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 Business Protocol |
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Shaking hands
Shaking hands upon meeting is the custom in the U.S., but not the ritual it is in some countries. An American businessperson, especially a man, will typically extend a hand during an introduction. The actual touching will be brief and accompanied only by a smile, no bow or other body language. At a meeting, greetings, introductions, and often handshakes are exchanged as people are entering the room. A handshake also may be appropriate at the conclusion. If a number of people are involved, however, it is not necessary to make actual physical contact with everyone. It is acceptable simply to acknowledge a person on the opposite side of a broad conference table and say, with a smile, something to the effect that the meeting, or meeting them, has been a pleasure.
Longevity on the job
Job-hopping, however, has become almost as prevalent at the top of the corporate ladder as at the bottom. Superior business acumen is regarded as a transferable asset, qualifying a successful former CEO of a leading soft-drink producer to take command of a major computer firm.
The CEO
In the strong-CEO system, boards of directors have tended to play a subordinate role, rubber-stamping the decisions of the person in charge, who often has handpicked most of the members. It can happen, however, that a board becomes more assertive, taking active control of a troubled company.