Test Your Etiquette Intelligence

Excerpts from Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work

1. In the business arena

a) Only men should stand for handshaking and all introductions.
b) Only women should stand for handshaking and all introductions.
c) It is not necessary for men or women to stand for handshaking or introductions.
d) Both men and women should stand for handshaking and all introductions.

2. In the business arena, it is necessary for a man

a) To pull a chair out for a woman.
b) To stand when a woman leaves the table.
c) To pay for a woman’s meal.
d) All of the above.
e) None of the above.

3. For easy reading, one’s name badge should be worn

a) On the left shoulder.
b) On the right shoulder.
c) On the left hip.
d) Around one’s neck.

4. The best way to meet people at a business or social function is to

a) Head for the bar or the buffet immediately upon arrival.
b) Introduce yourself to two people who are standing close and talking softly.
c) Look confident, stand in the center of the room, and wait for someone interesting to approach you.
d) Introduce yourself to a person standing alone or to large groups.
e) Stick close to only those you know very well and forget about the rest.

5. If you receive an e-mail from an unknown source and realize it should be handled by someone else, you

a) Forward it immediately.
b) Forward it with a note explaining why you are sending it.
c) Consider it spam, delete it, and forget about it.
d) Print it out and leave it sitting on the copy machine in the hope that someone else will take care of it.

6. If an angry customer calls to complain, you should

a) Put the person on hold as quickly as possible and blow off some steam in the restroom.
b) Tell the caller that he has the wrong number and hang up in self-defense.
c) Stay calm, listen to the caller's complaint, and quickly attempt to help or get help for him.
d) Quickly put the caller in his place by yelling back. After all, no one has the right to talk to you that way.

7. If you have to introduce two people and you can’t remember one person’s name, you recover by saying

a) “Do you know one another?”
b) “I can’t remember your name. Will you introduce yourself?”
c) Nothing and hoping they will introduce themselves.
d) “It’s been one of those days. Please tell me your name again.”
e) Nothing and doing nothing. After all, you don’t want to embarrass yourself or others.

8. When making a proper business introduction you

a) Wing it.
b) Introduce a client to the president of your company.
c) Introduce the president of your company to a client.
d) Don’t do anything. It is their responsibility to introduce themselves to one another.

9. After a meeting with a client or vendor, you

a) Tell her, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
b) Accompany her to the reception area or elevator.
c) Give her a handshake and a big hug and tell her that you can’t wait to see her again.

10. When expressing thanks to someone who has given you a gift, you

a) Send an e-mail because it is faster and more efficient.
b) Send a handwritten note.
c) Pick up the phone and call within 72 hours.
d) Consider a verbal thank you enough.

11. When dining with someone important and your cell phone rings, you

a) Answer it within two rings and keep the call brief.
b) Ignore it and pretend someone else’s phone is ringing.
c) Apologize and turn the phone on silent mode. The person you’re with takes priority.
d) Apologize, step away from the table, and take the call in the restroom.

12. When you are dining in a restaurant and you accidentally drop your fork on the floor, you

a) Pick it up, wipe it off, and use it anyway.
b) Pick it up, give it to the server, and ask him to bring you another one.
c) Leave it on the floor and ask the server to bring you another one.
d) Leave it on the floor and use your neighbor’s while he’s not looking.

13. At dinner, when you notice the person on your left eating the roll from your bread plate, you

a) Tell him he made a mistake then you ask for your roll back.
b) Don’t say anything and eat the roll from your other neighbor’s plate.
c) Don’t say anything and try to convince yourself that you didn’t need that roll anyway.
d) Ask the server for another roll and use the side of your dinner plate.

14. While traveling internationally, you are invited to dinner in someone’s home. The host serves a local delicacy that you wouldn’t dream of eating in your native country. You

a) Politely decline by saying, “No, thank you” and ask for something else.
b) Pick at the delicacy with your fork and drink a lot of wine.
c) Try it and eat as much as you can.
d) Eat it but let the host know that you are doing it to please him.

15. At lunch, you notice that the stranger sitting next to you has spinach in her teeth, you

a) Don’t say anything, smile and look her directly in the eye.
b) Say something and hope you don’t embarrass her.
c) Make visual signals indicating that she has something in her teeth.
d) Wipe your teeth with your napkin and hope she gets the hint and does the same.

ANSWERS:

1. D
2. E
3. B
4. D
5. B
6. C
7. D
8. C
9. B
10. B
11. C
12. C
13. D or C
14. C
15. A