Common Courtesy Makes Good Business Sense: The Budding Executive’s Pocketbook Guide towards Career Success

By Anita Newman

In Common Courtesy Makes Good Business Sense, author Anita Newman passes along many significant yet frequently overlooked principles learned from her more than twenty years of experience in corporate management primarily in the aerospace industry. Being at the right place at the right time is often the catalyst that speeds career growth. Following the advice in Common Courtesy Makes Good Business Sense will enable budding executives to be prepared for when such opportunity arises. This self-improvement, motivational and personal development guide for corporate professionals is interspersed with thought-provoking quotations and clever cartoons, making it an easy and delightful read.
“This book is easy to pick up and read any time we need a little reminder of how we should be behaving.”
–Kaye Parker, Think Training

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anita Newman
• Release date: Dec 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9780988092150

Anita Newman

Author Anita Newman immigrated to Canada from England in 1986. She attained a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. She also achieved a Lifetime Certified Federal Contracts Manager professional designation from the National Contract Management Association in Virginia, USA. After more than twenty years in corporate management primarily in the aerospace industry, Anita is now enjoying a fulfilling retirement in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Oh would some Power the gift give us

to see ourselves as others see us.

—Robert Burns

During my busy management career with various major corporations, I was always curious as to why some individuals could be an absolute pleasure to work with, yet others were extremely difficult. It became clear to me that interactive behaviour can either positively or negatively impact both personal growth as well as the ever-challenging corporate bottom line.

As my mind wandered (and apart from wondering where on the personable continuum I personally fell), I found myself putting pen to paper. The following pages reveal my thoughts and conclusions for any budding corporate executive to ponder.

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CHAPTER ONE

Organizations Are Made up of Human Beings

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

—Maya Angelou

It is easy to forget that organizations are made up of human beings who generally have the same concerns, considerations and sensitivities that we ourselves have. The larger the organization, the easier it becomes to lose sight of such fact. We need to remember that an organization itself (whether it be our own, a customer’s or a supplier’s) is neither specifically enemy nor friend, and that something either being done or not done by an organization is a direct result of the motivation of an individual or individuals. What influences an individual or individuals to positive or negative action is a complex topic best reserved for human behaviour specialists; however, developing a basic understanding of at least some of the influencing factors can be a powerful tool in the quest for personal success in business.

I once joined an organization and was directed to immediately start mending bridges with a particular customer, because the loss of a follow-on order was a direct result of the customer’s dislike of our organization’s lead negotiator. Upon investigation, it became apparent that it had been our lead negotiator’s perceived offensive behaviour throughout negotiations, rather than a prejudice against the individual himself, that was the root cause of the customer’s discontent. It was later revealed that personal ego on both sides was very much at play. Keeping one’s ego in check at all times during business dealings is advice worth noting.

In our lead negotiator’s eagerness to display his own knowledge and to always be right about all the terms and conditions of sale, he did not recognize his gotcha tone of condescension and had forgotten to take into account the human feelings of the customer’s opposing representative who had left the negotiating table undoubtedly feeling personally belittled, angry and revengeful.

If at times you discover that you have unintentionally offended an individual, make an effort to apologize as soon as possible. Don’t be on the defensive and make excuses; just sincerely apologize and indicate that it was not your intention to offend. Remember that there is no merit in belittling another human being, regardless of the situation.

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CHAPTER TWO

Everyone is Different, Not Necessarily Wrong

Both optimists and pessimists contribute in our society. The optimist