As a certified public accountant, I’m required to earn at least 80 hours every two years of continuing professional education credits. Many other professions and trades, including lawyers, healthcare professionals, engineers, electricians, plumbers and certain contractors, have similar requirements. These professional requirements often also include ethics training.
But just getting a refresher on ethics isn’t enough. Something else is needed – something that’s even more important: etiquette. One venture capital firm is trying to address that problem.
According to a recent story, the firm conducts an “etiquette finishing school” for startup founders and tech entrepreneurs so that they can “learn how to dress and socialize, as well as how to overcome their fear of fish eggs”. Among the topics covered are the importance of wearing a suit and tie to a presentation, understanding how to “approach different rooms”, selecting wines and how to eat caviar. While I’m sure this may be important for some, it’s completely valueless for most.
Etiquette goes way beyond fish eggs. It’s becoming a critical management skill. The Encyclopedia Britannica defines etiquette as a system of rules and conventions that regulate social and professional behavior.
According to them, “in any social unit there are accepted rules of behavior upheld and enforced by legal codes; there are also norms of behavior mandated by custom and enforced by group pressure.” Etiquette isn’t just about dressing or socializing – or eating caviar. It’s about saying please and thank you. It’s about being on time for meetings.
It’s about putting your phone away when having an in-person conversation and letting another driver merge in front of you in traffic. Etiquette means keeping your shoes and socks on your feet during a flight and not bringing a smelly food on the plane. It’s holding the door for the next person.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
