The Art of Business Lunching

``And when your business discussion is over, you nod and the waiter comes to tell you that you have a phone call. You move to the desk and pay the bill discreetly.``

These days, businessmen and women carry cell phones. It would look absurd for any self-respecting business person to be called for a phone call at the desk!

aicha #16 no boss worth anything would develop a good relationship with a subordinate unless the latter produces results. And results are produced by hard work. so again, it depends on the type of boss - whether he/she cares about results or is simply there to do a 9 to 5 job and is counting days till his retirement.

I am constantly told bonus de[emds more on networking and developing a good relationship with the boss than hard work. work counts only for 25%.
Anyone here have any opinions on cold calling !

Brat # 13

Nothing works better than hard work, honesty and doing your job with relish - especially in the commercial world where output is the criterion.

Networking is for persons who need to make up for some deficiency.

But with all the good qualities stated above, if you are also good at the networking, you could go places.

Each situation is different and each Boss/group is different - you need to assess what tingles best the Boss`s sensibility. His Golf or house decor or views on privatization or views on market or even how intelligent his children are and so on . The good networkers compromize their personal stand to please others - I do not do it and I will not advise it. But where there is a commonality of interest, you could focus there.

Networking can also at times backfire - you are dumped with the entire group unless you have retreated out at the right time.

So if you are a simplton guy like me, just follow the first line.

Brat #13 It is so flattering to be asked for guidance... :-)...Anyway, this is my two-cents on your specific questions: Make sure you are clear what you want from the person - e.g. getting the person to agree in helping you get a job perhaps, or a transfer to a different job, or a new assignment, or information on prospective jobs.

There are many different ways to communicate with the individual of course, depending on your relationship and what you are trying to accomplish: over lunch, in the office, over the phone or via email. Some big bosses can be surprisingly approachable and considerate when asked for help, particularly if you have done your homework and are clear on what you want out of them.

I dont know if this helps at all, but this is what I have tried to keep in mind when approaching someone for some assistance or guidance I need.

Nazarhayat Khan, Stuka and Tahmed:

what a discussion. Nazarhayat Khan: the article had a good flow, I seem to have an editor (critic) hidden inside my head today. While the topic did not talk about something deep or even new, it did elicit discussion and that is the joy of reading something here.
To someone who has taken a lot of people out to `business lunches` it may seem very obvious, to others it may at the very least describe the process.

I have a question for those who are in the know related to `networking`. How does one utilize the contacts one has? What if you are a student on an internship - or a junior staff who has frequent contact with senior management (of the same organization or another). How can you network with someone who is (much more) senior than you?

Could you meet them in person (such as for a business lunch, or for drinks after work) and if so how could you bring it up? And if you could not meet them in person - how can you utilize your contact with them?

I`ve read articles on networking and mentoring etc. but you don`t get much information out of those. I think just being out in the field and learning by trial and error helps a lot more. Any suggestions?


dost-mittar: #12

that is hilarious, I didn`t know that since i haven`t participated at many religious gatherings since i have attained the age of `giving`.

``For the coatman, the doorman and the car valet, an equivalent of a dollar should do. The tip is to be paid in notes and not in coins.``
Unless you are in Canada where one and two dollar bills have been replaced by coins and the lowest bill is of a five-dollar denomination!
The takings of the local gurudwara multiplied after the introduction of dollar coins; nobody wanted to be seen as offering a coin to the gurudwara.:-)

Ref tahmed32 #1

[How about if you throw up during the business lunch? What is the etiquette for that??]

Please ask this question of George Herbert Walker Bush.

``But believe me, our AArthi, thekadar, petty manufacturers who make socks or filters and who are just entering into this high-tech sophisticated world of business, need to know this.

And Emirates or anyother airline in this area has plenty of these characters travelling. Frankly, when I studied this subject, I felt that I also learnt a few new things. ``

Okay. Point well taken.

Stuka & Tehmed 32 -

I get your point. There is too much of obvious that you see in this article. But some times, the obvious needs to be defined.

The background from where you are coming, most of it falls in the realm of common sense.

Probably, both of you could run a short training course on this subject to the nouva riche.

But believe me, our AArthi, thekadar, petty manufacturers who make socks or filters and who are just entering into this high-tech sophisticated world of business, need to know this.

And Emirates or anyother airline in this area has plenty of these characters travelling. Frankly, when I studied this subject, I felt that I also learnt a few new things.

If the guys like the Arthur Anderson were to say these few obvious things, they would bill the company a few thousand Dollars. All what they say is a good common sense and logic.

Emirates paid me $ 300 for it. Friendship with Linda Heard, the Editor, was a bonus.
Subsequently, whenever I had a stop-over in Dubai, I could call her over for a few margrittas and Gup Shup.

So the life is not all that serious - it is all mixed up and it is better that it stays mixed up.

``Talk about ordinary everyday mundane affairs. ``

`business rules` are so tiresome.

Nazarhayat Khan: LOL!! I did 5 yrs of sales so I am very familiar with the business lunch. But c`mon, even if you have to write an article about such a topic, you can write about negotiating skills, or maybe do a review of good places in a city, or some such. I dunno. Maybe because I do this all the time, I take this info for granted and it could be helpful to those who are new to this.

Nazarhayat Khan: LOL!! I did 5 yrs of sales so I am very familiar with the business lunch. But c`mon, even if you have to write an article about such a topic, you can write about negotiating skills, or maybe do a review of good places in a city, or some such. I dunno. Maybe because I do this all the time, I take this info for granted and it could be helpful to those who are new to this.

TAhmed says...

``But please write on something more substantive than using forks and knives rather than toes and fingers on a business lunch. You can do better than this. ``

Exactly my point. I have read your posts and I expect a higher standard from you. Hope you understand.

nazar #4 Depends on who needs who. In fact I conducted this experiment once. Fortunately the other chap needed me more than I needed him (he wanted me to take some time off from my regular job to help out his organization and had invited me out to explain what they were trying to do). For the record, I did not actually throw up until after I had rushed to the men`s room and avoided making any mess. The problem being caused by my having received a stiff dose of pain killers in the morning from my friendly dental surgeon.

I am glad you wrote on a different topic than the indo-pak bs or some religious bs that every board seems to degenerate into. But please write on something more substantive than using forks and knives rather than toes and fingers on a business lunch. You can do better than this.

Tehmed32 # 1

If you throw up, you have made a killing. You have left an indelible impression on the client.

It can work both ways. Chances are that not only you will get another appointment but 30-40 minutes instead of the customery 20 minites with him in the office.

But there is also an outside possibility that the client has been put off and he would not want to see your face for the rest of his life.

Stuka # 2

``Business Lunch`` is the place where millions are made or lost. Ask a businessman.

If a businessman thinks that use of double-ply toilet paper can get him an extra buck, he will jump for the oppurtunity.

A traveller on the flight has to be given light, secular, interesting, non-controversial, somewhat informative and unoffensive reading material.

Topics that are certainly NO-NO for an inflight magazine are the ones most popular on Chowk - Palestine, Kashmir, BJP, Islam, MMA, India-Pakistan conflict and so on.