Business Etiquette Handling Meetings With Colleagues – Is It Dangerous To Your Show?
December 12, 2010 by Special Events Answers
Filed under Business Meeting Etiquette
Business Etiquette Handling Meetings With Colleagues – Is It Dangerous To Your Show?
Business Etiquette Handling Meetings With Colleagues needs to be given consideration also when planning shows. They say, in show biz, that you should not work with children and animals, but I think sometimes they should add, with colleagues also. One of my mentors once told me “Never go into business with friends…because you trust them too much!” Doing business with friends and colleagues certainly has risks as there are unspoken expectations, which often lead to misunderstandings. So, I have these rules with regards to doing business with friends and colleagues as it certainly has risks: Rule number 1: Always treat your friends the same in business as people you do not know Rule number 2: If you are not sure what to do refer back to rule number 1! One of my friends once rented a condominium from me and I counted the rent in front of him and he said “What you don’t trust me?” I replied: “This is not about trust, it’s good business practice. I want to make sure that everything was OK and that you hadn’t paid me too much…now business is concluded…let’s go for coffee my friend!” I am not sure if he fully understood what I meant, but business is business, profit and loss is business, deadlines and responsibilities to complete agreements is business… …and friendship is friendship. So when doing business with friends and colleagues, the starting point should be the agreement that you are conducting business and that all business rules and practices will be done in the normal way and that neither party should be offended during the deal. Working like this should be normal practice and will in the long run produce better results for you, your business partners and ultimately your final shows. Business Etiquette Handling Meetings With Colleagues should be treated the same as any other client. Be on time, be respectful, send confirming emails and letters, follow things up in writing and all the rest of the normal business practices that are carried out in any good business relationship. I have been disappointed too many times by friends in business to know that everything will go smooth simply because you are friends. If anything, results maybe worse, because you don’t want to say things to your friend as you may upset them. This holding back maybe critical to show success. If you have to work with friends or colleagues, make sure that it is done in a professional manner right from the start. At the end of the day Business Etiquette Handling Meetings With Colleagues needs special attention.
