Sunday, January 31, 2010
Business Etiqutte & Service Excellene Personal Reflection
Prologue
Aziz Bin Zainuddin is a student from Temasek Polytechnic. He is currently undertaking a course in Leisure & Resort Management, focusing on the Hospitality and tourism Industry. Known for his keen mind & an acute desire for success, he is set to make his mark. This journal focuses on his experience, as well as his reflections on Business etiquette & Service Excellence, a discipline which is integral in the real world. Follow through his journey into a realm filled with surprises, and be prepared for a thrilling and exhilarating account, full of subjectivity and critique.
Building Professional Presence
“ You never get a second chance for a good first impression” - Anonymous
How important, really, is first impressions?Well, to accurately answer this century-old poser, let’s view and interpret a simple example.
Person A Person B
Now, imagine you are a Human Resource manager interviewing 2 individuals (as shown above) for a job position in your company. Given the choice, who would you rather pick? Which individual, in your perception, will have the highest potential to contribute success for your company?
The answer is quite straight-forward isn’t it? Person A would be the obvious choice.
For one, his dressing sends a far more powerful image. Wearing a full suit that includes a blazer, shirt, tie, dark pants and a pair of polished shoes portrays his professionalism and a compelling interest for the job. His grooming, alongside his palpable poised nature, further consolidates his first impression. This added-value or formidable advantage that the individual possess is simply called a good first impression.
Fast Facts: Psychologists, writers and seminar leaders caution that you only have seven to 17 seconds of interacting with strangers before they form an opinion of you. Worse yet, it takes them three times as long to change their minds about you.
There’s a cliché saying that “You can’t judge a book by its cover”, and no doubt, it’s a fact. However, disparaging this fact will most definitely benefit an individual. Why? Because first impressions is crucial to an individual’s image, one that will enhance a person’s appeal in the form of a superior advantage. Of course, first impressions will mean nothing if one doesn’t substantiate his image through his credentials and capabilities. Frankly, I was a firm follower of the cliché statement mentioned above since young, but when I was taught Business Etiquette, my perspectives took a change. Challenge the statement I did and the rest was history. A sudden realization at a point of time totally changed my outlook. To me, it was palpable that if people’s first impression of you is on a positive light, life is made easier. You will seem more reliable, appealing and attractive to them. Viewing this as an advantage in the future, I altered my image. Stylish hairstyles, atypical clothing, negative body postures, improper verbal communication methods were concealed or obliterated. A new man I was, a more self-conscious person I became. Changing my image meant that I had to alter my outer appearance first. Neat haircuts, apparels which flatter my physique, positive body postures and rhetorical verbal communication skills are aspects which I concentrated on. I soon comprehend that a good first impression takes much time and effort for an individual to construct and even harder, to maintain. All this, just for an impeccable first impression. But a good first impression could be the defining moment for one’s life, whether for an individual who enters the interviewing room for his dream job, or for an individual in the brink of getting a job promotion. The return on investment on first impressions far exceeds the effort and cost that one devotes. This, ladies and gentleman, is a discipline which when practiced, will profit and prosper its practitioner, not only in the short-term, but in the long run as well. Enhancing my image impacted my self-confidence. Wearing aesthetically pleasing outfits raised my confidence tremendously, in a sense, my capabilities were adherent to my confidence; ever-rising.
Fast Facts: It takes only three to five seconds to make a first impression, but it can take a whole career to undo it.
Now, each time I hear an individual saying don’t judge a book by its cover, I tend to dispute it because in my opinion, that statement is a cliché cover-up for individuals with emotional insecurities. People really do judge a book by its cover. It is in the nature of humans to do so, to form preconceiving notions of other individuals solely base on their outer image. No matter how hard one tries to control, generalization and stereotyping are embedded in their logic. That’s the way we are created, opinionated and full of subjectivity. The experience of first impression during my 1st year in polytechnic was still vivid in my mind. Slack-looking, messy hairdo and a “mat” * personality didn’t do much good for my first impression. I have come a long way improving and enhancing my image, exuding my professionalism, and it has undeniably work wonders for me.
Fast Facts: Studies show that during interpersonal communication, 7% of the message is verbally communicated. While 93% is non-verbally transmitted.
*Mat is a stereotypical view of malay teenagers
“You are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort and money into training, grooming, and encouraging your greatest asset.” – Tom Hopkins
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet” – Abraham Lincoln
Corporate Politics
Fast Facts: Statistics have shown that those who understand and use corporate politics are more likely to succeed than those who dismiss it all together
Since young, a view shrouded with pessimism towards anything associated with politics was instilled in me. In my opinion, the world would be a better place without the stigma of politics. However, I soon realized that politics was a way of life, and taking part in politics was human nature. This is due to the fact that majority of Homo sapiens craved emotional security, hungered for acceptance and recognition, and above all else, motivated by the desire for power. This brings our topic of discussion deeper into this sensitive subject of politics, something that inevitably everyone will confront in their lifetime, Office Politics.
Most individuals perceive Office Politics in a negative light. However, little do they know that when used positively and fittingly, it benefits not only themselves, but the environment surrounding them. This is a key lesson I learnt, with the help of Business Etiquette classes. With a sense of curiosity and excitement, I formulated strategies to test the theories of politics in the context of my tutorial class. Tutorial classes were a perfect platform for students such as myself to experience a certain form of politics. This is due to the fact that 10% of our overall grade in most subjects was class participation, in my opinion, a subjective assessment of individual students. It was a perfect opportunity for my testing ground as a political practitioner. Below is an account which records my journal of these “experiments”:
· Before the start of MICE (Meetings, incentive, Conventions & Exhibitions) tutorials, necessary notes and tutorial documents were printed out and brought to class. Sometimes, if there were assignments needed to be completed prior to the class, I would arrive to school early to complete it. Majority of my classmates didn’t print out the necessary documents needed during each tutorial, and most of the times, I offered my documents for them to print, all this within the visibility of the tutorial facilitator.
· Front row seats were taken up by me (and sometimes with Johnathan Chua, a close classmate of mine) as all preferred to be situated at the back of the class, yearning to escape the clutches of the ever-technical MICE facilitator. Adding to that, I constantly bombarded the facilitator with questions about the subject; doing so portrays my interest and desire for learning. Of course, I was consciously aware not to ask stupid or superfluous questions, which could compromise my reliability and efforts. Each time a question was asked, I will be amongst the first to answer it confidently and to the best of my abilities.
· Due to my extrovert nature, at times, I’ll indirectly involve my classmates into the discussion at hand. In addition, usually with John, we will disrupt the tutorials’ tense atmosphere with a few jokes and humorous comments, making sure not to irritate the facilitator. Besides producing a conducive atmosphere for learning, this practice also buffer my political actions. The tendency for people to view me as a “boot-licker” or “ass-kisser” will be far lower with the right actions implemented.
“If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time” – Abraham Lincoln
Success or failure? Well honestly, it all depends on one’s perspective, and also the final grade which will be out at the end of the semester, considering the 10% class participation grade. However, it was palpable that the political actions implemented during the tutorials enhanced my image tremendously. Not only did I gain the respect from my fellow peers, the facilitator also viewed me in a similar light. This can be seen in lectures, where if there were questions pertaining the subject were voiced out, the lecturer, who is also my tutorial facilitator, will most of the time look me directly in the eyes, expecting an answer. Reliability was what I gained. Combining the skills I learnt from “Building Professional Presence” on the matter of First Impressions, I was successful in portraying an image far more powerful than that of others, especially in the eyes of the facilitator and my peers. Before this semester, I was perceived as just an average individual, nothing more. After this semester, it is a certainty that I will be viewed much more differently, more so in the positive light.
Fast Facts: A survey in the August issue of Fast Company magazine showed that women are particularly vulnerable to corporate politics and that they leave the workplace instead of working it through.
Networking is an aspect of corporate politics which in my opinion, will provide unimpeachable benefits to an individual, especially so in the business world. It’s quite simple, really, comprehending the impacts of one’s network and his success. The wider and more extensive your network is, the higher prospect of success. That is one of the key lesson I learnt during the course of learning. That is the reason why I’m investing much effort and energy broadening my network prospects. With much gratitude for my extroverted nature, getting to know individuals from other fields and interests is an enjoyable and fulfilling activity that I partake in each time an opportunity opens up . I possess a firm belief that any moment in the future, an individual that I recognize will assist me in my future endeavors. Whether big or small, it will definitely make a difference. Hence the saying, “Never burn your bridges”.
“In politics, strangely enough, the best way to play your cards is to lay them face upwards on the table”-
H.G. Wells
Art of Corporate entertainment
"There is a difference between dining and
eating. Dining is an art. When you eat to get the most out of your meal, to please the palate, just as well as to satiate the appetite, that, my friend, is dining."Yuan Mei
There is a huge and startling difference between eating and dining. Before Business Etiquette classes, I possessed minimal dining etiquette and skills. All that was instilled in me was table manners at its pure basics. At first, I was shocked and outraged during the tutorial, due to my chauvinistic nature. I was against the notion that we, Asians, had to conform to western ideology, and in this case, their dining etiquette. Is the Asian culture not gracious enough to be accepted? Or are we inferior in nature to the Westerners? These were the nature of questions that were constantly running through my mind during the video presentation, which focuses on the subject of corporate dining etiquette.
"Dining is and always was a great artistic opportunity."Frank Lloyd Wright
However, after much evaluation and deliberation, my mind soon opened up to new perspectives. One of the most substantial reasons, in my opinion, is that much of the world’s cuisines are influenced by Westerners, especially for fine-dining, which forms a major part in the international food scene. I soon realized that it was not about comparing the prestige factor on the dining etiquette of different cultures, rather it was what we could learn and acquire from the differing practices of others. Our fellow friends from the Western part of the world possess a larger repertoire of food and dining, and so, it is of no surprise that we could exploit this learning opportunity. Also, I soon found out that much of the Western world is also learning the dining etiquette of Asian cultures, with an example that includes the practice of using the chopsticks in the Chinese culture. Much could be learnt, as I soon found out. Some concepts to me were interesting, several were thought-provoking, and a handful was unusual. One of those that were “unusual” in my perspective was the ‘American’ style of dining, which includes switching one’s fork from left to right to position food in their mouth. It seems troublesome and time-consuming, with each mouthful requiring the individual to display much effort in switching the fork. However, I soon discovered that much of Western dining etiquette focuses on enjoying their dining experience, and not simply eating, like how I’m used to. Everything happens for a reason, and I admit, I was quick in being narrow-minded and subjective towards Western culture at the beginning. Now, I have greater respect and understanding about their culture, as well as their dining etiquette, which is most useful to me.
Social etiquette is also another aspect that left me with a deep impression. Practicing good social etiquette will elevate one’s image, more so their first impression. It focuses deeper into the realm of social behavior. I was lucky enough to be one of the few in the lecture theatre during the commencement of this subject. Some of the behaviors which the facilitator taught us were astonishing, some of which I didn’t even know were expected from us. Embarrassing examples include placing the toilet seat back to its original position, or simply opening a door. Conforming to the behaviors of proper social etiquette most definitely takes time and practice, but the fruit of one’s labor will be guaranteed. It is somehow relative to first impressions; if an individual possess good social etiquette skills, his first impression will be inevitably enhanced.
“Too many people just eat to consume calories. Try dining for a change” – John Walters
I will never forget an example voiced out by my facilitator, Ms Mariah, about the preference towards Caucasian males by Asian women. This example portrays the nature of Western society, which emphasized on a gentlemanly and gallant code of conduct, instilled in them since young. This is what we Asians, could learn and acquire, and apply it to our lives. This is the compelling reasons why Asian women are attracted to Western men, as these women are exposed to a high level of social etiquette not found in the majority of Asian men. This is an interesting lesson learnt, one which I’ll never forget.
Fast Facts: Experts recommend taking more time and to chew more while concentrating on our food
rather than being distracted by the TV or computer.
Conclusion
These three aspects of Business Etiquette and Service Excellence have enriched me dearly in multiple ways to become a better person, a more self-conscious individual. The skills and knowledge acquired will be of great significance in the future; especially vital for preparing me for the real working world. From Social Etiquette to First Impressions to Corporate Politics, the scope that was covered during the curriculum has impacted and broaden my views and perspective, as well as providing a platform for the acquisition of life lessons. Each of these topics is linked to one another in a way. For example, possessing solid social etiquette skills will definitely enhance one’s first impression, while having a substantial first impression increase your chance of succeeding in corporate politics. This is due to a person’s self-awareness. If he is self-conscious of his actions and himself, he stands a very good chance of succeeding, as he is in the process of continually improving and enriching himself.
Catwalked at:
---11:51 PM---
