Business Casual: What NOT to Wear on Casual Friday August 8, 2012 | Rachel Wagner Casual Friday is designated as a day when professionals may dress in business casual attire. Often this means employees may wear nice jeans, casual slacks, casual tops (women) and nice polo shirts for men. Bottom line: appropriate Casual Friday office attire is part of good business etiquette. The goal is to still present a professional… Read More
Blending Business with Beethoven: Business Etiquette at Outdoor Concerts July 20, 2012 | Rachel Wagner Looking for a memorable way to entertain your visiting clients this summer—and show off a bit of your city’s musical culture as well? Then, look no farther than gourmet fare from your favorite deli combined with the melodic strains of Haydn or Mozart at outdoor symphony concerts offered in many cities across the country. Whether you’re in Manhattan… Read More
Workplace Etiquette: 4 Ways to Show Courtesy to Coworkers July 13, 2012 | Rachel Wagner | 1 Comment Successful employees have good workplace etiquette that begins with “strong interpersonal skills” according to Joseph Grenny, co-author of the best seller Crucial Conversations. Interpersonal skills include common courtesies. However, sometimes it seems courtesy has gone the way of the typewriter. Many business professionals spend 40 plus hours a week with coworkers, often in cramped quarters… Read More
4 Things to Know About Summer Business Casual July 7, 2012 | Rachel Wagner “Business casual” can be a confusing term any time of year, but especially when the hot, lazy days of summer hit. Proper summer business casual attire shows respect for yourself, for others in your workplace, and for your clients and customers. Pushing the “business casual” envelope too far can damage your credibility and the image… Read More
Business Dining Etiquette: 5 Foods Not to Order at a Business Lunch June 15, 2012 | Rachel Wagner At a business lunch, the focus should be on the client—not on a trail of ‘special sauce’ that escapes down the front of your shirt from an oversized burger. Two words: embarrassing, unprofessional. The best practice is to avoid ordering anything that would fall into the category of messy, awkward, hard-to-eat, or unpredictable. The benefit:… Read More
Courteous Customer Service: 10 Ways to Outclass the Competition May 30, 2012 | Rachel Wagner | 16 Comments After forty frustrating minutes at my nearby office supply store, I left without making a purchase. Two sales team members showed a lack of product knowledge—but even worse, a complete lack of customer courtesy. They didn’t get my order for 200 custom-printed note cards. Their competitor across town did. It was out of my way… Read More
Napkin Etiquette at a Business Meal March 26, 2012 | Rachel Wagner | 2 Comments Napkin etiquette at a business meal is an often overlooked aspect of good table manners. Many people don’t think to hone this simple skill because it doesn’t come to mind until you are in the moment. From the initial seating to final table departure, it is essential to know what to do with your napkin… Read More
Safeguard your job at office parties December 9, 2011 | Rachel Wagner With the holidays upon us, ’tis the season for office holiday parties. While office parties are a wonderful time to mingle with co-workers outside the office, partygoers should still adhere to business etiquette to make sure they don’t damage their professional image or jeopardize their jobs. Tulsa World Scene Writer Jason Ashley Wright interviewed me about… Read More
Tulsa Business Journal: Holiday Office Party Etiquette December 5, 2011 | Rachel Wagner Using good holiday office party etiquette is important since office events are an extension of your professional life. You are being observed by your supervisors and colleagues, as well as their spouses and guests — maybe even a few board members or clients. It’s a great opportunity to make a positive impression. In this article I wrote for the Tulsa Business Journal I provide 10… Read More
Business Networking: 3 Tricks for Remembering Names September 12, 2011 | Rachel Wagner Now, what was your name again? We’ve all been there–you’re at a business networking event and meet a new person…and immediately forget his or her name! But, remembering names and using them in conversation is important in business. It makes you stand out and creates a powerful impression. In fact, according to Dale Carnegie, “The… Read More