American business etiquette

• Attending receptions and office parties: Don’t overeat. Don’t speak or laugh loudly. Don’t drink too much. Don’t “make passes” (sexually-inviting actions or remarks) at your colleagues or their spouses. Remember that your colleagues and boss will see and remember your bad behavior.

• Gift-giving: It’s acceptable to give small (not expensive) gifts to your reports or colleagues but NOT to your boss.

• Receiving gifts from outside your organization: Many companies have strict rules about what you may receive from people and organizations that are not affiliated with your company. Before you accept anything, learn about these rules. If you accept something you shouldn’t, you might lose your job.

• Attending presentations: Be courteous to the speaker—whether he’s not associated with your organization or he’s a coworker. In other words, don’t talk to the person sitting next to, behind, or in front of you. Don’t eat food and drink beverages. Don’t type on your PDA. Don’t talk on your cellphone. And don’t interrupt, ask irrelevant questions, or make unrelated comments.

• Attending meetings: Be prepared. Don’t chat with others when someone else is speaking or presenting. Don’t eat, drink, talk on your cellphone, or play with your PDA. Only interrupt if it’s essential to do so. And don’t ask irrelevant questions or make comments that are unrelated to the topic(s) the group is discussing. If you must leave—for example, if you’re expecting an important call OR you’re ill—you can briefly excuse yourself and leave the room.

• Addressing others (verbally): If you don’t know someone well or are meeting this person for the first time, you may say, “I’m glad to meet you, Mr. Smith. Or, “I’m happy to meet you Ms. (or Miss or Mrs.) Brown.” Once you introduce yourself, the other person may say, “Please call me Robert (or Nancy).” Once someone suggests that you call him (or her) by his (or her) first name, do so.