I will begin with the definition of a CEO (dumb right?). Well, I think the definition of a CEO will help those who occupy such positions to understand how significant their position is to their corporate environment.

A CEO is the chief executive officer and the highest ranking corporate officer of an organization. Everyone believes that CEOs can do whatever they want, well not further from the truth, but there are corporate etiquettes that some CEOs overlook. No CEO should be too busy to leave out these very important etiquettes, here we go:

• GET ON YOUR FEET!

Stand when meeting someone and/or shaking hands, anything less is well, just disrespectful. Is that really how you want to start a business relationship?

• PHONE OFF, PLEASE!

It is very unprofessional for your phone to ring out loud in a corporate environment. Best option – leave your cell phone on vibration or single prompt mode and train yourself to hear that ‘little’ beep.

• DON’T SNEEZE ON IT!

One big no-no is sneezing on your hand and then offering your hand to another person. That is just disgusting! Please mind your manners or don’t let anyone see what you’ve done.

• DON’T BE THE INTERRUPTER!

One of the worst etiquette no-no’s are CEOs who interrupt others either in a business environment or in a presentation, businesses have lost longtime customers due to this business faux pas.

• SAY MY NAME!

Use real names of your business associates. Do not use oblique language like “my web guy” or “my marketing company”-it’s so much polite to make personal references.

• DON’T GET TOO RELAXED!

At business lunches, dinners and networking events, accept meals that you are comfortable with. A business date is not where you begin to experiment with unfamiliar dishes (you don’t want to create a scene in front of your business associates because you can’t control your drive for food), watch the alcohol intake, don’t talk with food in your mouth, and don’t pick your teeth without covering your mouth. Do not raise the tone of your voice while talking either on the phone or during a business conversation.

Even if the future looks bright, please avoid wearing sunglasses on your head or face during a business meeting, you don’t want to appear untrustworthy.

Shoes and socks belong to your feet! Once I saw a CEO who took off his shoes and socks and started picking at his toes. PLEASE! He has a PHD, so I can’t help but wonder in what class he learnt such unseemly habit? Sandals have no place in a workplace for a CEO.

Although it is important to build strong relationships, keep it professional at all times. I have seen CEOs who get too cutesy with clients and inadvertently offend them.

Always send a ‘Thank You’ note to people who have assisted you in getting businesses, a simple “thank you” can go a long way. It also applies to your subordinates, if someone opens the door for you, say “thank you”, someone picks something you dropped accidentally? Say “thank you”, being the CEO doesn’t dispose your duty of being polite, it won’t even take away the “C” in the abbreviation of your rank as the CEO.

A CEO is not allowed to bite his fingernails in public, cough without covering his mouth, yawn loudly, or yell while correcting his staff, laugh loudly, or dip his finger into his nose (real dirty!). Untrue to what people think that the CEO can do whatever he wants, the CEO is the role model for the employees; all eyes are on him to set a high standard of professionalism in the organization which he represents, it will be a pitiful situation if a CEO who is expected to be one who plays by the rules, turns out to be THE DIRTY CEO.

• Macford is a corporate etiquette cum protocol expert.

Contact: adakumacford@yahoo.com