according to the rules of social etiquette, only married women kiss the hand and only indoors). If you are sitting, stand up when greeting if possible. Use common sense when doing this. If you suddenly cannot stand (for example, because you are cramped and uncomfortable), greet other people while sitting, but apologize: “Sorry for not getting up, it’s a little crowded here.”

How to shake hands

If you walk up to a group of people and shake hands with one person, you need to shake hands with the others. It is not customary to shake hands across a threshold, a table, or over the head of the person sitting between you. Don't shake hands with someone you're talking to while keeping the other one in your pocket. One of the pressing questions of business etiquette: is it necessary to shake a woman’s hand? The answer is clear: yes. A woman's handshake is no different from a man's. Social etiquette suggests that the woman is the first to extend her hand to the man. In business etiquette, the leader shakes hands first, even if the subordinate is a woman.

A handshake with the palm up indicates that the person wants to transfer control to the interlocutor. When a person, shaking a partner's hand, covers his palm with his own, he demonstrates his power and dominance. If you are not comfortable with this position, cover his right hand with your left . Business etiquette discourages shaking hands with both hands, as it is intended to convey a closer relationship with people. Moreover, people may perceive such a gesture as an attempt to be condescending or patronizing. However, do not forget about cross-cultural differences - for example, Americans adore this gesture and consider it appropriate in business communications.

How to meet people

If there are strangers around you, don’t be shy, feel free to introduce yourself, don’t wait to be introduced. When meeting someone at a business meeting (conference, reception), you should not immediately talk about your achievements and list your credentials. It is enough to simply indicate what you do and why you came to the meeting or event.

It is important to be able not only to introduce yourself, but also to introduce people to each other. The person you introduce the stranger to is mentioned first. The one you imagine is second. When introducing people of equal status, introduce the one with whom you are better acquainted with the one with whom you are less acquainted. A man is introduced to a woman, and someone younger in age or position is introduced to a woman.

When a person is introduced to you, focus on remembering their name - use their name often during the conversation. Having forgotten the name of the interlocutor, try to soften the situation by correctly asking again: “Sorry, I’ve become a little forgetful lately, could you remind me of your name? »

What should a business card be like?

It is preferable that the business card be designed in a strict, laconic style. Businessmen who often work with foreign partners should print business cards in the partners' language - this is especially welcome in Asian countries. If any information about you has changed, you need to order new business cards: under no circumstances correct the data on old business cards; a card with blots and amendments is a sign of bad taste. It is considered good form for a business person to have business cards in two languages ​​- Russian and English. You shouldn't make a bilingual business card.

If you didn’t find the person there, but want to show him respect, fold the upper right corner of the business card you left. Passing your business card with a note through third parties is a custom common in international business communication.

How to end a meeting

When leaving strangers, it is not necessary to say goodbye to everyone personally. And if you leave a crowded reception before the rest of the guests, say goodbye only to the hosts of the meeting. Otherwise, your departure may serve as a signal to party participants that it’s time for everyone to go home. If the conversation lasts too long, invite the other person to meet new people, introduce them to each other, apologize and take your leave.

The farewell should be short - for example, shaking hands, as at a meeting. End the conversation politely, using universal phrases, for example: “It was nice to meet you.” If you need to leave a meeting early, wait for a pause in the conversation, stand up and say goodbye, expressing your hope for a new meeting.

Language of the body

Nonverbal communications lie in the plane of both psychology and good manners: for example, when talking with people, you don’t need to spread your legs wide, hunch over and keep your hands in your pockets. The interpretation of some typical gestures is quite firmly established. For example, the “fig leaf” pose (palms clasped together so that the arms form an inverted “V”) indicates shyness and lack of self-confidence. If you make fussy movements, sway from side to side, or touch your face or hair, you increase your own nervous tension and distract others. Excessive gestures during conversation are not encouraged. Gestures should be restrained - interlocutors may be embarrassed by excessive expression.

Show respect for personal space: the distance between you and the interlocutor should be no less than arm's length. Business communication does not involve talking in low voices or whispers. Don't take a step forward if the other person is taking a step back - by doing so, he may be unconsciously trying to make it clear that you are invading his personal space. During the meeting, you should not look at your watch - others may think that you are burdened by communication and are in a hurry to leave. You should not sit cross-legged, especially in a chair. If it is deep, you can stretch your legs slightly.

How to negotiate

Preparation for negotiations consists of the elaboration of the business protocol accepted among diplomats and businessmen, and the substantive part - the issues that should be discussed. Partners should be invited to negotiations at least two weeks in advance so that they can also prepare - this will save time and create conditions for effective communication. As for the composition of the delegation, there must be parity at the negotiations, that is, an equal number of participants on both sides and the correspondence of the positions of representatives on each. Only those employees whose presence is really necessary are invited to the meeting. The place for negotiations is proposed by the inviting party, but the invitee has the right to either accept or reject it. It is not recommended to schedule negotiations in the early morning or late evening.

When there are many participants and they are unfamiliar, you can place cards with last names on the table. The parties are located opposite each other in order of position. Representatives of the receiving party sit facing the door. There should be a distance of about one and a half meters between participants. The head of the receiving party sits down first.

After the greeting, the participants should be introduced to each other. It is also necessary to outline their role and powers in negotiations. The head of the receiving party is introduced first, then the head of the invited delegation. After that, they introduce their employees: first to the host party, then to the invitee. It is appropriate to exchange business cards if no more than seven people are present at the meeting on each side.

If negotiations are conducted with a foreign delegation, it is necessary to agree in advance on the language of negotiations and provide technical means for translators. If a recording is being made during the conversation, guests should be informed about this. At the end of the negotiations, a record is drawn up and a previously approved plan is attached to it.

It is customary for guests to start the conversation. It is not customary to interrupt the speaker. In rare cases, when you really need to clarify something during a speech, you can apologize and ask a question. Under no circumstances should you argue with representatives of your side. If you want to clarify something among yourselves, you need to ask for a break and go out to discuss. There is no place for peremptory statements, challenges, harsh assessments or demonstrations of superiority in negotiations. If you notice this behavior from the other side, you should not take a defensive position - it is better to simply remain silent.

The optimal duration of the meeting is two hours. If negotiations drag on, a half-hour coffee break is necessary. If you have gifts for meeting participants, they are presented after the negotiations.

Alcoholic drinks are not served during negotiations. In rare cases (for example, the signing of an important contract), champagne may be offered at the very end of the negotiations - but this is more of a symbolic gesture.

Reception of business partners

The head of the delegation of appropriate rank must meet guests at the airport. He usually arrives accompanied by two or three people. The head of the host company may not accompany guests during all trips. There is an unspoken rule (not categorical, but desirable) - if a guest arrives with his wife, then the host manager comes to the first meeting accompanied by his wife. The head of the receiving party introduces himself first. Then he introduces the spouse, then the employees (in descending order of position).

Think in advance about how to seat your guests in their cars so that everything goes smoothly. The most honorable place is considered to be the back seat diagonally from the driver. It is occupied by the head of the visiting delegation. He is the first to get into the car and the first to get out. If the head of the welcoming party arrives driving a personal car, then the place of honor for the guest is next to him. Politeness norms require that the door be opened for the manager. This is done by a driver, security guard or employee, but in no case by a woman.

When escorting guests to the hotel, part with them not on the street, but in the lobby. You can also arrange a protocol visit there.

Mobile etiquette

You need to call a mobile phone for business matters during business hours; on weekdays, this is considered to be the time period from 09:00 to 21:00. Always turn off your phone when talking or having lunch together. The ringtone should be neutral (classic telephone trill, unobtrusive melody or just a silent vibration alert). If you call someone and the answering machine goes on, don't hang up. Introduce yourself and ask to call you back when convenient. If your call is not answered, call back no earlier than two hours later - the owner of the phone will see the missed call and call back. It is impolite to wait for more than six rings - it is better to hang up after the fifth ring. You should not ask about the availability of the interlocutor’s time if you are calling during business hours for a specific short question.

The one who started it ends the conversation. If the connection is interrupted, the person who called will call back. It is best to answer after the second or third call - if you pick up the phone right away, the caller may not have time to concentrate. Don't hang up the call - it's rude. You need to answer and ask to call back (or promise to call back) after a specific period of time, say in two hours. There is no need to apologize at the end of the conversation for taking up the other person’s time; it is better to simply thank them for the opportunity to talk about your business. Do not give out mobile phone numbers without the consent of their owners.

The book is provided by the publishing house Mann, Ivanov and Ferber.

Protocol visits, business meetings, conversations and negotiations are the most common forms of international business communication.

The parties will agree on the day and time of the visit in advance. The visitor's strict adherence to the arrival time is a mandatory and strict protocol rule. Violation of this rule is considered as a manifestation of disrespect for the person receiving the visit, and therefore can have a very negative impact on future relations with this person. Late arrivals are not permitted for any official event (arrival time is indicated on the invitation or otherwise). The so-called objective circumstances are not taken into account - difficulties in finding the house where the person receiving the visit is located, delays due to traffic congestion, sudden car breakdown, etc. Lateness is attributed to the visitor's carelessness and always leaves an unpleasant aftertaste. In this regard, it is recommended to clarify the address in advance (up to the preliminary trip of the driver to the appropriate house, go for a visit, taking into account the congestion of city streets with vehicles, etc. It is not reprehensible to arrive a few minutes earlier, wait near the house where the visit will take place, and arrive at the entrance at the exact appointed time. It is recommended to follow local protocol rules regarding the dress code for the visit. Sometimes this may be a business suit, in other cases - a regular suit, but in a dark color. Mixed suits are not acceptable. Shoes must be dark.

It is important to think in advance about the questions that should be raised in the conversation, what to ask and what to say yourself. This approach will allow you to make the most of your visit. According to the laws of hospitality, the initiative to conduct a conversation belongs to the person receiving the visit.

It is important to seat the guest correctly. It is advisable to have a living room set in a special meeting room. The head of the foreign delegation is seated opposite the head of the host delegation. You cannot seat guests at your desk or facing the sunny side. As a last resort, you need to lower the window curtains. The guest sits down after his host has sat down. Coffee or tea, light refreshments and wine will be served during the visit, depending on local practice.

A protocol visit usually lasts 10-15 minutes, but can last longer if both parties are interested in it. When paying a visit to a high-ranking official, it is useful to ask the staff in advance how much time the person has available. The initiative to leave any visit remains with the guest. An exception is visits to the head of state, where the audience is terminated by the receiving party. In some countries, especially with a monarchical system, it is not customary to ask questions to the head of state. The conversation is conducted by the head of state.

In interbank negotiations, the ability to conduct a conversation is a complex art that every employee must master, regardless of his position or rank. Mastering this art is the professional responsibility of bank employees. Interbank negotiations, as a rule, are attended by persons specially authorized to conduct such negotiations or senior employees of these institutions. Business conversations are conducted in a relaxed manner, in the form of dialogue, without reference to any reference materials, dossiers, or notes. Participants in a business conversation must have great erudition in the field of their professional activity, as well as in various fields of economics, politics, science, culture, and keep in mind a huge number of specific facts related to the subject of discussion in these interbank negotiations. Preferably. so that participants in such negotiations remember that, in accordance with the protocol tradition, almost every conversation after mutual greetings begins with conversations about events in cultural life, about new books, films, concerts, art exhibitions, etc. It is necessary to be a well-educated, well-informed interlocutor in order to adequately represent your bank or company in business negotiations. It is recommended that before the start of negotiations, prepare for a possible discussion for a reasoned defense of your

positions. If necessary, make an official statement. The latter is read strictly according to the text, since every word in it is of fundamental importance. In international practice, this is considered common and widely practiced. The text of the official statement is then transmitted to the interlocutor.

During negotiations, it is very important to achieve a complete understanding of your interlocutor. Any unclear points must be asked for further clarification. A memo or any other document handed over during a business conversation should be read carefully immediately upon receipt.

In an official conversation, it is necessary to constantly maintain a spirit of mutual interest, since everyone strives to find out from the interlocutor what is still unknown to him. You can’t turn a conversation into a quiz when one person asks all the time and the other only answers. In a conversation, both parties should have the opportunity to express whatever they consider necessary. The structure of relationships between people is important for achieving mutual understanding. The following types of relationships are known: equivalent (when there is a complete coincidence of the partners’ positions); transitive (when side "A" shares the position of side "C" and side "C" and side "B" also shares the position of side "C"); symmetrical (when there is a common point of view only on basic issues).

The presence or absence of trust between partners has a strong impact on the process of business negotiations. There is no doubt that the personal qualities of the negotiators are also of great importance. In world practice, the five most common models of psychological relationships that contribute to or hinder the negotiation process are taken into account. This is fear of entering into business contact, doubts (fear of mistakes), negative attitude, sympathy, positive attitude. Undoubtedly, in the process of communication, all of the listed psychological models take place, but one prevails.

The practice of international negotiations shows that in the case of symmetrical and equivalent relations, discussion of issues takes place with maximum efficiency. In the case of transitive relations, a positive solution to the issues under discussion is also possible. The successful conduct of the negotiation process is facilitated by a mutual desire to reach an agreement, good knowledge of the partner, and trust in him. Any negotiations are human communication, during which the participants inform each other about their position, influencing the partner with their intellect and emotional-volitional qualities.

Preliminary preparation is a prerequisite for successful negotiations on banking policy and financial and economic problems. During such preparation it is necessary to identify:

Qualification level of meeting participants;

Level of foreign language knowledge of meeting participants;

Information about their social, cultural, ideological, emotional and age characteristics.

As a rule, the most successful negotiations take place between people with similar interests. A conversation between negotiators with approximately the same level of qualifications is usually characterized by the most adequate exchange of information.

If necessary, negotiators during the conversation should enter into a discussion and defend their interests. Evidence of insufficient qualifications of an employee is a hasty statement: “I will report this to the management of the bank (company, enterprise).” You should not rush to make such a statement, since by showing a certain restraint, persistence and flexibility, you can adequately protect the interests of your bank (company). However, it is impossible to exclude cases when exactly the same answer given above should be given.

A friendly, polite attitude towards people, attentiveness and sociability, the ability to start and maintain a conversation, the ability to be attractive to oneself are necessary qualities that will help any negotiator in establishing friendly and professional contacts.

In accordance with international etiquette, business negotiations are conducted only in a calm tone, even if the topic of discussion is unpleasant. Raised conversations, personal insults and expressions of outrage are unacceptable. One of the functions of the protocol is precisely to help maintain normal relations between the negotiators and to eliminate from the discussion everything that is not directly related to the matter. The complimentary phrase: “Please accept the assurances of my highest regard for you” has a deep meaning and is an integral part of the diplomatic protocol.

Conducting multilateral negotiations or

international conferences - the most difficult and

a responsible matter for external relations departments and

protocol services of various banks or companies. Such

negotiations (conferences) take place with a large number of

participants and preparatory work requires costs

great effort. It is necessary to carefully consider and

organize clear implementation of the program

preparatory actions:

Procedure for meeting foreigners;

The personal composition of those greeting us;

Participation of representatives of foreign institutions accredited in the Russian Federation;

Participation of representatives of the press, television and radio;

Presentation of flowers;

Welcome speeches;

Hotel accommodation;

Business part of the program (negotiations, meetings, conversations);

Receptions, breakfasts, lunches, etc.;

Travel around the country;

Final send-off.

The purpose of negotiations at such meetings and conferences may be various financial and economic problems; conclusion of agreements, agreements or contracts; reviewing the results of their implementation; discussion of other issues of mutual interest, etc. In some cases, participants in bilateral or multilateral negotiations consider one problem in all its aspects. In other cases, negotiations are distinguished by their diversity. The key point of all preparatory work for bilateral or multilateral negotiations is the development of guidelines that determine the activities (work) of the delegation at the negotiations. Simultaneously with the development of a position on the issues discussed at the meeting, the composition of the meeting participants is formed. The composition and level of participants in interbank and other negotiations depends on the importance attached to this meeting by its participants. As a rule, representatives of approximately the same level are sent to negotiations,

The head of the delegation is responsible for the activities of all members of the delegation and each of them individually. Therefore, the head of the delegation must fully understand the subject of negotiations, know each employee well, his professional and personal qualities. Only if such conditions are met will the head of the delegation be able to successfully perform his functions and ensure maximum efficiency of the meeting participants. The correct selection of delegation support staff is also of great importance. Such personnel include translators, stenographers, drivers, housekeeping workers, etc.

For successful negotiations, delegation members must have an encyclopedic level of education, high professionalism, oratory skills, and thorough preparation for the upcoming meeting. Obviously, a sociable worker with a wide range of skills

economic outlook, able to quickly assess the essence of any problem, is more suitable for conducting interbank negotiations than a specialist with a narrow profile. Knowledge of rules of procedure, precedents, ways to effectively resolve organizational issues, ability to work with documents, knowledge of foreign languages ​​- all these qualities as well. necessary for a business meeting participant. For successful work, knowledge of foreign languages ​​is important, so the cabin allows you to quickly make business acquaintances and successfully communicate with representatives of the foreign press. Knowledge of foreign languages ​​has a special role in bilateral and especially multilateral negotiations and conferences, since the development of documents is carried out, as a rule, in one of the foreign languages, for example, in English. Knowledge of the subject of negotiations and foreign languages ​​allows you to find the most accurate and acceptable formulations for all participants in the negotiations.

The upcoming negotiations include

advance preparation of fundamental

documents etc. other working materials. There are several categories of documents discussed during the meeting.

The first category of documents reflects the position of the meeting participant on a wide range of issues and contains recommendations regarding the resolution of issues considered at the upcoming negotiations. The second category is drafts of various agreements, protocols or treaties that will form the basis for negotiations. The third category of documents is draft resolutions or agreements of intent.

Memos are useful supporting material for conversations on the topic of the meeting. Memos are used during consultations held on the eve of a meeting and during negotiations.

Compiling a dossier on various issues planned for consideration at the upcoming meeting is an integral part of the preparatory work. Based on the dossier, texts of speeches, materials for conversations with negotiating partners, documents, certificates, etc. are prepared.

The dossier consists of official certificates and documents about the partner, newspaper clippings, magazines and other materials containing information about the foreign partner. The effectiveness of work during negotiations is to a large extent determined by the quality of the prepared dossiers.

Before the start of negotiations, it is very important to find out in advance the positions of the participants and no opportunity to clarify yours. The solution to this problem is carried out through telex or telefax correspondence, during bilateral meetings and consultations. This work is carried out at all stages of preparation for negotiations. At the initial stage, the emphasis is on clarifying the positions of the negotiating partners. On the eve of the meeting, when positions are determined, the main focus is on a reasoned presentation of your position.

After reaching an agreement on holding a meeting, the parties determine the place of the meeting and the duration of the negotiations. Negotiations are advisable when the parties understand that solving the problem is possible only through joint efforts, and if the parties strive to resolve mutual interests.

Mutual understanding, will and partnership are essential for successful negotiations, but the most important of these three is will. Without the will to reach mutual understanding, there will be no agreement.

Depending on the true attitude of the parties to achieving a result, negotiations are divided into three categories. The first is when one of the parties is interested in preventing an agreement (or shows indifference). The second is when one of the parties shows a moderate, but not strong enough (or urgent) interest in achieving results. The third category is when both parties strive to achieve positive results. If all participants treat the negotiations as negotiations of the third category, i.e. show a common interest in reaching an agreement.

rapid success of the negotiation process is possible. The same result is likely when one part of the negotiators treats them as negotiations of the third category, and the other part, as negotiations of the second category. Success is unlikely if all participants view the negotiations as falling into the second category. It is almost impossible to achieve positive results if any of the participants classifies the negotiations as being in the third category.

For the success of negotiations, it is especially important that the initially stated maximum demands of one or another participant do not scare off the others. At the first stage, it is important to know the positions of the negotiators as fully and deeply as possible. If at this stage, as a result of an exchange of views, the participants come to the conclusion that on the main issues their common interests prevail over contradictions, then conditions (prospects) appear for continuing negotiations. The task of the second stage is to determine the parameters of the future contract, agreement or arrangement. At this stage, it is important to eliminate disagreements on key issues and achieve a mutually acceptable approach to solving the main problem. At the third and final stage, the participants focus on developing final agreements on the entire range of issues of the future agreement or contract. At this stage, negotiations are particularly intensive and require the active participation of specialists and experts. When finalizing the articles of the contract, lawyers are involved in the work.

During the negotiations themselves, unforeseen circumstances may arise that will require additional elaboration of contract clauses, as well as certain adjustments to positions. In such cases, one should show not only firmness, but also flexibility, readiness for mutual concessions and acceptable compromises. Of course, the sought compromise must be mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial. Each side should benefit from the compromise

certain benefit. A concession that promotes the progress of negotiations is always justified. A rigid, straightforward approach that excludes compromise does not allow achieving positive results during negotiations.

Successful negotiations are possible only if you take into account not only your own fundamental interests, but also the interests of your partner. It is on this basis that trust and mutual understanding arise, which are so necessary for finding a balanced and agreed solution to any complex issues.

Business conversation. Business etiquette: Textbook. manual for university students Kuznetsov I N

6.2. Informal meetings with business partners

Informal meetings with business partners provide an opportunity to talk with them in a relaxed atmosphere, strengthen relationships, get to know clients better, and get to know managers and subordinates better. Ease in this case does not mean that business relationships must necessarily develop into personal ones or that such meetings can be treated “casually” just because they do not take place at work.

Your appearance and demeanor are criteria for promotion both in a work environment and during informal communication with colleagues.

If you drink too much, become too loud and rude, or allow yourself even the slightest carelessness in your dress, rest assured that your management will definitely draw conclusions that are unfavorable for your future career.

If you are the “boss” yourself, there is probably no need to say that your professional reputation should remain untarnished regardless of the environment in which you find yourself.

To organize an informal meeting with business partners, you must first be clear about your company's policy regarding the costs of such events. If the organization encourages them and will reimburse you for the costs incurred, then all wishes on this matter can be formulated in only two words: be honest.

Keep all invoices and receipts confirming your expenses for entertainment and business needs. Based on them, draw up reports where your documented costs will be listed in chronological order. Don’t let these reports sit around for a long time; it’s best to submit them to the accounting department at the end of each month.

INFORMAL MEETINGS DURING THE WORKDAY

Informal meetings with business partners are arranged not so much for relaxation, but rather to solve work-related problems in a relaxed atmosphere.

Such meetings, in particular, can be organized for the following reasons:

As a token of gratitude for the service rendered;

To celebrate the deal just concluded;

To gain the trust of a client - both someone already using your services and a potential one;

To discuss common problems;

To get to know your partner better;

To ask for a favor;

To put forward or discuss an idea that has arisen;

To introduce other people to someone;

To just take a break from the official work environment and relax a little.

Who do you invite? On weekdays, you can invite a colleague, a client, a potential partner, an employee of another organization in an equal position with you, to lunch or dinner. If you are a manager, no one will forbid you to invite any employee of your company.

On weekdays, never invite representatives of your management to the restaurant - neither for lunch nor for dinner. However, if one of your colleagues occupying a higher position invites you alone or with your spouse or girlfriend to unofficial meeting, you will definitely need to organize a return reception one way or another.

INVITATION TO AN INFORMAL MEETING

You should not invite such a person personally - this is appropriate in relation to an employee occupying an equal position with you. If you are a woman, send a written invitation to your boss and his wife; if you are a man, ask your wife to write such an invitation or write it yourself;

If you address your boss by his last name, your wife should do the same;

If you and your wife address your boss by his last name, you should both address his wife by the same name;

It may be easier and more convenient for you to host your boss if you invite other guests as well. Call those with whom he may have some common interests;

It is not at all necessary to organize a reception of the same level as the one to which your manager invited you. So, for example, instead of a dinner at an expensive restaurant to which you were invited, you can organize a modest return dinner at home;

When your boss is visiting you, do not try to pretend to be someone you really are not. Do everything as usual; behave naturally, as with any other guest of yours.

Invitation to lunch. The most common one in business circles is an invitation to lunch. Some executives make lunch appointments every day. To hold them, you usually choose a restaurant that would be convenient for both you and the person you invited. You need to reserve a table in advance where you can calmly discuss your problems, especially if they are of a business nature.

Although the hour-long lunch break is generally not strictly enforced in most organizations these days, a meeting should not last longer than an hour and a half to a maximum of two hours, as this may have undesirable consequences for both your organization and the person being addressed. you invited.

Once you're used to having a cocktail before lunch, limit yourself to one - no one is forcing you to drink. If your guest orders a second cocktail, you don't have to follow suit; Instead of a strong drink, you can easily ask for something non-alcoholic. If your guest continues to drink, you can politely suggest: “We should probably place an order already, otherwise we’ll be staying here too long.”

Lunches are usually always informal, even when you invite several people. It is extremely rare to mark out places for invitees during such meetings.

Invitation to lunch. Inviting business partners to lunch is less common than inviting them to lunch because such meetings occur outside of work hours and naturally involve people's private lives. But often company executives are so busy during the day that they are not able to find time even for lunch. They may agree to discuss business issues over lunch. It often happens that several people with common interests are invited to dinner.

Invitations to such an event must be made in advance. The secretary of the meeting organizer can either call the invitee by phone or send him a note. If the one who invites to such a meeting does not have a secretary, he himself can notify his intended guests about the future meeting.

Invitations of this kind should be sent to a business person only to the office address, since in this case it will immediately become clear that the presence of the spouse is not envisaged. For a business lunch, you should choose a suitable restaurant and book a table convenient for conversation or negotiations.

You, as the initiator of the invitation, need to arrive in advance in order to meet your guests, introduce them to each other, if they did not know each other before, and seat them at the table. Place the most respected or high-ranking guest on your right, and the second most important guest on your left. The rest can take any available seats. If all the invitees occupy the same position, you can simply say: “Let's sit down where everyone wants.”

When everyone has gathered, you should order drinks; if someone is going to be late, order anyway, leaving the latecomer the opportunity to choose their drink as soon as it arrives. Before dinner, it will be enough for those gathered to drink one or two servings, but if one of your guests wants to ask for a third, it is unlikely that you will be able to somehow prevent this.

Perhaps not everyone invited will want to drink a second serving, so do not rush to ask the waiter to pour everyone a second time, since it will be inconvenient for guests to leave their drinks untouched. When ordering wine for dinner, you can't go wrong by asking for a bottle of red and a bottle of white.

Often, dinner invitations precede an evening event for which you have pre-purchased tickets. “I have theater tickets for next Friday. If you don’t have any specific plans, I would really like to go to it with you, and before that we could easily have lunch together.”

In the event that you want to please a particularly important interlocutor, first find out what he likes more - theater, music, sports or something that your city is famous for - and buy tickets in advance, planning the time so that before this event to have lunch together. Often circumstances themselves dictate the nature of the afternoon entertainment.

ENTERTAINMENT WITH SPOUSES

In some cases, entertainment related to business activities requires presence of spouses, For example:

Arrival of business partners with their spouses in your region;

Reception in response to an invitation from you and your spouse;

Desire to get to know the client better;

A reception to which the invitation implies the participation of a married couple, for example, a formal dinner or dance evening:

Establishing friendly relations with a business partner and the desire to share the friendly feelings you experience with your spouse;

Your desire, as a leader, is to get to know your employees better and give them the opportunity to get to know you better as a person.

Invitations to "halves". Often business partners want to strengthen the relationship between them and go somewhere with their spouses. By initiating such an invitation, you mean that you will be together with your wife, and if you accept your partner’s invitation, this means that it applies to her. If you are not married, when inviting such a friend somewhere, agree with your friend that she will go with you to this meeting, and if a married couple invites you, you can ask the question: “Is it better for me to come with a friend or would you like, for me to be alone?

Since you are not married, but live with a loved one, your attitude towards him should be exactly the same as towards your spouse. Your friend can be with you at all receptions and parties where employees and their spouses are invited, regardless of whether this event is held at work or at the home of one of your colleagues.

If your girlfriend or boyfriend was not invited because the person organizing the reception or party is not aware of your personal life, it is quite convenient for you to ask this question: “Can I bring the woman I live with?” or: “I live with..., and I would like to come with him. Do not you mind?" You will have to answer: "Yes, sure".

Good manners require that the person you live with be invited to parties in the same way as your spouse.

If, however, the answer is no, you will have to decide for yourself whether you want to go there alone or whether you prefer to decline the invitation. In the first case - if you agree to go - try not to fall into a bad mood while visiting. If you refuse, you can politely explain: “I’m very sorry, but I won’t be able to come. In any case, thank you very much.".

Don't forget that there are "office meetings" to which spouses are not invited.

Evening entertainment. Informal business meetings to which spouses are invited are usually associated with evening leisure - lunch at a restaurant, which may be followed by a visit to another event.

Lunch at a restaurant should be organized in the same way as any other informal dinner. If you are the initiator of the meeting, do not forget to notify your guests in advance by sending a written invitation to their home address or by making one during a personal meeting at work. You will need to reserve a table at the restaurant, arrive there in advance to meet the guests, and then seat them so that women alternate at the table with men, and the two most honored guests with their spouses sit on the right and left sides of you and your wife.

Sometimes, before a meeting in a restaurant, the owner invites the guests to gather at his home for a cocktail, and then everyone goes to the restaurant. In this case, everything should be organized as in other similar situations, and the owner is responsible for ensuring that guests arrive at the restaurant on time.

If you are planning to invite your restaurant guests to another event, find out what they will especially enjoy before purchasing tickets or making reservations. You shouldn't, say, buy tickets to a baseball game if your coworker's spouse hates the game; There's no need to book a table at a nightclub if your business partner's wife doesn't like to dance. If you don't know the tastes of those you invite, it's best to go to the theater for a performance that is sure to please everyone.

Celebrating family occasions. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide whether to invite business partners to family celebrations. One such occasion is the wedding of a son or daughter. Many business people use this event as an occasion to invite employees, clients and business partners.

If you decide to do so, be very careful in choosing who you invite, so that none of those colleagues whose cooperation you value bears a grudge against you because you forgot to send him an invitation. Naturally, you will invite only those employees who are also your friends - it is not at all necessary to include the names of everyone who works in your department or all your clients on the invite list.

A few words about children. Although children are rarely invited to informal meetings with business partners, sometimes this should be done, in particular in cases where you and your colleagues or partners decide to go to the circus with your families, organize a picnic, go on a boat ride, or celebrate some kind of family celebration together .

If you are acting as a guest, never say that you will come with children - wait until the person who invites you offers it. And never come visit with children unannounced, no matter how informal the meeting is. The menu for the reception is prepared in advance, food is purchased in order to treat employees, and not uninvited guests and children of employees, no matter how charming or how little they eat.

Invitation home. An invitation home is the next step after an invitation to a restaurant or some other establishment. It indicates that friendly relations have been established between business partners or employees, because during such a meeting people are surrounded by a calm, homely environment. In such cases, naturally, the owner’s wife is present at the meeting. As a rule, one of the partners invites the other home for breakfast or lunch not so much because she wants to please him, but for the opportunity to discuss some problem in private.

If you are not married or not married, but live with a girlfriend or boyfriend, the attitude towards them should be exactly the same as towards your spouse. Even if your business partner was not aware that you do not live alone, the situation will quickly become clear. In these circumstances, it is enough to simply introduce your friend or boyfriend to your guest.

The atmosphere at the evening will be especially warm if, along with your employees, several of your personal friends with whom you have no business interests are among the guests. In this case, you will make it clear to your guests that you treat everyone as friends, regardless of whether you have social or business ties.

By inviting only a few of your employees to visit, you must be sure in advance that the rest will not be offended by you. Either call them another time, or organize the reception without them knowing anything about it. The atmosphere of the reception depends to a large extent on what facilities you have in your home, as well as on how you and your spouse usually host receptions.

Greeting guests. When guests begin to arrive, you will know at least one person from each couple. Say hello to someone you know by shaking hands with him or her, and then immediately turn to his or her spouse, whose name you already know because you called to invite them or mailed the invitation, and say : "Hello…. I am very glad to see you".

Your spouse should be close to you so that, after greeting the guests, you can turn around and say to the invitees: “I would like to introduce you to my wife (husband)”.

After the introduction and handshakes, the host can take the guests' outerwear or lead them to a room where they could undress, if there is one in the house. When there are few guests, the host can lead those who come around the room, introducing them to those with whom they have not yet met.

Single owner or mistress. If you are single and are planning to invite guests to your home, you can seek help from a friend who will agree to act as host or hostess with you.

Informal business meetings at home are somewhat more difficult to conduct than regular receptions, since half of the guests - your employees - know each other well, and the other half - their spouses or close friends - may not know any of the invitees at all. In this case, the presence of both host and hostess usually simplifies the situation significantly, since it helps all guests feel like part of the general company.

When a single woman is hosting this type of informal reception, she may ask a close friend or relative to act as host. Making such a request to one of your colleagues is less desirable, since it would put him in a closer relationship than other employees with the hostess, which could make one of his colleagues jealous or suspicious of an intimate relationship between them.

One of the responsibilities of this "guest host" is to offer guests drinks - either to serve them or to ensure that guests are served by waiters or pour themselves at the bar.

In addition, the owner should talk with those invited, especially with the husbands of the employees, so that they do not feel uncomfortable. They, in turn, will find it easier to overcome awkwardness if everyone is introduced to each other and involved in a common conversation. The hostess will also try to entertain the guests, but she may be busy with final preparations for the meal and serving snacks.

When a reception is organized by a single man, the situation remains exactly the same. A woman whom he invites to play the role of hostess will be able to provide him with invaluable help. However, since in this case all responsibility for drinks and treats will fall on him, the “guest hostess” will be able to significantly alleviate his situation by paying attention to his employees and partners, as well as creating a friendly environment in which their spouses would feel more at ease.

The rules of good manners do not at all oblige one to invite “coming” hosts or hostesses to receptions organized at home, but their presence can greatly simplify the task of the real owner.

WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT

Since you have a house (dacha), you may decide to invite your business partners and clients with their spouses there for the weekend. However, if you and your wife do not know them well enough and you are not completely confident that everything will go smoothly, there is a possibility that your relationship with someone may deteriorate - such situations, unfortunately, sometimes happen. This can be easier to avoid if your home is large enough and has all the amenities so your guests can go swimming, swimming, boating, or playing a game of tennis.

You should prepare in advance for the arrival of guests as best as possible, since a host or hostess who is busy in the kitchen all day will bring little joy to the guests.

HOLIDAYS AT WORK

New Year holidays. Typically, Christmas is celebrated in the office at noon on the last working day before the Christmas holidays, and is celebrated by senior staff. In large companies, this holiday is usually celebrated by department employees headed by their bosses.

In the event that the director or head of the department is absent or, due to their nature, does not seek to actively participate in this kind of public events, their deputies can organize the holiday. It is extremely rare for employees themselves to determine the program for the Christmas holiday.

The head of the organization or its branch decides whether the spouses of employees will be present at the celebration. There are always pros and cons to this issue. On the one hand, when a spouse is invited, colleagues tend to control themselves better; on the other hand, spouses are often given insufficient attention, and they feel superfluous in the company.

Whatever the manager's decision, he will have to make sure that the holiday celebration is fun for everyone: in one case, he will have to ensure that no one has too much, and in another, that the spouses of employees are given due attention.

Invitations to celebrations celebrated in the office are not as formalized as in other cases. The manager can send each employee a reminder about the holiday, and if your organization has email, it is convenient to use it.

When the celebration is supposed to be held not in an office or office, but in a restaurant, invitations should be more formalized - on special cards, with text written by hand, if we are talking about small organizations, and for larger groups - printed in a typographical way.

Preparations for the holiday should be entrusted to several employees who will have to take care of food and drinks. In some organizations, an entertainment plan is developed in advance - each employee is given some funny gift or humorous poems are written that will be presented or read during the celebration; If someone from the department can sing or play musical instruments, musical performances are prepared. However, when preparing most holidays, organizers rely only on table conversation.

When the celebration takes place in a restaurant, colleagues are greeted at the entrance by the manager and his wife, if spouses are also invited, and greets each employee. If the celebration takes place at work, the manager walks around the room, shakes hands with subordinates, wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, wishes them a Happy New Year and thanks the employees for their work.

Don't forget, you are on duty. (Holidays in the work team.) Many organizations also celebrate other significant events, such as the transition of an employee to a new position, retirement, weddings, the birth of children, or achievement of outstanding success at work.

Celebrations on the occasion of such special events are organized by both managers and ordinary employees. All department employees, as well as honored guests and friends working in other departments of the company, can attend the celebration. As a rule, spouses do not take part in such celebrations, with the exception of the spouse of the guest of honor, who is often specially invited to the celebration.

This event can be organized at work, but more often it is held during lunch or over dinner at a nearby restaurant. One of the employees is assigned by the manager (or employees, if they are organizing the celebration) to clarify details such as the time and place of the meeting, the menu, speeches and gifts, if they are presented.

If a special event is celebrated at work, the celebration usually begins several hours before the end of the working day. Drinks - alcoholic and soft drinks, as well as snacks, can be placed directly on work tables, as well as in the break room or conference room, if the organization has one.

People who drink too much at social events with employees do great harm to their careers. During the celebration, managers will immediately notice such employees' lack of self-control and will think twice - if at all - about how much they can be trusted with a more responsible position.

In addition, these people create an awkward situation both for themselves and for their colleagues, whom they will have to meet again at work tomorrow. A good leader at a party will closely monitor his subordinates and if he notices that one of them has had a little too much, he will simply take the person away from the bar without drawing unnecessary attention to it. If after this the employee feels the urge to drink again, it is appropriate to quietly tell him: “I think you’ve had enough, right? Why don't you eat something and have a cup of coffee?"

Equally sad are the consequences of attempts to enter into a closer relationship with someone present at such events. Having had a little too much to drink and being in a state of excitement, men and women often put themselves in situations that they later regret.

The next day, coming to work with a fresh head, they will hate themselves for the fact that they honestly laid out their personal secrets and accepted fairly open advances. The easiest way to avoid such awkward situations is to be aware of the possibility of their occurrence and keep yourself under control. And the first step should be to limit alcohol.

Some of those attending the office celebration may want to continue the celebration at a co-worker's home after it's over, or at a nearby bar where they can drink and dance. This continuation of the evening is a very good idea, as long as we do not forget what was said above regarding excessive drinking and attempts to establish closer relationships.

In addition, in this case, it is necessary to think in advance about how guests will get to the house. Since it is unsafe for single passengers to use public transport at late hours, it is important to think in advance about who will be able to accompany whom. If someone has to commute from a suburban area in the morning, he or she should make arrangements with a co-worker to spend the night with them.

Clothes for holidays celebrated in the office. When celebrating a special occasion at a service, both men and women are usually dressed in the same way as they came to work. Knowing in advance that there will be a holiday in the office, you can put on a dress or suit that is more elegant than usual. Women can decorate their dress with some additional accessories, but an overly chic dress would be inappropriate here.

If the celebration is not held at work, both men and women can change their casual clothes to a weekend dress. But since the special occasion is connected with service, provocative outfits would be evidence of bad taste.

GIFTS AND NOTES AS A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE

If you are invited somewhere on official business, however this meeting was informal- whether it's lunch, an evening spent with your spouse and business partners, a weekend trip out of town to visit your boss or a member of the department where you work, or you've been invited as the guest of honor to an office function - you I'll definitely have to send it later to those who invited you, thank you note.

When you are one of the many guests at a celebration of some event at a service or you are invited to have a snack during the workday, words of gratitude at the end of the holiday or meal will be enough. Although it’s never a bad idea to send a note thanking you for the invitation, in this case you can To express gratitude not in a separate message, but in the next business letter.

If the occasion for which you were invited was informal, your note of appreciation should be sent to the inviter and his or her spouse at their home address. Such notes are usually written by hand on a blank sheet of paper or on personal letterhead.

Notes expressing gratitude for invitations to business meetings come in several types. If your organization hosts a luncheon in honor of some anniversary of your work there, you should handwrite on personal letterhead one note expressing gratitude to your immediate supervisor, and a second note to the head of the organization, if he or she was present at the luncheon.

If you were invited to lunch by a client with whom you regularly work, there is no need to send a separate note. Instead, thank him for lunch in another letter. If you met your partner for the first time during a lunch to which you were invited, or if meetings with him are quite rare, it would be a good idea to send him a short note.

Gifts for the host or hostess are only given if you are invited to dinner at home. It is not customary to give gifts at business lunches or dinners. There are no uniform rules regarding what kind of gifts should be given to the hosts if you are invited to come for a cocktail.

Sometimes it is quite possible to do without a gift at all or give the owner’s wife a bottle of wine, liquor or a small souvenir.

If you've recently moved to a city or area, it's best to ask someone about local customs so you don't end up being the only guest who shows up with a gift. However, it will be much worse if you are the only one who does not bring a gift.