In today’s time, when things are getting more global, the issues of how good your people’s skills are, are becoming more prominent. Nobody wants to address the fact that they might not be up to date with professional etiquettes.
We all go to colleges, attend universities, get masters and doctorates, and still somehow seem to lack the professional etiquette that a working space demands. It is never an open conversation and the subject that does teach it is often optional. So, it feels like the skills don’t have enough importance to be a must-know for all.
It is often the case that people have to learn to speak and write formally, even after attending schools and colleges for years. Writing a resume, email, or even a letter is a challenge for most, and communication is poor in general. Communication and professional work etiquette are vital in life irrespective of the field one has the intent to get into, but this is usually at the back burner of people’s to-do list or practically non-existent for many.
“Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot.” – Clarence Thomas
In the past, recruiters have found it difficult to hire a person just because of the lack of common etiquette and communication skills, which is currently becoming the norm. Respecting diversity and working in harmony is really important for the smooth functioning of a workplace.
Working and dealing with people you do not necessarily connect with is critical to get work done without creating a hostile work environment. A hostile work environment will always lead to inconvenience and less productivity, which is neither beneficial for the company nor you.
You can have a groundbreaking idea, but if you do not know how to convey it in a way that doesn’t come across as rude or condescending, then that idea is never going to be entertained. To get noticed and to make your mark, you need to be able to put yourself out there. And for that, you need to be humble and polite.
“Whoever one is, and wherever one is, one is always in the wrong if one is rude.” – Maurice Baring
Final Thoughts
Common manners and etiquettes should be introduced by the school system to generate better workers and better work environment. We teach them how to communicate with machines but forget to teach how to communicate with humans, which is at the core of everything.
Even though most specialization degree courses do have courses about communication skills and professional etiquettes, they aren’t mandatory. It is a skill that is needed from the very start, it shouldn’t be an afterthought.