Since ancient times, in all epochs of the development of civilization, people in society have been valued with pleasant behaviors who in any situation were able to show themselves from the most favorable side. And these qualities gradually made up the rules that are today known as business etiquette and business protocol. In previous centuries, those who know how to behave in society most often belonged to a special stratum of the population with a noble upbringing. And at present, not everyone is obliged to have an idea of what business etiquette and business protocol are, but everyone is obliged to behave decently in society.
About career
Currently, career growth is universally put at the forefront, and therefore the ability to behave correctly is also one of the priorities. Positive attitude of the opponent in relation to the goal of the interview, to accurately describe the position and observe their own interests, while earning the respect of the interlocutor - this is possible only subject to the inviolable rules that prescribe business etiquette and business protocol. Only thanks to such knowledge and skills can we count on successful activities in absolutely any field. It is the ability to use business etiquette and a business protocol that helps career progress.
In addition, a favorable psychological climate is created in the team if the ethics of eloquence is used in communication, in which many very different features and principles coexist. Business eloquence is required not only for businessmen and managers who have just begun to build their careers. For example, for employees of embassies and consulates there is international business etiquette and protocol. This is an invariably established procedure for holding certain events - negotiations, conclusion of transactions, signing and delivery of documents, including unpleasant ones (note, that is, an appeal from the government of the country to the government of another state, delivered through the embassy). International business etiquette and protocol must be strictly enforced, otherwise cooperation between countries is impossible.
Definition and meaning
The protocol and etiquette of business negotiations on content are much richer and are interpreted more broadly than the norms of behavior in society that are more familiar to us. Human morality here will not be sufficient, since its most important aspect is entrepreneurial morality, and it is the professional behavior of the businessman that can affect the successful outcome of the enterprise.
This is especially evident in the communication of domestic businessmen with representatives of foreign firms: a huge number of transactions are broken that could be profitable. And all due to the fact that newly-minted entrepreneurs do not know the protocol and etiquette of business negotiations well enough. This is bad taste both in clothes and in behavior - literally every little thing can complement an unfavorable impression.
Violation of the rules
How then do people who know modern etiquette and business protocol behave and always adhere to? They will not make comments. Criticism will not sound, but silence will be unpleasant. The honor of the company for entrepreneurs means a lot, and therefore people who respect themselves and their business usually usually stop negotiations for any reason. This can be attributed to the usual behavior of failed partners, bad habits, bad manners. And it’s not at all necessary to use a tablecloth instead of a handkerchief; a much smaller error will suffice.
Businessmen should specifically study the rules of business protocol and etiquette if they want to work with serious firms. A good tone in behavior will not allow you to get into an absurd situation. For example, Peter the Great even issued a special decree, and violators of etiquette were punished. Maybe it’s time for our businessmen to be punished so as not to cast a shadow on the entrepreneurship of their native country. For example, future diplomats are studying the diplomatic protocol and business etiquette in special institutions with all possible seriousness. And in business, this would serve as the basis for entrepreneurial success.
About norms and morality
The concept of good and the concept of evil have been well known since time immemorial, and universal human morality has long been deduced from the correlation of these concepts. It is the history of the development of these distinctions that ethics deals with. The central concept of ethics is morality as a system of moral relations with all motives that prompt actions, with feelings and awareness of the established boundaries in one or another relationship, with all the actions of people in society and in their interaction.
Protocol and etiquette of communication - business and diplomatic - went through the formation of moral standards. All the results of the differentiation of good and evil by a man are included in these postulates. For example, the main set of business qualities includes truthfulness, accuracy in execution, punctuality, selflessness, hard work. This is unconditional good, considered in the protocol and etiquette of business communication as high moral qualities. And the lack of responsibility, evasion of it, falsification of facts, corruption, lack of principles, bribery and much more are regarded as a clear evil, that is, they are also personality traits, only immoral.
Historically, morality has always developed and has always been studied, since it was a central figure in ethics. And, despite the fact that in different periods of history, public ideas about the world were significantly different from the previous ones, the mentality itself changed, the systems of spiritual values were rebuilt, but the distinction between good and evil remained the same. The demands on the individual, on morality, on behavior and on actions became more stringent. Both the business protocol and etiquette changed. The practice of application has left curtsies far behind for centuries. However, the new rules also did not accept lies, the substitution of concepts, bribery and corruption.
Professional ethics
Ethics through norms and rules conducts a thorough analysis of the state of society and indicates the causes that cause trouble in it. In addition, it also contains solutions that help to update public moral guidelines. Professional ethics outlines the norms and standards of service etiquette and business protocol, as well as the requirements for certain types of activities.
For example, the rules of conduct for the diplomatic corps, though not fundamentally, but still differ from those used by workers in other professional fields: in the provision of services, in the production and sale of products, in the financial business, and so on. Nevertheless, absolutely any communication of professionals should occur in accordance with ethical norms and standards, which are required to be mastered. However, the latter depends on various factors, which for convenience can be divided into two groups.
Grouping
First, the whole complex of ethical standards, ideas and assessments that this person already possesses: good and evil, for example. With these ideas, a person lives from birth, uses them, works with them. And it does not depend on what kind of position he occupies and what kind of work he performs. The second group will include what a person has acquired from outside, that is, those standards and norms that include, for example, the internal rules of the organization where he works, the corporate and professional code of ethics, which includes the instructions of the leadership.
It is good if the initial ideas about good and evil coincide with professional requirements. It happens that this coincidence is partially or completely absent, and then the same difficulties arise, since it is still necessary to understand and assimilate these ethical rules, and then apply them in practice, moreover, constantly. Personal moral ideas should be replenished with a whole complex of professional ethical rules, otherwise it is almost impossible to regulate the system of relationships in any field.
Ethical requirements
Internationally renowned scientists have formulated a list of necessary requirements and norms, which formed the entire theoretical basis of both international business etiquette and the diplomatic protocol, and a set of rules of conduct for collectives, enterprises and individual employees. The first rule of professional ethics is the following: in the performance of official duties in relation to subordinates, in no case do not allow actions that are undesirable in relation to oneself. This so-called golden rule is violated especially easily and often.
The second requirement is that it is imperative to observe justice, endowing employees with resources - material, raw materials, financial and the like. The third rule speaks of the mandatory correction of any ethical violation, whoever commits it. The fourth requirement reads: any action and in general the official behavior of a person should contribute only to the good of the organization and its development in a moral sense. The essence of the fifth requirement is tolerance for traditions that do not even coincide with the moral principles that exist in their own countries, regions, and organizations. The sixth rule speaks about the interests of the individual and the whole team, about correctly prioritized.
More specifically
Further, about complex issues, where professional ethics requires being brave in upholding one's own opinion. Nevertheless, there should not be any pressure on subordinates, nor - even more so - violence in any form of conducting official conversation. The next requirement is constancy: it is impossible to implement ethical standards in an orderly manner, and therefore, throughout the organization’s existence, management needs constant efforts and, of course, a personal example.
The authorities almost always use the rule of punishment for ethical violations, since in practice the strength of opposing ethical standards is very high even from those who recognize (purely theoretically) the correctness of these requirements. For any violation, management imposes appropriate forms of censure.
Another requirement applies to both the bosses and the entire team: the attitude towards colleagues should be justified, and the basis of relationships should be trust - competence and a sense of duty, responsibility and commitment. It is unacceptable to criticize and express dissatisfaction in advance. Strong recommendation - the desire for conflict-free. Despite the fact that even a kick is sometimes "magical", and therefore has purely functionally positive consequences, it must be remembered that the conflict is the most favorable soil for any kind of ethical violations.
Job descriptions seem to say: each employee is as free as his freedom does not infringe on the freedom of others. Ethics of behavior should be characteristic of each employee in the team. Less criticism, more own example. Of course, none of the requirements of etiquette is absolute.
Principles of Business Etiquette
Every modern person in the business world follows the unwritten laws of behavior, whether or not they understand their inner content and main meaning, but always feel their need according to the results of their application. These principles are not so complicated. Firstly, common sense, which none of the rules of etiquette has ever contradicted, since they are aimed at orderliness, organization, saving time and energy, and other reasonable goals.
Secondly, freedom of choice is by no means infringed. Every business person can, without violating ethical standards, freely express his will, choose a partner, methods of work, ways of fulfilling agreements and everything else. Also, a free person is tolerant of national characteristics, cultural traditions, loyal to opposing points of view and differences in business positions.
However, freedom is always limited, again, by common sense, as well as by many other factors. Climatic conditions, for example. Or the political regime. There are a lot of principles of ethical behavior, even listing them all in a small article is impossible, therefore only the most basic ones are collected here.
