Just what good manners are have changed as business is conducted at faster speeds and has become more dominated by technology. And although good manners never went out of style, they are such a crucial business skill today they can actually make or break a megamerger, even cost you a client or a new job.

It's not enough to know your company and product well, says Dana May Casperson, author of Power Etiquette, What You Don't Know Can Kill Your Career (Amacom). The art of knowing how to behave in a given situation should be part of your learned skills. "Good manners are not optional; they are essential tools you must use every day. Good manners open doors that position and money cannot."

Learning these rules of business etiquette is not difficult. They're 80 percent common sense and 20 percent kindness, she says. Etiquette is all about relating to others in a variety of different situations through your attitude, your first greeting, getting acquainted, personal grooming and body language.

So let's test your business etiquette knowledge. How would you answer the following questions:

• Should you take a briefcase or folders to the dining table?

  Answer: According to the author you can take business papers, but leave them under the chair or table until the entree plates have been removed. When it's time to talk business, be careful you don't cover the table with papers.

• When having a meal, who orders first?

  Answer: If you're the host you direct the server to the guests first and you order after your guests.

• After a meeting it is OK to "talk business" in the restroom?

  Answer: Sometimes informal settings--restroom included--provide the atmosphere for thinking and talking, so yes, the restroom may be an appropriate place to discuss business. The problem is, if you're men, the women get excluded and vice versa.

• When a client gets a parking fine while at your office, should you pay it?

  Answer: You're not obligated to pay any fine unless you told your client to park in an illegal parking zone. But depending on the situation, it might be smart to pay the fine.

• Your name is mispronounced when you're introduced. How do your correct the person?

  Answer: You should repeat your name when you acknowledge the people you're being introduced to. Later you can speak privately to the person who introduced you.

• Should you take calls on your cellular phone at the dining table?

  Answer: Generally, no. If you must accept a call, tell your host or guests when you sit down at the table. Then when the phone rings, excuse yourself from the table and keep it short and private.

A lot of business is conducted and finalized over a meal--including job interviews, getting to know a client or deciding whether someone wants to become your partner. But that's not the only place your potential boss, business partner or client and colleagues will make judgments about your competency and credibility.

Your poise and professionalism will come across in table manners, toasts, e-mails, faxes, phone conversations, video conferences and one-on-one introductions. The better you are at applying social skills with common sense and kindness, the more successful you'll be cultivating lasting business relationships.

© by Andrea Kay