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It’s a Matter of Professional Courtesy

Business meeting

By Dr. Latanya Hughes
Assistant Professor,
School of Business at American Public University

Increasingly, it seems as if professional courtesy is a thing of the past. I believe that this old-fashioned notion still has a role in business today.

Recently, I attended a cultural expo and I was surprised by the lack of professionalism on the part of the hosts. On some days, attendees were not greeted at the registration desk. On most days, there was confusion as to whether to sign in or just leave a business card.

I was also appalled when a colleague told me she was the only person in attendance for the breakfast that was to begin at 8 a.m. When the hosts finally arrived, she inquired about the schedule. She was told, “Oh, that’s subject to change.” Her response was that it is a posted schedule and some kind of notification should be sent to attendees.

When it comes to professional courtesy, put yourself in the shoes of your colleagues and peers. What would you expect or need if you were in their position? We hear this frequently in the customer service field. If you were the customer/guest, what would you want?

The same fundamental principle applies. Professional courtesy can point back to the adage, “Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you.”

Consider the following situation:

You are hosting a dinner get together a restaurant in a new resort that has opened in your area. You schedule the event a week in advance and get responses. On the day of the event, you send a notification to the group that you are heading to the venue and to meet you there. Upon arrival, you announce the number of people in your party and wait for your table. By the time you are seated, there are only two of the expected six. Now, you consider there may be a chance two people may not show up. True to form, you get a notice that one person is unable to attend due to a family situation. Therefore, you get a table for four. Still, there is only two of you.

In this scenario, what would happen if you reserved a table for six and only two arrived? How would you have handled the charges the restaurant likely would have imposed upon you for a large party?

Situations like this happen frequently. There have been news reports of parents sending invoices to other parents for failing to notify them of their child’s cancellation for a birthday party. There has been a range of emotions about the issue; however, consider the fact that the parents hosting the birthday party have spent money on food, decorations, and space for a certain number of people. When the individuals do not show and do not call to notify of their inability to attend, the hosting parents still have to pay for that attendee.

Lack of professional courtesy says more about you than it does those around you. So, do unto others as you would have them to do unto you. It’s a matter of professional courtesy.

About the Author: Dr. Latanya Hughes is a full-time faculty member at American Public University. She received a bachelor’s degree (Hospitality Management) from Tuskegee University and a master’s degree (MBA) from Strayer University. She received the Doctor of Strategic Leadership in Global Consulting from Regent University in the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship.

 

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