Business etiquette in professional activities. The relationship between business etiquette and business ethics. Business ethics from a to z


Business and professional life needs organization and order.

In the field of business, it regulates business etiquette. It is designed to organize interaction at work, in the performance of their official duties.

Ethics is a system of moral and ethical norms adopted in society.

Etiquette is a set of specific rules and laws of behavior adopted in society.

There are many types of etiquette: everyday, diplomatic, military, guest and others.

Business etiquette is one of the components of ethics. Without knowledge of the rules of business etiquette, it is impossible to achieve success in the chosen field of activity.

Compliance with all the rules and norms of communication in a professional environment guarantees respect and authority among colleagues. The correct choice, the appropriateness and timeliness of the word, gesture, posture, other ethical sign reveals the business and personal qualities of a person from the best side.

The rules of business etiquette must be observed as they:

  • contribute to the formation of a positive;
  • are conducive to successful negotiations, business meetings;
  • insurance in case of force majeure, awkward moments;
  • enable more successful and faster achievement of goals.

Violation of the generally accepted rules of entrepreneurship and business conduct makes it unsuccessful. Unethical entrepreneurs fail to establish themselves in the marketplace.

Etiquette includes universal universal moral and ethical standards:

  • respectful respect for elders;
  • helping a woman;
  • honour and dignity;
  • modesty;
  • tolerance;
  • benevolence and others.

Features of ethics of communication in a business environment

In a business environment, it is not enough to be just a well-mannered, cultured, polite person. Business etiquette has a number of features and differences. Business etiquette requires strict and precise execution.

The features of the ethics of communication in an organization are determined by the specifics of the economic sphere of people's life and the traditions that have developed in the cultural environment.

Fundamentals of business etiquette - general principles of a culture of behavior in a corporate environment:

  • Politeness

The tone of communication with colleagues, partners, clients is always friendly and welcoming. A flawless smile is the hallmark of a successful person in business. Politeness helps to increase the profitability of the enterprise, to maintain good relations with partners and customers. Nervousness, irritability and panic are excluded by the rules of business etiquette.

  • Correctness

In a corporate environment, it is not customary to be rude and inattentive even towards a dishonest partner. It is necessary to be able to control oneself, restrain emotions and regulate behavior by an effort of will.

  • Tact

Business people do not forget about a sense of proportion and tact in relationships with people. They prudently avoid awkward, negative, unacceptable topics in conversation.

  • Delicacy

Delicacy implies softness, fluency, flexibility, ornateness of speech. It is customary to say compliments that do not turn into flattery and hypocrisy.

  • Modesty

The ability to behave modestly characterizes a person as educated, favorably emphasizes his business and personal qualities. A modest specialist and professional in his field is perceived as a balanced, harmonious, integral, mature person.

  • Obligation

If an employee or manager has taken on a duty, made a promise, he must keep it. The extent to which a leader or an employee of an organization is obligatory can tell about his ability to analyze, predict, assess the situation, strength, opportunities.

  • Punctuality

In the business environment, it is considered indecent to be inaccurate in time, not to be able to properly dispose of it, because this is a sign that a person does not value either his or someone else's time. For example, waiting for an important meeting for more than five minutes is considered a gross violation of business etiquette. Time is especially valuable in business.

Ethics laws and regulations

The rules of business etiquette must be observed, as their violation can lead to the rupture of partnerships, loss of reputation, sales markets and other negative consequences.

All business people comply with job descriptions, act in accordance with the organization's charter, and comply with oral and written rules of corporate etiquette.

The rules of business etiquette provide for the following working points:

  • Dress code

The style of clothing is classic, restrained, neat. A strict suit, an acceptable color scheme in clothes (usually black, gray, white), a neat hairstyle. Each organization can prescribe its own dress code rules, but they are always within the framework of the generally recognized features of the appearance in business.

  • Attitude to work

A conscientious, responsible, decent attitude to work is perhaps the main sign of professionalism. At work, it is not customary to solve personal affairs, visit social networks, talk a lot with colleagues not on business, often take tea breaks.

  • Time management

Nobody likes non-punctual people. And in business, every minute is expensive and scheduled, so the value of time cannot be exaggerated. The rules say: time is money; every professional and specialist must know the basics; need to plan a working day.

  • Written speech

An educated and cultured person always writes correctly. There are rules and canons for the design of business letters and other documentation.

  • Oral speech
  • Telephone etiquette

Business etiquette involves the rules of negotiations and telephone conversations. They prepare for a conversation on the phone in advance: they determine the time when it is more convenient for the interlocutor to talk, prepare the questions that need to be asked, mark the main points that need to be discussed.

  • Chatting in Internet

A new word has been invented for the etiquette of communication on the Internet - netiquette. It is no longer possible to imagine a civilized life without the Internet. The modern worker uses email, company website, internal chat, and so on.

The rules for writing business emails overlap with the rules for writing paper letters. It is customary to sign an e-mail not only with the name of the author, but also leave contact information (organization name, index, phone numbers, nickname in Skype, company website address, work schedule).

  • Desktop

On the desktop, according to the rules of etiquette, there must be order. Smooth stacks of papers, books, folders - everything in its place. The employer's and employee's desktop will tell you how it works. The unspoken rule says: the more order on the desktop, the more it is in the head.

  • trade secret

Confidential information and trade secrets are not subject to disclosure.

  • Respect

In behavior and communication, a cultured person expresses respect for the interlocutor, partner, opponent, client. Business etiquette obliges you to be an attentive listener, respect other people's opinions, help a colleague with work, and so on.

  • Business negotiations, meetings, events

The ability to competently negotiate and effectively complete negotiations is a special art. Business etiquette says that negotiations and meetings should have a goal, a plan, a specific time frame and a location that is convenient for both parties.

Business events, such as meeting business partners at the train station or at the airport, introducing delegation members, handing flowers and other actions, are carried out according to the protocol. For example, there are certain seating rules at the negotiating table.

  • Subordination

The boss-subordinate relationship presupposes smooth communication with a certain distance. An ethical boss makes comments to a subordinate only one-on-one. Gives oral and written assignments specifically, concisely, and clearly. An ethical subordinate certainly obeys the orders of the manager, but he can express his point of view, give useful advice, make a proposal.

  • Team relationships

The microclimate in the team is of great importance, it affects the productivity and performance of employees. Business etiquette presupposes friendly, respectful relationships, help and support in solving the assigned tasks. Taboo: gossip, intrigue, intrigue, the Cold War, as well as office romances (personal life is assumed outside of working hours and not in the workplace).

  • Business gestures

Gestures should be energetic, but not excessive or sweeping; gait is even, impetuous, walking speed is average (not jogging or walking); posture is straight; confident look.

The only touch allowed in a business environment is a handshake. At the same time, there are also rules here. When shaking hands, it is not customary for the hand to be sluggish, wet, cold. The interlocutor's hand should not be squeezed and shaken for a long time and strongly. There is a lot of body language psychological literature that looks at business gestures and how they can be interpreted.

To be ethical in a professional environment, you must follow all laws and adhere to the rules of etiquette.

Ethics and business etiquette are studied in general educational institutions, when attending appropriate courses, trainings, seminars, and are mastered independently by a business person.

Ethics as a personality trait

Business qualities of a person - the ability to perform tasks and achieve goals determined by the specifics of work, specialty, qualifications.

There are two types of business qualities:

  1. personal, congenital;
  2. professional, acquired.

When hiring new employees, self-respecting companies conduct psychological testing to diagnose innate and acquired business qualities.

The general and business culture of an employee is no less important than qualifications, ability to work and work experience.

Undoubtedly, when applying for a job, the moral and ethical qualities of a person are taken into account. But these qualities can also be acquired, educated, and imparted in the process of professional activity.

The ethics of a person is expressed in the following manifestations of his morality:

  1. conscience, a sense of personal responsibility for everything that happens in life;
  2. will, developed self-control, clear regulation of behavior;
  3. honesty, the ability to speak the truth and act accordingly;
  4. collectivism, social orientation of activity, friendliness, desire to strive for a common goal;
  5. self-control, stress resistance, control over feelings and emotions;
  6. adherence to principles, consistency, upholding of ethical positions, correspondence of words to actions;
  7. hard work, desire to work, interest in work;
  8. responsibility, seriousness, stability;
  9. generosity, tolerance, humanity, tolerance;
  10. optimism, belief in the best, self-confidence.

Morality and ethics are the basic characteristics of the personality of a cultural leader and employee. A successful person in business has a developed need to act in accordance with the requirements of ethics and morality, to be kind and honest.

Every entrepreneur should understand that in the modern civilized world, not only professionalism, but also the ability to comply with the principles of business ethics is of great importance. How a person adheres to these rules reflects the degree of seriousness in the approach to the matter. Therefore, most experienced businessmen pay special attention to this aspect of behavior.

Ethics of Business Communication

One of the important components of success is a clear regulation of professional communication. In the process of building relationships with potential business partners, it is necessary to adhere to generally accepted ethical standards, which are a system of certain rules that take into account cultural and national traditions. The outcome of negotiations and, consequently, the commercial success of the enterprise largely depends on how competently the code of business ethics is observed.

Universal norms allow not only to correctly place important accents, but also to analyze and even model the behavior of other participants in the process. The ethics of business communication makes it possible to build your own line of behavior, contributing to the normalization of complex relationships with partners. Indeed, in the professional field, it is very important not to allow yourself to be drawn into any conflict situations.


Basic rules of business ethics

In the process of communicating with business partners, it is not enough to show politeness and goodwill. For successful negotiations, you need to follow generally accepted rules. The most important categories on which business ethics is built include many moral and ethical standards. Depending on their interpretation, they can significantly facilitate or, on the contrary, complicate professional communication. A civilized society based on market relations has already had the opportunity to become convinced of the effectiveness of doing business based on a moral foundation. Business and professional ethics contributes to the development of fruitful cooperation, strengthening of partnerships and coordination of interests.


Punctuality is the key to success

The first and most basic rule of business ethics is never to be late for anything. The day of any business person is scheduled literally by the minute, so being late for a business meeting can be regarded as a sign of disrespect for partners. Lack of punctuality is considered one of the most important indicators of a person's insecurity. A true professional knows how to value not only his own time, but also the time of his business partners.


Perseverance and ability to take into account the interests of partners

The commercial success of any enterprise is based on the ability of employees to keep production secrets. Business ethics obliges staff to show consistency in everything that is in one way or another related to technological and personnel issues. In addition, it is unacceptable to talk about the personal life of employees. Stories like these can be perceived as signs of bad taste. An important role in success is assigned to the ability to listen and understand your opponents. Entrepreneurs who build their businesses on an ethical basis are much faster at success.

What should a business person look like?

The rules of business ethics are supposed to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism. This is usually expressed in the presentation of specific requirements for the demeanor and style of clothing of employees. In official institutions, a strict and restrained appearance is encouraged. In such reputable organizations, people who have a sense of their own dignity work. For any reputable business, it is important that staff adhere to generally accepted standards of business ethics, so it is impossible to meet too noisy and uninhibited people here. Full-time workers are required to demonstrate composure and the ability to control their emotions. Employee behavior and dress code can tell a lot about the company itself. These characteristics make it possible to form an almost infallible opinion about intellectual and professional qualities.

Principles of Ethics for Business Conduct by Bosses in Respect of Subordinates

Any leader should strive to transform the company entrusted to him into a cohesive team that adheres to high moral standards of communication. It is important for a good boss that his subordinates not only comply with ethical standards, but also do not feel the slightest discomfort in communication.

If difficulties arise due to dishonesty, the manager should find out the reasons. It is important to be able to find the strengths of any employee, and not endlessly reproach him with an oversight. According to the norms of professional ethics, any criticism must have a constructive background. In business communication, the transition to personalities is unacceptable. Comments made to employees must comply with ethical standards. It is imperative to collect complete information on each specific case and choose the optimal form of communication, and only after that you can ask the employee to give an explanation of the reasons for not completing the task. Do not give staff a reason to doubt that management is in complete control of the situation. The team needs to be encouraged even when the goal has been achieved with the active intervention of the bosses. As a business ethic, it is imperative to be able to admit your own mistakes in your work.


The most common mistakes made by domestic businessmen

In the business sphere, an aggressive and defiant demeanor is absolutely unacceptable. Often, entrepreneurs start bragging about their own accomplishments and unreasonably flaunting a vast array of luxury goods. In all civilized states, such an approach is considered a sign of bad taste, indicating excessive pretentiousness and disrespect for the interests of business partners.

Western entrepreneurs are very attentive to everything that their interlocutor says. Therefore, business ethics absolutely does not allow lengthy reasoning and conversations on abstract topics. Any conclusions and comments must necessarily be subject to detailed analysis, therefore, all stories about limitless possibilities can become a reason for distrustful and wary attitude on the part of foreign colleagues.

The majority of domestic entrepreneurs often make vague statements incomprehensible to most foreign colleagues. At the heart of any business is the solution of specific tasks that allow you to achieve certain goals. Any business negotiations should result in the clarification of important issues.

2.1. Ethics of Business Communication

Business communication is a necessary part of human life, the most important type of relationship with other people. Eternal and one of the main regulators of these relations are ethical norms, which express our ideas about good and evil, justice and injustice, right or wrong of people's actions. And, communicating in business cooperation with his subordinates, boss or colleagues, everyone, one way or another, consciously or spontaneously, relies on these ideas. But depending on how a person understands moral norms, what content he invests in them, to what extent he generally takes them into account in communication, he can both facilitate his business communication, make it more effective, help in solving tasks and achieving goals, and make this communication difficult or even impossible.

Ethics(from Greek- custom, disposition) - the doctrine of morality, morality. The term "ethics" was first used by Aristotle (384-322 BC) to denote a practical philosophy that must answer the question of what we must do in order to do the right, moral actions.

Morality(from lat. - moral) is a system of ethical values ​​that are recognized by a person. Morality is the most important way of normative regulation of social relations, communication and behavior of people in various spheres of social life - in the family, everyday life, politics, science, work, etc.

The inner conflict between the lofty ideal and practical calculation, moral duty and direct

natural desire always exists in all spheres of life. But it manifests itself especially intensely in ethics of business communication, because it is in this type of communication that the main subject about which it is formed is external to individuals.

The ethics of business communication can be defined as a set of moral norms, rules and concepts that regulate the behavior and attitudes of people in the process of their production activities. It is a special case of ethics in general and contains its main characteristics.

In the socio-philosophical plane, the ethics of business communication is determined by the socio-economic structure of society, the structure of its social organization and the dominant type of social consciousness. In a traditional society, the main mechanism of business communication is ritual, tradition and custom. The norms, values ​​and standards of business ethics correspond to them.

The primary role of the ethical norms of ritual and custom was assigned in the business communication of ancient Chinese society. It is no accident that the famous Confucius (551-479 BC) put duty, justice, virtue in the first place in relations between people, subordinating benefits and benefits to them, although he did not oppose them to each other. His ideal person, a noble husband (tsun-tzu), first displays duty, then gains benefits. This is related to his difference from the ignoble, "small man", which consists in the fact that: "The noble man comprehended justice, the small man comprehended the benefit."

Confucius contains a large number of sayings on the ethics of communication and business behavior. First of all, they relate to the principles of communication between a leader and a subordinate and the disclosure of those norms and principles of communication that make it the most effective and efficient from an ethical point of view:

"When the ruler loves justice, no one dares to be disobedient, when the ruler loves the truth, no one among the people dares to be dishonest."

"Be reverent and honest with others."

"I listen to the words of people and watch their actions."

"Keep two ends, but use the middle."

"A noble husband, when he leads people, he uses the talents of everyone, a small man, when he leads people, he demands universals from them."

“A noble man ... when he looks, he thinks if he saw clearly; but he hears - thinks if he heard correctly; he wonders if the expression on his face is affectionate, whether his manners are respectful, whether his speech is sincere, whether his attitude to business is reverent; when in doubt, thinks about consulting; when he gets angry, he thinks about negative consequences. "

"Without knowing the ritual, you cannot establish yourself."

"When you cannot correct yourself, how will you correct others?"

The sayings of the great philosopher concerning the ethical norms of communication have not lost their relevance today. Following them will undoubtedly be of great help in establishing effective communication and will help to avoid many mistakes in business communication. In fact, can that "path of the golden mean" - the path of compromise, which Confucius preached, asserting the need to "keep two ends and use the middle", can lose its relevance? No less relevant today is his aphorism: “I listen to the words of people and look at their actions”, which expresses the need to observe the unity of word and deed, the need to check the word by deed. Is it possible to disagree with the opinion of the thinker that in business communication, everyone should correspond to their status and take into account the status of the other.

As in the East, in Western Europe since ancient times, great attention has been paid to the need to take into account ethical norms and values ​​in business communication, their influence on the efficiency of doing business is constantly emphasized. So, already Socrates (470-399 BC) says that "who knows how to deal with people, he does well both private and general affairs, and who does not know how, he makes mistakes here and there." However, unlike the eastern one, the Western European cultural tradition is more pragmatic. Economic, material interest is brought to the fore here, but at the same time much attention is paid to the status nature of communication.

The main criterion of fairness in business communication, according to Aristotle, is the principle of "proportional equality", according to which "the one who has suffered great toil receives a lot, and the one who has borne little - little." This characteristic of business communication, when economic interest, material result, profit is brought to the fore as a concentrated criterion of human activity and communication, becomes dominant and all-encompassing with the development of capitalism. The ultimate criterion of justice or injustice is the ability to successfully conduct business, business pragmatism.

From the point of view of Protestantism, lay believers should approach business with the same ethical standards and energy as they approach serving God. The work itself, the profession is seen as God's calling and holy work. Therefore, making a profit in the ethics of Protestantism is also considered a godly deed. But at the same time, there is a very important condition: the business must be useful to others and be carried out in compliance with the ethical standards of business communication and conduct in business. These moral standards are as follows: honesty, truthfulness, commitment, hard work, fairness, keeping promises and contracts.

Karen Horney, Erich Fromm have convincingly shown that modern "developed capitalism" (E. Fromm) at every step gives rise to a person with a "market character", whose main goal in business communication is to sell himself at a higher price. All high moral principles and values, including Christian ones, are immediately forgotten as soon as it comes to profit. At the same time, in business communication, not only morality is lost, but also personal self-identification. Since in a market orientation a person considers his strength and capabilities as a product intended for sale, he cannot say to himself: “I am what I do,” but is forced to live according to the principle: “I am what you want me to be ".

From this position, which can be called "business Machiavellianism", ethical norms and the very language of ethics are considered as a hindrance in business communication. It tries to avoid talking about morality, ethical ideals, duty and social responsibilities, because as a result,

There are “superfluous”, “irrelevant” problems concerning moral and social responsibility.

An extreme case of unethical behavior of businessmen and business leaders is violation of the law. But unethical behavior should also be considered various types of actions by companies that do not take appropriate measures to eliminate defects in their products that can lead to harmful consequences for the public. Therefore, in the concept of "ethics of business communication" also includes the concern of enterprise managers about the quality of their products, responsibility for the harm that it can cause to the population.

The second position in relation to the contradiction between ethics and business is v the fact that compliance with ethical standards in business communication is recognized as important not only from the point of view of the responsibility of businessmen to society and themselves, but also necessary for the efficiency of production. In this case, ethics is viewed not only as a necessary moral imperative of behavior, but also as a means (tool) that helps to increase profitability, contributes to strengthening business ties and improving business communication. It seems that this approach is more civilized and more effective.

Business ethics should be considered in its various manifestations: in the relationship between the enterprise and the social environment; between enterprises; within one enterprise - between a manager and subordinates, between a subordinate and a manager, between people of the same status. The task is to formulate such principles of business communication that would not only correspond to each type of business communication, but also do not contradict the general moral principles of human behavior.

The ethics of business communication should be based on coordination and, if possible, harmonization of interests. Naturally, if it is carried out by ethical means and in the name of morally justifiable goals.

Particular attention should be paid to the golden rule of communication ethics: Treat others the way you would like to be treated. In negative form, in Confucius's wording, it reads: “What you don’t wish for yourself, don’t do to others.” This rule applies to business communication as well.

In business communication in relation to a manager to a subordinate, the golden rule of ethics can be formulated as follows: "Treat your subordinate the way you would like the manager to treat you." The art and success of business communication is largely determined by the ethical norms and principles that the leader uses in relation to his subordinates. Let us give moral standards and patterns of leader behavior:

Strive to transform your organization into a cohesive team with high communication standards. Educate employees about the goals of the organization. A person will only feel morally and psychologically comfortable when he becomes identified with the collective. At the same time, everyone strives to remain an individual and wants to be respected for who he is.

If there are problems and difficulties associated with unfairness, the manager should find out the reasons for it. If we are talking about ignorance, then you should not endlessly reproach the subordinate with his weaknesses and shortcomings. Think about what you can do to help him overcome them. When doing this, build on the strengths of his personality.

If the employee did not comply with your order, you need to make it clear that you know about it, otherwise he may decide that he has conducted you. Moreover, if the manager did not make a corresponding remark to the subordinate, then he simply does not fulfill his duties and acts unethically.

The comment to the employee must comply with ethical standards. Gather all the information for the case. Choose the right form of communication. First, ask the employee himself to explain the reason for the failure to complete the assignment, perhaps he will give you facts you do not know. Make your comments one-on-one: respect for the person's dignity and feelings.

Criticize actions and deeds, not the person's personality.

When appropriate, use the "sandwich" technique - hide criticism between two compliments.

tami. End the conversation on a friendly note, and soon take the time to talk to the person to show them that you are holding no grudge.

Never advise a subordinate on how to deal with personal matters. If the advice helps, you probably won't be thanked. If it doesn’t help, you will be held responsible.

Don't overgrow with pets. Treat employees as equal members and all by the same yardstick.

Never give employees the opportunity to notice that you are out of control if you want to maintain their respect.

Observe the principle of distributive justice: the more merit, the more the reward should be.

Encourage your team even if success is mainly due to the success of the leader himself.

Build subordinate self-esteem. A job well done deserves not only material, but also moral encouragement. Do not be lazy to praise the employee once again.

The privileges you give yourself should extend to other members of the team as well.

Trust your employees and admit your own mistakes at work. The members of the collective all the same, one way or another, will find out about them. But hiding mistakes is a manifestation of weakness and dishonesty.

Protect your people and be loyal to them. They will answer you in kind.

Choose the correct form of order, taking into account first of all two factors: 1) the situation, the availability of time for nuances, 2) the personality of the subordinate - who is in front of you, a conscientious and qualified employee or a person who needs to be pushed at every step. Depending on this, one should choose the ethically most acceptable norms of behavior and forms of disposal.

By order forms can be: an order, a request, a request and an appeal to the so-called "volunteer".

Order. Most often it should be used in an emergency, as well as in relation to unscrupulous employees.

Request. It is used if the situation is ordinary, and the relationship between the manager and the subordinate is based on trust and goodwill. This form allows the employee to express their opinion on the problem.

Question."Does it make sense to do this?", "How should we do it?" Best used when you want to spark a discussion about how to get the job done better or nudge an employee to take the lead. In doing so, employees must express goodwill and be sufficiently qualified. Otherwise, some may perceive your question as a manifestation of weakness and incompetence.

"Volunteer"."Who wants to do this?" Suitable for a situation where no one wants to do the job, but nevertheless it must be done. In this case, the volunteer hopes that his enthusiasm will be appropriately appreciated in future work.

Here are some necessary ethical standards and principles that can be used in the business communication of subordinates with a manager:

Try to help the leader in creating a friendly moral atmosphere in the team, strengthening fair relations. Remember, your boss needs this first.

Do not try to impose your point of view or command the leader. Provide your suggestions or comments with courtesy and tact. You cannot directly order him to do something, but you can say: "How would you react if ...?" etc.

If a joyful or, on the contrary, unpleasant event is impending or has already happened in the team, then it is necessary to inform the manager about this. In case of trouble, try to help ease the way out of this situation, offer your solution.

Do not speak categorically with your boss, do not always say only "yes" or only "no."

An eternally supportive employee is annoying and gives the impression of a flatterer. The person who always says no is a constant irritant.

Be loyal and reliable, but don't be sneaky. Have your own character and principles. A person who does not have a stable character and firm principles cannot be relied on, his actions cannot be foreseen.

You should not ask for help, advice, suggestions, etc. "over your head", immediately to the head of your manager, except in emergency cases. Otherwise, your behavior may be regarded as disrespect or disregard for the opinion of your boss, or as a doubt about his competence. In any case, your immediate supervisor in this case loses authority and dignity.

If you have been given responsibility, gently raise the issue of your rights. Remember that responsibility cannot be realized without an appropriate degree of discretion.

Ethics of business communication "horizontally". The general ethical principle of communication "horizontally", that is, between colleagues (leaders or ordinary members of the group), can be formulated as follows: "In business communication, treat your colleague the way you would like him to treat you." If you are at a loss how to behave in a given situation, put yourself in the shoes of your colleague.

When it comes to fellow executives, keep in mind that finding the right tone and acceptable standards of business communication with peers from other departments is not easy. Especially when it comes to communication and relationships within one enterprise.

Here are some principles of ethical business communication between colleagues:

Do not ask yourself for any special treatment or special privileges from another.

Try to achieve a clear separation of rights and responsibilities in the common work.

If your responsibilities overlap with your colleagues, this is a very dangerous situation. If the manager does not differentiate your duties and responsibilities from others, try to do it yourself.

In relationships between colleagues from other departments, you should be responsible for your own department, and not blame your subordinates.

If you are asked to temporarily transfer your employee to another department, do not send unscrupulous and unqualified people there - after all, they will judge you and your department as a whole by him. Remember, it may happen that you will be treated in the same immoral way.

Don't prejudice your coworkers. As much as possible, discard prejudice and gossip in dealing with them.

Call your interlocutors by name and try to do it more often.

Smile, be friendly, and use a variety of techniques and tools to show that you are kind to the other person. Remember, what you sow is what you reap.

Don't make promises you can't keep. Don't exaggerate your value and business opportunities. If they do not come true, you will be uncomfortable, even if there were objective reasons for it.

Do not meddle in a person's soul. At work, it is not customary to ask about personal matters, let alone problems.

Try to listen not to yourself, but to someone else.

Do not try to appear better, smarter, more interesting than you really are. Sooner or later, everything will come out and fall into place.

Send impulses of your sympathies - with a word ^ with a glance, with a gesture, let the communication participant understand that he is of interest to you. Smile, look straight in the eyes.

View your coworker as a person to be respected in and of itself, not as a means to your own ends.

Ethical standards for business communication and conduct should describe the general system and rules of ethics that

rykh, in the opinion of the organization, should be adhered to by its employees. These guidelines are designed to improve business communication at different levels and in different areas of the organization. The purpose of their creation is to establish a normal moral atmosphere and determine ethical recommendations in decision-making.

In the West, organizations usually communicate ethical standards to their employees in the form of printed materials. Some firms set up working groups or standing ethics committees. Others hire a business ethicist called an ethics advocate. Its role is reduced to the development of judgments on ethical issues, including the ethics of business communication. In Russia, unfortunately, the ethics of business communication and, in general, business ethics have not yet been given due attention.

Questions for self-control

1. Give a definition of the concepts of "ethics", "communication", "business communication", "ethics of business communication".

2. What are the features of the ethics of business communication in traditional society?

3. What are the main positions on the issue of the relationship between ethics and business that exist today.

4. What, in your opinion, is the role of ethics in business communication?

5. What are the basic principles of ethics in business communication between a manager and a subordinate.

6. What are the basic principles of ethics in business communication between a subordinate and a manager.

7. What are the main principles of ethics of business communication "horizontally" (between colleagues).

2.2. Business etiquette and culture

Etiquette (from French etiquette) means an established order of conduct elsewhere. This is the most general definition of etiquette.

Culture of behavior- actions and forms of communication of people based on morality, aesthetic taste and compliance with certain rules and regulations. The true culture of behavior is the organic unity of the internal and external culture of a person, the ability to find the correct line of behavior even in a non-standard, and sometimes in an extreme situation.

Business Etiquette- the most important aspect of the morality of professional behavior of a business person, an entrepreneur. Knowing it is a necessary professional quality that must be acquired and constantly improved. Almost 70% of deals beneficial for business people did not take place due to the fact that Russian businessmen do not know the rules of business communication and do not have a culture of behavior. This figure is confirmed by international experience. So, back in 1936, Dale Carnegie wrote: "The success of this or that person in his financial affairs depends on 15 percent of his professional knowledge and 85 percent on his ability to communicate with people." Quite a lot of careers collapse and money is lost due to improper behavior or bad manners. Knowing this, the Japanese spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year on training in good manners and advice on etiquette and culture of behavior. They are well aware that the success of any company largely depends on the ability of its employees, on their ability to work together to achieve a common goal.

We emphasize that the observance of business etiquette, the ability to behave culturally is especially important when working with representatives of foreign companies, when traveling to conclude transactions abroad. Many “new Russians” have a bad taste in clothing, jewelry, and demeanor. Foreign entrepreneurs who respect themselves and the honor of their company often stop all negotiations after the very first meeting. The behavior of such “new Russians” can be assessed with words from the famous fairy tale by A.S. Pushkin about an old woman who "can neither step nor speak."

In order not to get into an absurd situation, you need to know the rules of good form. In the old days, they were taught by Peter the Great. In 1709 he issued a decree according to which anyone who behaved “in violation of these

chum ". Perhaps it is necessary to introduce punishment for those domestic businessmen who make a laughing stock not only of themselves, but also casts a shadow on Russian entrepreneurship.

So, knowledge of business etiquette, the ability to behave culturally is the basis of entrepreneurial success.

Etiquette is a historical phenomenon. The rules of human behavior changed with changes in the living conditions of society, the specific social environment. Etiquette arose during the period of the birth of absolute monarchies. It was necessary to adhere to certain rules of behavior, the ceremonial was necessary for the exaltation of royal persons: emperors, kings, kings, princes, princes, dukes, etc., to consolidate the hierarchy within the class society itself. Not only a career, but also a person's life often depended on the knowledge of etiquette and the fulfillment of its rules. So it was in Ancient Egypt, China, Rome, the Golden Horde. Violation of etiquette led to enmity between tribes, peoples and even to wars.

The process of mutual enrichment by the rules of behavior made it possible to develop mutually acceptable, generally recognized etiquette, enshrined in customs and traditions. Etiquette began to prescribe norms of behavior at work, on the street, at a party, at business and diplomatic receptions, in the theater, on public transport, etc.

The rules of etiquette, clothed in specific forms of behavior, indicate the unity of its two sides: moral and ethical and aesthetic. The first side is the expression of a moral standard: preventive care, respect, protection, etc. The second side - the aesthetic one - testifies to the beauty, grace of forms of behavior.

But besides the rules of cultural behavior, there is also professional etiquette. In life, there have always been and will remain relationships that ensure the highest efficiency in the performance of professional functions. Participants in any interaction always try to maintain the most optimal forms of this interaction and rules of behavior. For example, in an organization, a newcomer will be required to strictly adhere to well-established and proven rules of business communication, so

how they facilitate the performance of professional functions, contribute to the achievement of goals. In a particular collective, a group of workers, employees, business people, certain traditions are formed, which over time acquire the strength of moral principles and constitute the etiquette of a given group, community.

Business etiquette is defined, in part, as a code of conduct in business that represents the outside of business communication.

Business etiquette is the result of a long selection of rules and forms of the most appropriate behavior that contributed to the success in business relationships. Business etiquette includes strict adherence to the rules of a culture of behavior, which presupposes, first of all, deep respect for the human person. This sincere respect should become an integral part of the nature of a leader, a businessman. He needs to learn to believe in the decency of people. At the first meeting, you cannot even find a sign that you suspect that your interlocutor may deceive you. Behavior should be based on a moral assessment: a business partner is a good person! Unless, of course, he has proven otherwise by his actions.

The culture of behavior in business communication is unthinkable without adherence to the rules verbal(verbal, speech) etiquette, associated with the forms and manners of speech, vocabulary, that is, with all style of speech, accepted in the communication of this circle of business people. There are historically developed stereotypes of speech communication. They were previously used by Russian merchants and entrepreneurs, and now they are used by cultural Russian and foreign business people. These are the words: "ladies", "gentlemen", "sudari" and "madam", "dear colleagues".

In a business conversation, you need be able to give an answer to any question. Even for the simplest, asked several times every day, "How are you?", You must always remember about the sense of proportion. To answer nothing is impolite; to mumble "normal" and walk by is also impolite, if not rude; to indulge in long discussions about their affairs - to be known as a bore. In such cases, business etiquette prescribes to answer something like the following: “Thank you, okay”, “Spa

Thank you, while complaining is a sin ", and in turn ask:" I hope that everything is fine with you? " Such answers are neutral, they reassure everyone, they follow the prevailing norms in Russia: "Don't jinx when things are going well."

In verbal (verbal, speech) communication, business etiquette involves the use of various psychological techniques. One of them - "Formula of stroking." These are verbal phrases such as: "Good luck to you!"

The etiquette and tact of a business person is manifested at every step - during a fleeting conversation with a subordinate, colleague, at a production meeting, etc. Unfortunately, sometimes officials abuse the form of addressing "you". They turn to "you" subordinates who are much older than them in age, but say "you" to a young superior boss. In the form of addressing "you", disregard for the subordinate is manifested.

Etiquette of service, business relations requires strict adherence to speech standards both in interpersonal communication and during business conversations and meetings. When you are talking to people (or even one person), conduct the conversation so that no one bothers you. All matters, with the exception of emergency, sudden ones, can wait.

In the speech etiquette of business people, compliments- pleasant words expressing approval, a positive assessment of activities in business, emphasizing the taste in clothes, appearance, the balance of the partner's actions, that is, an assessment of the mind of a business partner.

Business etiquette dictates strict adherence in negotiations country code of conduct- business partner. The rules of communication between people are associated with the way and style of life, national customs and traditions. All this is the result of centuries of life experience, the way of life of previous generations of this or that people. Whatever the traditions, the rules of conduct, you have to follow them, if, of course, you want to succeed. The proverb “They don’t go to a strange monastery with their own charter” is especially true here. It is often necessary to observe

all the rules even if they are not to your liking. Business interests are above your tastes and preferences.

There are many examples of the peculiarities of the rules of conduct for businessmen in different countries. If, for example, Americans, to emphasize their disposition, pat you on the shoulder in a friendly way and willingly accept the same gesture from you, then patting a Japanese on the shoulder or trying to hug a Chinese or Vietnamese in a friendly hug can ruin your deal.

During a business conversation with Italians, try not to demonstrate your rejection of their loud, overly lively speech, the fervor of discussing even an insignificant issue, and when communicating with the Japanese, do not be surprised at their use of super-polite phrases. Overpoliteness towards a partner and "humiliation" of one's own "I" (for example, "I, unworthy, and my insignificant wife invite you, Honorable and noble, to visit us") do not interfere, but help the Japanese to conduct their affairs perfectly. It is difficult to find another business partner who would have calculated the most incredible options for an upcoming transaction with such scrupulousness in advance and set so many different (financial, legal, etc.) traps for his negotiating partner as a Japanese. Japanese super-politeness is a kind of drug that lulls the vigilance of a negotiating partner.

It is also important to follow certain rules regarding clothes and appearance. A super-trendy suit is completely optional. It is important that it is in good condition, does not hang in a bag, and the trousers should not resemble a greasy old accordion. The suit should be in place and at the right time. If negotiations with partners are scheduled for the daytime, a light suit will do. Pants and jacket can be of different colors. But if negotiations are going on in the evening, the suit should be dark, the shirt must be fresh and ironed, the tie must not be flashy, the boots must be cleaned. The elegance of a business person is determined by the shirt, tie and shoes, not the number of suits that he brought with him.

To travel abroad, it is enough to have three sets of clothes: dark and light suits, a decent jacket

and a sweater for walking. If the route of your trip passes through the countries of the East, then remember that women should not wear trousers, they should not appear on the street, in public places without stockings or tights (especially in countries professing Islam), and men in bright ties.

It must be remembered that there are no trifles in a business relationship. For business, etiquette means a lot. The clothes, behavior of an entrepreneur, a manager are his business card. They begin to form an idea about the guest in advance, collecting information about him. Sources of information are the behavior of a businessman on the way to the place of a business meeting, behavior in a hotel, during the meeting itself. Remember, you are surrounded by people everywhere who study you with varying degrees of bias.

Compliance with the most important rules of behavior with strangers is a sign of your respectability, good breeding, and self-confidence. There are a number of rules of conduct in various types of transport- on an airplane, train, car. A long journey is conducive to a leisurely conversation. We must be able to lead it. First of all, one should not abuse the attention of fellow travelers, not strive to seize all aspects of the conversation as quickly as possible, not be too talkative: talkativeness is a sign of bad taste, the other extreme is isolation.

1. The role and place of business etiquette in professional activities

Word " etiquette”- of French origin. It means "label", "label", "ceremonial".

Etiquette- this is a set of rules for human behavior in society, the norms of relationships between people of different legal, social, intellectual status.

There are several types of etiquette:

  • · military etiquette(regulating communication between warriors);
  • · diplomatic etiquette(protocol);
  • · Business Etiquette(rules of business communication);
  • · family etiquette(relationship of family members).

Business Etiquette- This is a set of rules that determine the culture of relationships between those who are engaged or intend to engage in joint activities.

Business etiquette affects all aspects of business interaction. It includes the rules for communication between colleagues, between managers and subordinates; standards of decency during official meetings; conditions for conducting productive telephone conversations; rules for the preparation of business documents.

TO basic etiquette requirements that determine the tactics of everyday actions and deeds, include: politeness; gallantry; courtesy; correctness; tolerance; modesty; tact; commitment, accuracy. They are all interconnected, and each of them brings its own accents and nuances to the relationship.

Business etiquette is manifested in the ability to present oneself, in tact, benevolence, the ability to show empathy; in the culture of oral and written speech; in following the rules of telephone conversations and telecommunications; in the ability to effectively manage based on the rules of business management; in mastering the secrets of business negotiations; in self-control and self-esteem in conflict situations.

Main function or the meaning of etiquette, is defined as the formation of such rules of behavior in society that contribute to mutual understanding between people in the process of communication. Second by value function of etiquette is a function of convenience, that is, expediency and practicality.

In the civilized world, business etiquette is considered an economic category. Where etiquette is involved, higher productivity, better results. The rules of business etiquette ensure the effectiveness of negotiations, help to achieve mutual understanding in a common matter, most favorably present oneself at a business meeting, with dignity to get out of a critical, conflict situation. In addition, etiquette, by virtue of its vitality, creates a pleasant psychological climate conducive to business contacts. If all employees observe business etiquette, adhere to high standards of behavior, then a positive atmosphere is created in the team, the microclimate is improved, there are fewer conflicts and nervous diseases, higher labor productivity, higher quality of decisions made, more rational use of working time, etc.

Thus, observance of business etiquette is an essential element of the professional activity of any person, since, as an established procedure for conduct in the field of business contacts, it helps to avoid mistakes or smooth them out in accessible, generally accepted ways.

2. Relationship between business etiquette and business ethics

One of the main regulators of business communication is ethical standards, which express ideas about good and evil, justice and injustice, the correctness or incorrectness of people's actions.

Ethical standards- these are the values ​​and rules of ethics that employees of the organization must adhere to in their activities.

Business ethics is a set of norms of behavior and requirements for the nature of communication in the business sphere, the style of work and the appearance of a business person.

Business ethics are based on fundamental principles.

Business Ethics Principles is a generalized expression of moral requirements that indicate the necessary behavior of participants in a business relationship.

P.N. Shikhirev cites 10 modern ethical principles of business conduct:

  • 1. Never do anything that is not in your long-term interests or the interests of your company.
  • 2. Never do something that could not be said to be really honest, open and true, which could be announced to the whole country.
  • 3. Never do that which is not good, which does not contribute to the feeling of being united, since we are all working towards the same goal.
  • 4. Never do what violates the law, because the law sets out the minimum moral standards of society.
  • 5. Never do what does not lead to greater good than harm to the society in which you live.
  • 6. Never do what you would not like to recommend to others who find themselves in a similar situation.
  • 7. Never do anything that infringes upon the established rights of others.
  • 8. Always do so to maximize profits within the limits of the law, market requirements and full cost considerations.
  • 9. Never do anything that would hurt the weakest in our society.
  • 10. Never do anything that would interfere with the right of another person to self-development and self-realization.

Ethics of business relations is based on rules and norms of behavior developed by more than one generation of people. It is based on the fundamental norms of ethics, which include: respect for the self-esteem and personal status of another person, understanding the interests and motives of others' behavior, social responsibility for their psychological security, etc. Business ethics are taken into account in its various manifestations: in the relationship between the enterprise and the social environment; between enterprises; within one enterprise - between the manager and subordinates, between people of the same status. Ethical norms and rules act as a regulator of relationships in a team, which will either contribute to the successful operation of the organization, promoting the development of cooperation and strengthen business relationships, or will create obstacles that lead to the disintegration of the organization.

The established rules and norms of business ethics are enshrined in business etiquette, the general requirement of which is considered to be an affable and helpful attitude towards all colleagues at work, partners, regardless of personal likes and dislikes

Control questions:

  • 1. What is etiquette and business etiquette?
  • 2. What is the manifestation of business etiquette and what are its functions?
  • 3. What is business ethics and ethics?
  • 4. What are the 10 modern ethical principles of business conduct?

Modern business is not only about commodity-money relations. If we push aside the economic component, then we can see that business relationships play a significant role in making profitable deals, career growth or successful management of a company.

Business ethics and business relationships are an essential element in building professionalism. The civilized world forces any business person to know the basic rules of good manners. By concluding deals at the international level and going beyond the bounds of decency, a business person risks losing business ties and at least losing his reputation with foreign colleagues. Therefore, the culture and ethics of business relations is the main factor of successful activity after the economic component.

Ethics and etiquette of business relations

The relationship that is established within the organization largely determines its further activities and the success of its development. In order to carry out these activities at the proper level, each employee, regardless of what position he occupies, must comply with the basic principles of business ethics. Such behavior of a manager or of the entire company is considered ethical when it contributes to development without violating any ethical standards. In other words, the behavior of each employee is the image of the entire organization as a whole, and the attitude of business partners, customers and others to the organization will depend on his ability to build communication.

Business ethics in an organization is based on a number of principles:

  • the manager is obliged to tolerate the moral foundations that exist in other countries and regions;
  • in the work of a manager, when making decisions, individual and collective principles must be reasonably combined;
  • since the observance of ethical norms is based on social and psychological methods, their long-term application is necessary to obtain the desired result.

Also, business ethics provides for the presence of the principles of personality and professionalism. The first type of principles includes the provisions that honor is more valuable than profit, violence and threats are not ways to achieve business goals, and the basis of relations is respect for the participants in a common cause and self-respect. The principles of professionalism include doing business according to the means, justifying the trust of customers and partners, striving to gain a reliable reputation and worthy competition.

Ethics of business and business relations, like any part of culture, presupposes the existence of certain norms and rules. In business, these rules are as follows:

Business ethics must be adhered to by all employees of the organizations. For the company to be successful and fruitful, managers must establish positive relationships with their subordinates and implement ethical rules based on true human values ​​that will be respected within the organization. Ultimately, the organization should become a single organism, moving towards a common goal, and adherence to business ethics and business relations will be an excellent help in forming a team of like-minded people and professionals in their field.

Editor's Choice
The masterpiece "The Savior of the World" (a post about which I posted yesterday), aroused mistrust. And it seemed to me that I needed to tell a little about him ...

"Savior of the World" is a painting by Leonardo Da Vinci that has long been considered lost. Her customer is usually called the king of France ...

Dmitry Dibrov is a well-known personality on domestic television. He attracted special attention after becoming a host ...

A charming singer with an exotic appearance, perfectly mastering the technique of oriental dance - all this is a Colombian Shakira. The only one...
Exam essay Topic: "Romanticism as a trend in art." Performed by a student of 11 "B" class secondary school No. 3 Boyprav Anna ...
One of the most famous works of Chukovsky about a slob boy and the head of all washcloths - the famous Moidodyr. All things run away from ...
Read with this article: TNT TV channel constantly pleases its viewers with a variety of entertainment entertainment shows. Mostly,...
The finale of the talent show Voice of the 6th season took place on Channel One, and everyone knew the name of the winner of the popular musical project - Selim became it ...
Andrey MALAKHOV (shot from Channel One), Boris KORCHEVNIKOV And then the fake "experts" fool us from the TV screens.