STRENGTHENING THE FRONT LINE

MIND YOUR P'S AND Q'S

Good office etiquette goes a long way

By Emily Huling, CIC, CMC

When I was growing up in the small western Pennsylvania town of Beaver Falls, my mother would send me off to school, friends, or family by saying, "Now mind your p's and q's!" Although I didn't know the origin of the expression, I certainly knew its meaning--be on your good behavior and mind your manners! Years later, I learned several possible explanations for this widely used phrase.

When ale was ordered in British pubs, the tabs would be marked "p" for pints or "q" for quarts. The publican and drinker were both challenged to keep the tab straight. Another notion is that a child learning to read might have trouble distinguishing p and q and therefore was warned by the teacher to be careful. Along the same line, a typesetter needed to be attentive so as not to confuse the two letters when setting type. Regardless of what linguistic explanation you prefer, today the meaning is commonly understood as using proper etiquette and being correct in your conduct.

As adults, we don't have mothers who send us off to work with helpful reminders and, unfortunately, many times it shows. Here are a few tips on how to mind your p's and q's in the workplace.

Say please and thank you. Even in these busy, frantic times, there is no excuse not to use these courtesies.

Get along with others. Greet people by name, smile, be approachable and friendly. This applies to everyone in the company--from the cleaning people to the president.

Respect another person's space. Do not use someone's phone, computer, or work area without his or her permission. And, it's inappropriate to read another's mail or papers.

Attend meetings. Be on time, be prepared, and participate by listening and responding. Turn off all electronic devices.

Don't waste coworkers' time. Be conscious of taking someone's time unnecessarily, whether it's work related or personal.

Ring-a-ling. Change your message. Changing your outgoing voice mail message daily and dating it gives callers the confidence that you use your voice mailbox and will call them back.

Keep your voice low. Loud voices in open-floor, cubicle-filled offices carry easily and can be disruptive to others. Speak only as loud as necessary to be heard by the other party.

Privacy is the best policy. Watch what you say, where you say it, and to whom. Avoid being accused of speaking "out of school" or gossiping.

Watch your language and verbal emotion. Swearing is unprofessional and offensive. While some people want to believe using strong or loud language makes a point, it does the opposite. People quit listening when they feel the speaker has gone too far.

E-mail etiquette. Have a pertinent subject line, keep your message short, don't copy anyone who doesn't need to see it, and don't use all capital letters. For external e-mail, include a "signature" that contains all of the same information as company letterhead. If you don't have time to fully answer an e-mail, at least reply to let the person know that you did receive it. (For a complete list of e-mail tips, go to www.sellingstrategies.com and click on "free stuff.")

If it's broken, fix it or tell somebody. All employees count on equipment that works when they need it. If you find that a printer, fax machine or computer needs repair, take the initiative and report it to the proper person who can then get the repair process started.

Refill paper trays. Be considerate of the next user and the favor will be returned.

Practice good break-room etiquette. If you make a mess, clean it up. Do your own dishes. If you take the last cup of coffee, make more.

Meeting people. When introductions are made in an office, stand up and extend your hand to shake hands. Make brief eye contact and smile. Keep your business cards in an accessible place on your desk in case you should need them.

So there you have it. A "q and d" (quick and dirty) list on how to mind your office "p's and q's." Now make your mother proud! *

The author

Emily Huling helps the insurance industry achieve sales and customer service success. She is the author of
Selling in a Hard Market: 27 Ways
to Insure Sales Success.
Reach Emily at (888) 309-8802 or emily@sellingstrategies.com.