In our latest advice column for City AM, Debrett’s Academy director Rupert Wesson advises a reader on how to make the most of the performance review process
Q: I lead a team of account managers and we are heading towards the annual performance review. I really struggle with this process – it seems to be just a paperwork exercise. The reports take an age to complete but make little difference so far as I can tell. How can I make the process more useful for all concerned?
Most people hate giving performance reviews because they are uncomfortable actually having to provide feedback, be it positive or negative, let alone committing it to paper. The fact that you struggle with the process suggests this may be the case for you.
Many reporting processes are of course lengthy, and their complexity can mask the simplicity of the requirement. Whatever the system in your organisation, if you don’t have the influence to change it, you owe it to your team to work with it as best you can.
Can training help me make changes at work?
In our latest advice column for City AM, Debrett's Academy director Rupert Wesson talks about instigating change in the workplace.
I work for an investment management firm and run a back office team which works with clients on compliance issues. I need my team to improve their client-facing skills in order to help us build better relationships and ultimately win more business. I’ve persuaded the company to allocate a small amount of money for training, but how can I ensure we get the most bang for our buck?
There is a perception that behavioural change is achieved simply through training. This is not the case. Training is an integral part of the process, but it is not a magic bullet.
As human beings we are naturally wary, or even defensive, about change. If your team cannot see a compelling need to change, there is likely to be resistance, both active and passive, from the start. You need to overcome this or the money spent on training will be wasted.
How can I make meetings more useful?
In our latest advice column for City AM, Debrett's Academy director Rupert Wesson explains how to make meetings work for you.
Q. Most of my day is spent in useless meetings and my colleagues seem blind to the fact that we'd all be more productive if we weren't staring at each other in a room. I have just been promoted and I want to know what I can do to ensure the meetings that I lead are actually effective.
A: We all seem to spend a disproportionate amount of our time in meetings and, more often than not, they are something of an unhelpful habit rather than a necessity.
You can be reasonably confident that no-one in attendance is clamouring for more, and on that basis you should declare your aim to make meetings shorter, less frequent and more productive. You should also state that you need everyone’s help. Doing so may make it the first agenda item with which everyone is fully engaged!
In our latest advice column for City AM, Debrett's Academy director Rupert Wesson reveals how to sell successfully
Q: I work for a professional services company and my role involves tendering for new business. Despite going out with several pitches recently, my team has failed to win any new work this quarter. While we could blame Brexit fears, I worry our sales approach is letting us down. How can I ensure we sell more effectively?
The first thing to do is to find out where you have been going wrong, and the best way of doing this is to ask the people who decided not to buy from you. Most will be very happy to provide feedback, and you should interpret this feedback not as criticism but as help.
It is also important to review your pitching technique with your team at every stage of the process, including immediately after delivering the pitch and a week or so later once you know the outcome. These reviews should be open and honest, leading to actions that will improve your team’s performance.
Debrett’s Ask The Expert: How do I deal with the joker in my office?
In our latest advice column for City AM, the Debrett’s Office Politics Expert advises a reader on how to respond when a colleague makes bad-taste jokes.
Q: I get on well with my boss, but he’s often cracking jokes that make me uncomfortable. Occasionally these can border on sexist and even racist comments, but more often they’re just rude remarks dressed up as banter – making fun of someone’s appearance or accent, for example. I don’t want to seem po-faced, but I’m concerned that he risks causing serious offence. Also, his “jokes” really bother me. How can I take him to task?
The recent news that a comedian in Canada was fined thousands of dollars for a joke about a young disabled singer has been received with a mixture of outrage and unease. The joke itself has been roundly condemned, but many have questioned the decision of the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal to penalise an individual’s freedom of expression.
In the professional realm, this same freedom is necessarily moderated out of consideration for our colleagues and in promotion of an inclusive and diverse workforce. Jokes that may offend or alienate, however lightly intended, are never appropriate at work, and personal comments, even if complimentary, should be made with caution in case they’re interpreted as an unwanted advance. Read more...
Gin-spiring Public Transport Etiquette
We were delighted to be asked by gin makers Hendrick's to oversee passenger etiquette on board the good bus HERBERT (Hendrick’s Extraordinary Roving Bus of Exceptionally Refined Travel). Watch the video below for our advice on making your journey to work that little bit more pleasant:
DEBRETT'S TEN GOLDEN RULES FOR COMMUTERS:
1. Fast Food Fasting
Crowded transport can make even the sturdiest of us feel delicate at times, so try not to compound the problem by tucking into a smelly snack. Not everyone will share your enthusiasm for a double bacon burger with chips.
2. PDA Prevention
Even making eye contact is considered forward on public transport, and full-on displays of affection can make others uncomfortable. If you’re travelling with a loved one, keep the canoodling for somewhere more private.
3. Beware Bulky Bags
Lugging large bags onto an already crowded carriage won’t make you popular with other commuters. Remove backpacks to free up space, and don’t monopolise an adjacent seat with your handbag or jacket – and especially not your feet.
4. Spoiler Alert
Avoid loud phone conversations on a quiet bus or train: others may not appreciate overhearing the intimate details of your recent night out, or worse, a Game of Thrones plot spoiler.
5. Me, My Selfie and I
You haven’t really travelled by Tube unless you’ve got a selfie to prove it, but try not to turn innocent bystanders into unwitting photo bombers by capturing them in the background.
6. Don’t be a Space Invader
Personal space is at a premium on public transport. Refrain from (wo)man-spreading by keeping your legs together, and keep your elbows tucked in when reading a newspaper.
7. If in Doubt, Stand
You may be reluctant to offer up your seat to someone who looks pregnant, elderly or infirm in case they prove to be none of those things. If you notice a walking stick or Baby on Board badge, or anyone resembling your grandmother, make eye contact and move to free up your seat in case they want to use it.
8. For Your Ears Only
Whether it’s Bieber, Beyoncé or Bon Jovi, don’t assume others will share your taste in music. Wear headphones and keep the volume to below leaking level, and be wary of inadvertent humming.
9. Don’t Door Dive
There’s nothing quite so tempting as diving between closing doors as the warning beeps sound, but it’s better to wait for the next train than to crush yourself into the fray. You’ll also avoid the humiliation of getting trapped in the doors – and the disapproving glares from other passengers.
10. Grooming Guidelines
A quick touch-up of mascara or lipstick is acceptable, but refrain from full-on facial transformation. Some forms of grooming should remain firmly in the confines of your own home, including tweezing, squeezing and, for men, shaving or nose-hair trimming.
Going for etiquette gold: travel tips for Olympic spectators
As Rio de Janeiro prepares to host the world’s best athletes at the 2016 Olympic Games, spectators, tourists and business professionals are excitedly packing their bags, checking their tickets and getting ready to descend on one of the world’s most beautiful countries. Like most of South America, Brazil enjoys incredible scenery and landscapes, from the long, sprawling beaches of Copacabana to its rugged mountain ranges.
Olympics fans lucky enough to be heading to Brazil to support their team can enjoy Rio's rich culture and traditions to the full with a few simple etiquette tips:
General greeting and conversation:
Much of Brazil’s social etiquette is based on a strong level of trust and sense of family. Families tend to be quite large and very close, especially the extended family. Unlike some other countries and cultures, the practice of favouring relatives or friends suggests that trust is the main focus and of primary importance.
Meeting and Greeting:
When meeting someone for the first time in Brazil, the greeting depends on how well you know the person.
Men tend to shake hands firmly upon meeting, maintaining steady eye contact to demonstrate confidence and reassurance. It is normal for women to kiss on the cheek, starting with the left and moving to the right.
Between friends, hugging and backslapping is common.
If you're meeting new contacts for work, business cards should be printed in both English and Portuguese if possible. Cards should then be presented to colleagues with the Portuguese side facing upwards.
Conversations:
Conversation and communication across Brazil is usually relaxed and quite informal.
It is common for locals to stand close together while in conversation, even a man and a woman. Don’t mistake this for behaviour that's flirtatious or inappropriate.
Unlike in the UK, it is not considered rude to interrupt someone during a conversation or business pitch. As trust is a major factor in Brazil, individuals want to know more about something or someone, so conversational tone can be quite direct. When speaking, particularly about business matters, expect questions and don't mistake this for somebody being nosy.
Invitations and gift-giving:
Whether you’re visiting Brazil as a tourist or for business, you may be invited to an event or party. Although gift-giving in Brazil is not as ritualistic as for some Eastern cultures, there is still an level of etiquette that those being hosted should observe.
Punctuality:
Unlike in the UK, punctuality is not strictly adhered to in social situations in Brazil.
It is usual for guests to arrive up to 30 minutes late when invited for dinner.
If the invitation is for a party or large gathering, an hour’s lateness is not uncommon.
Dress Codes:
If a dress code is not stated on the invitation, it is always better to err on the side of formality than under-dressing. Although Brazilians tend to dress casually, they will do so with elegance and with flair, and judgment is often passed on others’ appearance. Visitors, therefore, should take note and dress accordingly.
Giving gifts:
If invited to a social occasion, you should present the hostess with a small gift, usually flowers.
For lunch invitations, beverages are a very common gift and a bottle of soda or juice will be appreciated. Even a bottle of cachaça, Brazil’s most popular alcoholic sprit and known locally as pinga, will help your host make a Caipirinha – the country’s national cocktail. You can also show your appreciation for the invitation by bringing a dessert such as a mousse or an ice cream, which work well because of Brazil’s very hot weather.
Although savoury dishes are also appropriate, you should avoid those that are hot or may need to be reheated in the host’s house. A cold dish, such as a salad, is a safe alternative.
Guests should avoid any gifts in black or purple as these are mourning colours. Likewise, handkerchiefs are associated with funerals so should be avoided.
Be advised that gifts are opened upon receipt and if you did not bring a gift for the host, it is usually appropriate and appreciated to send flowers the next day.
James Brookes, illustrations by Wing Po
Debrett’s Ask The Expert: I'm always the odd man out at work. Should I speak up for myself?
In our latest advice column for City AM, the Debrett’s Office Politics Expert advises a reader on how to engage in a debate when you find yourself in the minority.
Q: When discussing certain topics with my colleagues I often find that I’m the odd person out. While I’ve tried to stay away from debating the usual hot topics such as politics or religion, the recent referendum and its consequences mean I’d have to play deaf, dumb and mute to dispel an office ambush. Should I speak up for myself, or keep the peace by staying quiet?
Recent events have brought the topic of politics into water cooler conversations around the country. In the wake of the EU referendum, many of us feel the need to express our surprise and to discuss the professional and personal ramifications it may have.
The vote will have a direct impact on many businesses, meaning that it’s a subject for discussion in the boardroom too, affecting strategy and HR, and even potentially leading to restructuring or relocation. The traditional advice, therefore – that politics is a conversation topic best avoided – hardly applies. Read more...
