Whether you’re a low-level analyst or a C-Suite executive, everyone has a boss. Even CEO’s have to answer to the board and shareholders, and miscommunication and differing expectations can make interactions difficult, especially during times of crisis. If you find yourself in a situation with an abrasive investor, board member, or boss in the coming days, here are some tips for dealing with them and improving the situation:
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It may seem basic to many of us, but it always surprises me how few people actually do their homework before going into a meeting, let alone launching a product or starting a business. Whether you’re meeting with the CEO of a potential client, planning a launch of a new service, or trying to figure out how to solve an internal process problem, it’s important to have some background and know what you don’t know. That said, here’s The Upwardly Mobile’s quick and dirty guide to doing your homework:
Continue reading “Homework: It’s Not Just for School Children”
When a client or colleague sends flowers, covers dinner, offers you tickets to the big game, or refers someone else to your business, write a thank you note to show how much it means to you. Make it personal; this isn’t a time to have a secretary just take care of it. Handwritten is the best, e-mail is still more than acceptable. Here are a few tips to make your note stand out.
- Say what they gave you. Depending on what it is you’re recognizing, you don’t want anything to be misread or confusing.
- Show how much it meant to you by telling them something meaningful about their gift.
- Close by reaffirming how much you value your relationship.
- When you sign your name, you can be more formal with “sincerely”, warmer with “cordially” or “best”, and warmest with “fondly”.
Continue reading “Business Etiquette: Say Thank You”
