In our latest advice column for City AM, Debrett's Academy director Rupert Wesson reveals how to sell successfully
Q: I work for a professional services company and my role involves tendering for new business. Despite going out with several pitches recently, my team has failed to win any new work this quarter. While we could blame Brexit fears, I worry our sales approach is letting us down. How can I ensure we sell more effectively?
The first thing to do is to find out where you have been going wrong, and the best way of doing this is to ask the people who decided not to buy from you. Most will be very happy to provide feedback, and you should interpret this feedback not as criticism but as help.
It is also important to review your pitching technique with your team at every stage of the process, including immediately after delivering the pitch and a week or so later once you know the outcome. These reviews should be open and honest, leading to actions that will improve your team’s performance.
In our latest advice column for City AM, the Debrett’s Office Politics Expert advises a reader on how to respond when a colleague makes bad-taste jokes.
Q: I get on well with my boss, but he’s often cracking jokes that make me uncomfortable. Occasionally these can border on sexist and even racist comments, but more often they’re just rude remarks dressed up as banter – making fun of someone’s appearance or accent, for example. I don’t want to seem po-faced, but I’m concerned that he risks causing serious offence. Also, his “jokes” really bother me. How can I take him to task?
The recent news that a comedian in Canada was fined thousands of dollars for a joke about a young disabled singer has been received with a mixture of outrage and unease. The joke itself has been roundly condemned, but many have questioned the decision of the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal to penalise an individual’s freedom of expression.
In the professional realm, this same freedom is necessarily moderated out of consideration for our colleagues and in promotion of an inclusive and diverse workforce. Jokes that may offend or alienate, however lightly intended, are never appropriate at work, and personal comments, even if complimentary, should be made with caution in case they’re interpreted as an unwanted advance. Read more...
We were delighted to be asked by gin makers Hendrick's to oversee passenger etiquette on board the good bus HERBERT (Hendrick’s Extraordinary Roving Bus of Exceptionally Refined Travel). Watch the video below for our advice on making your journey to work that little bit more pleasant:
DEBRETT'S TEN GOLDEN RULES FOR COMMUTERS:
1. Fast Food Fasting
Crowded transport can make even the sturdiest of us feel delicate at times, so try not to compound the problem by tucking into a smelly snack. Not everyone will share your enthusiasm for a double bacon burger with chips.
2. PDA Prevention
Even making eye contact is considered forward on public transport, and full-on displays of affection can make others uncomfortable. If you’re travelling with a loved one, keep the canoodling for somewhere more private.
3. Beware Bulky Bags
Lugging large bags onto an already crowded carriage won’t make you popular with other commuters. Remove backpacks to free up space, and don’t monopolise an adjacent seat with your handbag or jacket – and especially not your feet.
4. Spoiler Alert
Avoid loud phone conversations on a quiet bus or train: others may not appreciate overhearing the intimate details of your recent night out, or worse, a Game of Thrones plot spoiler.
5. Me, My Selfie and I
You haven’t really travelled by Tube unless you’ve got a selfie to prove it, but try not to turn innocent bystanders into unwitting photo bombers by capturing them in the background.
6. Don’t be a Space Invader
Personal space is at a premium on public transport. Refrain from (wo)man-spreading by keeping your legs together, and keep your elbows tucked in when reading a newspaper.
7. If in Doubt, Stand
You may be reluctant to offer up your seat to someone who looks pregnant, elderly or infirm in case they prove to be none of those things. If you notice a walking stick or Baby on Board badge, or anyone resembling your grandmother, make eye contact and move to free up your seat in case they want to use it.
8. For Your Ears Only
Whether it’s Bieber, Beyoncé or Bon Jovi, don’t assume others will share your taste in music. Wear headphones and keep the volume to below leaking level, and be wary of inadvertent humming.
9. Don’t Door Dive
There’s nothing quite so tempting as diving between closing doors as the warning beeps sound, but it’s better to wait for the next train than to crush yourself into the fray. You’ll also avoid the humiliation of getting trapped in the doors – and the disapproving glares from other passengers.
10. Grooming Guidelines
A quick touch-up of mascara or lipstick is acceptable, but refrain from full-on facial transformation. Some forms of grooming should remain firmly in the confines of your own home, including tweezing, squeezing and, for men, shaving or nose-hair trimming.
In our latest advice column for City AM, the Debrett’s Office Politics Expert advises a reader on how to engage in a debate when you find yourself in the minority.
Q: When discussing certain topics with my colleagues I often find that I’m the odd person out. While I’ve tried to stay away from debating the usual hot topics such as politics or religion, the recent referendum and its consequences mean I’d have to play deaf, dumb and mute to dispel an office ambush. Should I speak up for myself, or keep the peace by staying quiet?
Recent events have brought the topic of politics into water cooler conversations around the country. In the wake of the EU referendum, many of us feel the need to express our surprise and to discuss the professional and personal ramifications it may have.
The vote will have a direct impact on many businesses, meaning that it’s a subject for discussion in the boardroom too, affecting strategy and HR, and even potentially leading to restructuring or relocation. The traditional advice, therefore – that politics is a conversation topic best avoided – hardly applies. Read more...
