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Dynamic communication is one of the keys to personal and professional success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success. If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to master three basic, but very important skills: 1) conversation, 2) writing, and 3) presenting.
I have a new book coming out this summer: 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success. Rule 27 is about conversation skills: “Questions Make for Good Conversation.” Here is a sneak peek at what I have to say about questions and conversation in 42 Rules to Jumpstart Your Professional Success…
Effective communication, especially conversation, is an up close and personal endeavor. All of the great communicators I know are great conversationalists. As with most things, I have one great piece of common sense advice on how to become a great conversationalist. Listen more than you speak. When I am in a conversation, I try to spend about one third of my time speaking and two thirds listening. I have found that this ratio works well for me.
Most people like to talk about themselves. The best way to get people speaking about themselves is to ask a lot of questions. When you meet people for the first time, ask “get to know you” questions. You know the kind of questions I’m talking about here. “What do you do?” “Where do you live?” “Are you married?” “Do you have children?”
Listen to the answers and file away this information for future use. The other day I called on an old client. Prior to going to see him, I spent time thinking about what I knew about him from our previous conversations. Here’s what I remembered. We know several people in common. His son is a music major at Ithaca College. His company was recently acquired.
I prepared myself for our meeting by coming up with four questions. 1) How is your son doing at Ithaca? 2) Have you spoken to Jo (our mutual acquaintance) lately? 3) I saw Tom (another mutual acquaintance) the other day, have you spoken to him recently? 4) How are things going with your new company?
By asking these questions, listening, and adding follow up comments and/or questions, I was able to keep things moving for an hour. At the end of that time, I was in a good position to ask the two questions that were my main reason for the conversation. “How are things going with your team? How can I help you?” This was a sales call, after all.
My friend Debra Fine, author of the bestseller The Fine Art of Small Talk calls this “going deeper.” A couple of years ago, I interviewed her on my internet talk radio show. Here is what she had to say.
“Don’t be afraid to dig deeper. When you say to someone “how’s work” they’re going to say ‘pretty good’ or ‘good’ or ‘great’ or whatever. Dig in deeper, let them know you’re sincere with one more question, Say something like, ‘So, what’s been going on with work, Bud, since the last time we talked?’ Or if you say to somebody ‘how were your holidays,’ and they say ‘great,’ you can follow up by saying, ‘What did you do over the holidays that you enjoyed the most?’” Let them know you are sincere.
“We say to our friends, ‘How are you Bud?’ If you give a one word answer like ‘great,’ I’ve got to follow up with something like ‘Bud, bring me up to date – what’s been going on in your life since the last time I saw you?’ Now you know that I really want to know how you are, otherwise ‘how are you’ will end up meaning ‘hello.’ That’s all it means.
“By the same token you don’t want to become what I can an ‘FBI agent.’ That’s why one follow up question is important, but no more after that. “
Debra makes some great points about the power of questions in conversation. The key here is to ask questions, listen to what people have to say and respond appropriately. Then file away what you’ve learned. I recommend writing it down so you won’t forget. Review what you know about a person prior to visiting with him or her. This will help you prepare for the conversation by choosing the questions you want to ask.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are dynamic communicators. Dynamic communicators are good conversationalists. Good conversationalists use questions to keep conversations moving. They know that most people like to talk about themselves, their families, interests and jobs. Your initial questions will get you some information, but follow up questions will really help you go deeper into conversations. Follow up questions draw other people out – keeping them talking so you can get a better understanding of their wants and needs. They also demonstrate that you’ve been listening. This is important and helpful in building relationships because everybody likes to feel as if they are being heard.
That’s my take on the power of questions in conversation. What’s yours? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
Dynamic communication skills are one of the keys to success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success. If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to master three skills: 1) Conversation; 2) Writing; and 3) Presenting.
I’ve been looking over the transcripts of my old internet radio show. I had some pretty interesting guests who said some pretty interesting things. Debra Fine, author of the best seller The Fine Art of Small Talk was one of my guests. We discussed how to become a good conversationalist.
Here is part of what Debra had to say…
Bud: What are some icebreakers or conversation starters that shy people – or anyone—can use to get a conversation going?
Debra: Don’t be afraid to dig deeper. When you say to them “how’s work” they’re going to say “pretty good” or “good” or “great” or whatever. Dig in deeper, let them know you’re sincere with one more question, “So, what’s been going on with work, Bud, since the last time we talked”, or if you say to somebody “how were your holidays” and they say “great”, “well, what did you do over the holidays that you enjoyed the most?” Let them know you are sincere, when you are sincere, when you have the time.
We say to our friends, “how are you Bud?”, “great”, you got to follow up with something like “Bud, bring me up to date – what’s been going on in your life since the last time I saw you?” Now Bud knows I really want to know how he is, otherwise “how are you” means “hello”. That’s all it means. My own husband will walk into the house and say “how was your day” and I’ll say “pretty good” because my guess is my husband doesn’t really want to know how my day is and this is my second husband, Bud, okay? And he doesn’t want to know. But if he digs in deeper, I’ll know that he was interested.
Okay, so that’s just one tip. We don’t want to become FBI agents, that’s why that one following question is important, but no more after that. You don’t want to do one of these numbers, “Bud, what do you do?” So, what’s your answer to that, Bud?
Bud: Well, I’m a consultant, speaker, and right now, an internet radio show host.
Debra: And, Bud, it sounds like you have an accent from back east, so what part of the country are you from?
Bud: Pittsburgh.
Debra: Look at what just happened. I said “what do you do, Bud” and you said consultant, etc. and I said it sounds like you have an accent, like you’re from back east or something and you responded to that. I became an FBI agent. That was the point of that little shtick. If you’re going to start with “what do you do,” stay on topic.
Bud: You make a great point here. People get uncomfortable if you jump around in conversations because it gets them off balance, they don’t know what’s coming next. So if you begin a conversation by asking somebody about their job or career, ask a follow up question about their job or career. I think this is tremendous advice -- making sure that you follow up with a question that’s on target, not something that goes off in another direction.
Debra: And I’m saying to you to make it an open-ended question. “Tell me about it, describe that for me, how was that like for you, how did you come up with that idea?” Everybody’s got to use an open-ended question if at all possible so you can open up the conversation. Do we have a couple more minutes for another tip?
Bud: Yes we do.
Debra: Okay, let’s talk about the most common response to the question, “what’s been going on in your life?” Do you know what most of us say to “what’s been going on?”
Bud: Not much.
Debra: Exactly. That’s exactly right. We say “not much” or “nothing.” And I bet you would have said “not much” if I asked you that question because that’s what first came out of your mouth just now when I asked that, and yet you told me I believe during a break that you’re going to New York tomorrow.
I think there’s a lot going on and “not much” is just a bunch of bologna, right? And that’s how it is for all of us. We’ve all said “not much” and what we really mean is “there’s so much going on, I can’t possibly think of what it is so I’ll just say not much”. That’s what we mean. There’s just too much going on to think of what to say.
Now, if you’re just walking down the hall and don’t have time to stop and chat, a one-word answer like that is fine and dandy. But, if you’d like to connect at an annual conference when someone says to you “what’s been going on?” Please have an answer. It doesn’t have to be an elevator speech, just an answer, “well, we just introduced flex time at our company and that’s been a huge burden, but I feel like we’ve seen the worst of it, and we’re going to get through it.”
Now I have something to talk about with you, flex time. Like, how did you set it up, how does that impact you? Do you get three days off a week? I mean, give me something, it doesn’t have to be mooshy, it doesn’t have to be about your divorce. Just give me something.
If you said to me “Debra, how have you been?” I might say “well, I became an empty-nester this year and it’s really been a whole new experience, and not a sad one, a good one and I’ve really enjoyed it.” Now, did I brag about my kids, no. Did I go on and on about how perfect and gorgeous and wonderful they are? Absolutely not. I just let you know something about myself that I’m willing to talk about. If you’re not interested, you’ll go “oh, Debra, good for you, let’s talk about that contract…what do you think…?” You don’t want to chit-chat, that’s fine. Let’s get down to the business at hand.
Bud: I think that’s really great and that you’re absolutely right. The point you’re making here is that if you do go to an event and you’re somebody who is not naturally able to roll things off the tip of your tongue, be prepared, because somebody’s probably going to say to you, “what’s going on, what’s happening?”
Debra: Yes, and you get something else when you do this Bud. You become a three-dimensional person. If you sell insurance, then you’re a sales person who sells insurance. But if I ask you “how was our weekend?” and you say “it was pretty good, we went to the theater and saw Dr. Doolittle and it wasn’t as bad as all the reviews said,” you just became more than an insurance salesman, you became a human being in my mind. By saying that you went to a musical you became three dimensional. You are not just a sales person, you are now a human being. Human beings go to shows called Dr. Doolittle.
Does that make sense? “How was your weekend?” “I worked in the garden, I played on my volleyball league, I finished a good book, I’m finishing my basement.” That’s all you have to say. You don’t go on and on about it. Just give me a sentence.
Bud: A small bit of self-disclosure can be helpful and make it easy. Let me try to summarize… (A) When you enter a networking situation, put yourself out, introduce yourself to somebody. (B) When somebody introduces themselves to you, be three-dimensional. Do a little bit of self-disclosure. Be willing to say something about yourself.
Debra: Right.
Bud: One last thing, what do you do when all of a sudden there’s dead silence in a conversation?
Debra: Well, you better be prepared. The worst time to think about something to talk about, Bud, is when there’s nothing to talk about. So my rule for myself, and I wrote a book about it, is if I’m going to take you out to lunch and you’re a customer or client, I’ve got two to three things in the back of my head ready to go just in case we have nothing to talk about. Maybe it’s current events. Maybe it’s something I already know about you. You have a wife, her name is Cathy, she used to be a flight attendant. Do you understand? Have some questions in the back of your head, to be able to keep conversations moving when there’s that huge awkward silence. You’ve got to be prepared. It’s not a big deal to be prepared. It takes one whole minute. It’s not like a Yoga class.
That’s some great common sense on becoming a great conversationalist from Debra Fine, author of The Fine Art of Small Talk.
The common sense point here is clear. Successful people are dynamic communicators. Dynamic communicators are great conversationalists. Great conversationalists know how to begin conversations and keep them going. Questions are a great way to open conversations. Use open ended, not yes or no, questions. Follow up with a comment or a question that follows in the same vein. When someone asks you a question, become three dimensional by being willing to disclose something about yourself as a person. If you know who you are going to be seeing, think back to the last time you saw that person. Think about what you discussed. Keep these things in the back of your mind. They can help you prevent awkward silences in your conversation.
That’s what Debra Fine and I think about conversation skills. What do you think? Please leave a comment sharing your thoughts with us. As always, thanks for reading.
Bud
Happy New Year.
I hope that 2009 brings you lots of love, peace, health, happiness and prosperity. I, for one, am glad to see 2008 go. I am feeling hopeful as we enter 2009.
The holidays were a little rough for me. My 83 year old Mother who suffers from COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – meaning that her lungs are shot) had emergency surgery on her intestines twice. At one point, it appeared as if we were going to lose her. Her priest even administered the last rites on December 30. Somehow she pulled through.
She now faces a couple of months of rehab before she’ll be able to go home. But for now at least, she is still with us.
My Mom is pretty cool. She spends a lot of time on the internet. On several occasions, she has expressed a desire to become an internet marketer. This fall, she and I discussed writing an eBook highlighting what she has learned in life. We got started on the project, but decided to put it on hold for the holidays. I’m not sure when we’ll get back to it. However, today I thought I’d share the key points she wants to make in the eBook.
As we begin 2009, here’s what Henrietta Bilanich, my Mom, The Common Sense Mom, says she has learned about life:
For now I'll leave it at that. I will be interviewing my Mom to flesh out these ideas and to provide you with the stories behind why she chose these six items as the most important lessons she has learned in her 83 years.
Thanks for reading. I really appreciated all of your support and comments in 2008. My goal for 2009 is to make this blog more interactive. I want to turn it into more of a dialogue, where we can all share ideas. Together, we can become a strong learning community.
Bud
212 – The Extra Degree is one of my favorite books. It makes a simple point. At 211 degrees Fahrenheit water is just hot water. At 212 degrees it boils.
The authors, Sam Parker and Mac Anderson, say…
Sam Parker has written a new book, Smile and Move. I love everything about this book – from the title on. “Smile and move,” are two great ideas for becoming interpersonally competent.
I blog about interpersonal competence on Fridays. Interpersonal competence is one of the keys to success that I discuss in Straight Talk for Success. If you want to become interpersonally competent, you need to do three things: 1) get to know yourself, use this self knowledge to better understand others; 2) Build solid, long lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life; and 3) learn how to resolve conflict in a positive manner.
Smile and Move presents some great advice on interpersonal competence. It shows you “five ways to smile” and “four ways to move” to be of better service to others. Service to others is at the core of interpersonal competence. Sam Parker says he wants to start a movement where we all happily serve on another. He says there has never been a better time for this movement. I agree.
Here are Sam’s ideas on five ways to smile and four ways to move…
Smile – Be Happy
• Wake up – Show others you care by giving attention to their needs.
• Be thankful – The opportunity to serve is a gift…not an entitlement.
• Be approachable – We’re at each other’s service, and contact is where it starts.
• Complain less – We’ve got work to do.
• Smile. Really. – It’s where pleasantness begins.
Move – Do Something
• Start early and go long – Get lost in your service to others.
• Exceed expectations – Dismiss mediocrity. Expect more from yourself.
• Have a sense of urgency – Predict and pre-sweat the details for others.
• Be resourceful and resilient – Service is about giving someone what they need…no matter what.
There is even a kid’s version of Smile and Move. While I think that interpersonal competence is important for success as an adult, I think it is a very important skill for children to develop. Sam Parker has hit a home run – no, make that a grand slam – with this book. I’ve purchased a couple as Christmas gifts and know I’ll be buying and giving away more in 2009.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are interpersonally competent. Sam Parker’s new book Smile and Move makes some great points about how to become more interpersonally competent: smile, be happy; and move, do something. You can read the book online in about 20 minutes. I’ve already read it twice, and will read it again as soon as I finish writing this post. This is my final post of 2008. Smile and Move is my holiday gift to you. Check it out online. I think you’ll find that it’s a great book that is full of good ideas for 2009 resolutions. In 2009, I resolve to: wake up, be thankful, be approachable, complain less, smile more, start early and go long, exceed expectations, have a sense of urgency and to be resourceful and resilient. I’ll be blogging about my experiences as I go forward. Happy holidays to you and your family. I hope that 2009 brings you peace, love, health, happiness and prosperity. Thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts this year. I am looking forward to further exploring personal and professional success with you next year.
Bud
It’s December 18. Christmas is one week away. Chanukah starts on Monday December 22. The Winter Solstice is Sunday December 21. Kwanzaa begins on Friday December 26. In short, it’s the holiday season. I don’t know about you, but I like celebrations, so I celebrate all of the winter holidays – regardless of the tradition in which they are based.
Seriously, this is a time for getting together with friends and family. There are lots of social events this time of year. Social events provide you with an opportunity to work on your conversation skills. Why not mix a little self development in with the fun?
As I discuss in Straight Talk for Success, dynamic communication is one of the keys to personal and professional success. People who are dynamic communicators have mastered three skills: conversation, writing and presenting.
There are two things you can do to develop your conversation skills at holiday parties: ask questions and listen. As you are getting ready for an event, remind yourself to ask and listen. When you arrive, put these to tools to work.
Ask questions, whether you’re speaking with old friends or people you’ve just met. Really listen to their answers. Respond appropriately to show you’ve been listening. People like to talk about themselves. Give them the opportunity to do so by asking questions and listening. You’ll be the most popular person at the party.
There are a couple of benefits to doing this at holiday parties. First, you’ll learn some interesting things about other people. I was speaking with a friend I’ve known for 25 years yesterday. We were chatting about a lot of things. I learned a lot of things about her early life that I never knew before. None of what I learned was earth shattering news, but I came away from the conversation with a new and different perspective on her. We both felt a little closer to each other because of this conversation, questions I asked her and her answers.
Second, you will be getting some great practice for work conversations in 2009. The people who do the best at networking events, are the people who ask the most questions of the people they meet. The best sales people are the ones who take the time to understand customer needs. How do they do this? By asking questions.
Mix in some work with fun at the holiday parties you attend this year. Use these events as an opportunity to sharpen your conversation skills.
The common sense point here is simple. Successful people are dynamic communicators. Dynamic communicators are great conversationalists. You get to be known as a great conversationalist by asking questions of others, really listening to what they have to say and responding in a manner that keeps the focus on them. Holiday parties provide a great opportunity to practice this “ask, listen, respond appropriately” conversation model. Try it, you’ll find it will lead to some fascinating conversations this holiday season. More important, you’ll be practicing the conversation skills that will serve you well in the new year. Besides that, if you use holiday parties to practice your conversation skills, you’ll be less likely to drink too much and do something you might regret when you see the video on YouTube!
That’s my take on how to practice your conversation skills this holiday season. What’s yours? Please leave a comment letting us know what you think. Thanks for reading. Happy Holidays!
Bud
OR..........Necessity is the Mother of Mittens.
It’s not very often you see a grown man sporting mittens shaped like bear paws and a neck scarf adorned with a stuffed animal. In fact, can’t say I’ve ever encountered that before – until last week. Headed to a meeting in the Time Warner building in Columbus Circle, I passed through an area outside of Central Park where a variety of vendors were selling specialty gifts for the holidays. And there he was – up close and personal.
You simply have to stop and say hello to a man with bear paws on his hands. And it turns out, Jeff Golden wasn’t just modeling the winter accessory, he’s the co-owner and inventor of BearHands® & Buddies. He told me it was a ski trip a few years ago that inspired the concept for the gloves. Jeff and his partner Zach Golden, (father and son), recognized the need for a way to keep your hands warm and still access your fingers without removing your gloves. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention – or, in this case, mittens.
Jeff and Zach designed a unique, super-warm, Thinsulate™ lined, paw-shaped mitten that permits you to access your bare hand through a secret Velcro flap. The mittens come in a rainbow of colors as well as several fur patterns and range in sizes to fit the tiniest hands in your family all the way up to the adults. Three of my step-grandchildren are getting them for Christmas. (One is a teenager and Jeff and I decided, he might be too cool to appreciate the mittens right now.) The two girls are also getting the “Buddy” scarves – both hot pink, one with a French poodle and the other with a teddy bear.
Founded in 2002, BearHands® sells through children’s stores across the country and is beginning to expand globally. During the holidays, in addition to the booth at Columbus Circle, there is also one in Bryant Park. You can find a retail location close to you on their website. In addition, there are tons of testimonials, including a few from some well-known celebs.
The reason I wanted to share this story with you is not simply because it’s a cute entrepreneurial success story. It’s also not to justify my holiday shopping break during a normal business day. I’m writing about this because Jeff is a typical entrepreneur working hard to run a business.
You see, normally Jeff wouldn’t have been at the booth. He’s usually back at their Little Ferry, NJ headquarters. But as luck would have it, his car broke down that morning as he was delivering something to the Columbus Circle location. Jeff’s misfortune was my good fortune that day because I got to meet the man behind the paw. And there’s nothing better than a great small business story to pick up my spirits.
BearHands® has been featured on “The Today Show” and in “Parenting” magazine. The day I was there, the Fox network was filming a story.
If you have a great small business story, please share it with me. I believe small business is going to be the savior of our country’s economy in the next couple of years so I want to know what’s up in your world of entrepreneurship.
Even if you just have an idea for a business and need advice or resources, let me know. That’s what SBTV.com and I are here for – helping you succeed. Please consider joining our new SBTV.com community – Small Biz Central. That’s where you can interact with our experts, other business owners and me. You can also upload your video, audio and text content to become one of our contributors. I like to call it; YouTube meets LinkedIn with a purpose for small business.
Bearhands & Buddies produce products that are everyday items that have been recreated in a unique way and appeal to people of all ages. They are a great combination of fun and functionality and find smiles wherever they go!
Can you believe it? The holidays are here. In fact, this week is the SBTV.com holiday party. I'm looking forward to it. It's a great time to get everyone together and say thanks for a fantastic year and it's a wonderful opportunity to meet spouses, partners, friends and significant others.
Of course, there are often the post-party stories that get told over and over again about someone dancing with the lamp shade on his head or a stolen kiss under the mistletoe. Most of the antics are harmless, but if the festivities can get out of hand that could mean serious consequences for your business.
As an employer, you can be held liable for actions occurring during or as the result of your company sponsored social event – particularly if alcohol is served. It's a concept known as social host liability and it is recognized by many courts across the country. (It's a good idea to consult an attorney and your insurance carrier before your event.)
Here are some ideas to help you host a fun, yet safe holiday soiree. First, make sure attendance at your event is voluntary. You want to eliminate any implication that work is being conducted at the party.
Secondly, make sure you don't drink too much. Yeah that's right. Limit the number of drinks to one or two. You need a clear head and good judgment to avoid problems. Arrange for alternative transportation. Ask for volunteers to be designated drivers or arrange for a taxi service to ensure your guests arrive home safely.
Plan your menu so there aren't a lot of salty foods. Salty foods make you thirsty and as a result you drink more. Make sure you serve your guests their drinks. Don't provide a self-serve bar. It's even a better idea to hire a professional bartender who can keep eye on how much your guests are drinking. Also, make sure you have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages on hand. Consider hosting your party in the afternoon or early evening when people tend to drink less.
Finally, stop serving alcohol at least an hour before the party ends. Instead, offer a coffee bar and some wonderful deserts. I don't mean to put a damper on your event, but it is better to be safe than sorry. You don't have to be a grinch. It is possible to host a fun event for your team and still protect your company from liability.
THE ART OF GIFT-GIVING IN THE WORKPLACE
Here are some tips to save you from making career limiting office gift choices, and keep you on the A-list.
1. Don’t overspend on the boss. Not only does it make the boss uncomfortable, it makes you look a little desperate.
2. Do your research. It’s great to give gifts to clients for holidays, birthdays or “just because.” Just make sure they are in a position to accept them. Some companies forbid employees to accept gifts from certain suppliers, considering it swag. Others may place a dollar limit on gifts that can be received. By the same token, clients who receive corporate gifts that they feel are cheap or insufficient will tell the world about it. Do a little research before you order those tiny $20 candy bouquets to send to clients who spend thousands with you annually. You may want to raise the bar a little. Also, be sure you are straight on what’s tax deductible and what’s not before you buy.
3. Avoid self-help gifts. No matter how many times your coworker has complained about those extra 10 pounds, DO NOT, repeat DO NOT present her with the latest new dieting book. Well-intentioned gifts like this are extremely risky. You may mean well by giving a self-help gift to an office mate who fears public speaking, is going through a divorce, or is trying to quit smoking, but this sort of gesture could really hurt their feelings.
4. Don’t bring cut flowers to a dinner party. There’s nothing wrong with giving someone a big bouquet of beautiful flowers. Just don’t show up at the door with them when you’re invited to the boss’s fancy dinner party. Your host has enough to do as guests are arriving without having to go hunt a vase to put your flowers in. Besides, it’s a pretty safe bet that the centerpieces and party decorations for this party are already in place, so not only will the host have to find the vase and arrange the flowers (while oohing and aahing for your benefit,) she’ll then have to find a place of honor for them that doesn’t clash with the existing décor. If you’re really set on flowers, order them in a vase and have them delivered the day before the party.
5. Don’t give thoughtless gifts. Just because you love your meat and potatoes, doesn’t mean your vegetarian office mate will be thrilled with an Omaha Steaks gift certificate. Trying to impose your tastes on others can be construed as aggressive and offensive in a competitive work environment.
6. Don’t try to be funny. Even though it seems like you spend more time with these folks than your own family, you may not know them as well as you think. Something you think is hilarious may be perceived as tasteless and gauche to a colleague. And office mates aren’t as forgiving as family.
7. Avoid Booze. Unless you know for an absolute fact that your recipient has long been a connoisseur of rare single malt scotches, for example, reconsider a gift of hard liquor. If you really want to give libations, wine or champagne are safer (albeit somewhat boring) choices. When giving wine remember, one really great bottle is better than three mediocre ones.
8. Don’t give embarrassing gifts. This may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at what goes on in some offices. Suffice it to say, even though your boss is pregnant with her first, and even though you’ve had three and know all there is to know about babies, you still shouldn’t give her a breast pump as a birthday present. It’s just wrong.
9. Don’t give advice to an expert. If your recipient has a long time hobby or deep knowledge about a particular subject, it’s tempting to try to find something that directly relates to that expertise. Trouble is, if they’ve spent years developing this expertise, they probably already have it or don’t need it. The guy who has been fly fishing since childhood most likely doesn’t need another book on the basics of fly fishing.
10. Don’t even think of giving a gift that is religious, sexual or racist in nature. It’s tacky to give your Jewish employees miniature Christmas tress just because that’s what you’re giving everyone else. And those tickets to Chippendales for the female staff members? Wrong.
What have I missed? Do you have a story about a disastrous office gift? I’d love to hear about it.
