Business Etiquette: 10 Strategies of Successful People

Sometimes the biggest obstacles standing in the way of truly reaching our full potential are our own bad habits. Look at the people that you admire, or who serve as your role models. Notice how they structure their days, what their priorities are, and how they treat others. There are certain actions and attitudes that seem to be prevalent among those who, by any definition, are thriving both personally and professionally.

Here are Ten Strategies that successful people often incorporate into their day:  

1. Take responsibility for their actions. When something doesn’t go as planned, instead of pointing fingers, they assess what went wrong, why it happened, and the necessary steps so that it doesn’t present itself again.
2. Make health and exercise a priority. Paying attention to their physical health, well-being, and personal fitness goals is non-negotiable. A strategy for fitting a workout into a busy day is to get it done first thing in the morning. The benefits are many, from being able to better manage the stress of the day to increased energy and improved mood. One study even found that morning workouts contribute to more restful sleep as well as reduced blood pressure.
3. Spend time with friends and family. Duty calls, but your career and quality of life will suffer if you don’t have a healthy balance. Successful people make time to recharge and unwind with their family and friends.
4. Keep their word. If they give you their word, you are practically guaranteed that it will get done.  [Tweet “Understanding the importance of integrity is a professional commitment that is worth the effort.”]
5. Learn from their mistakes. The prospect of failure doesn’t deter a strong person from trying a second or third time around. As Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
6. Build authentic relationships. From the summer intern to the chairman of the board, everyone receives the same level of respect. Calling someone by name is an important leadership skill and a practice that should not be overlooked.
7. Track to-do’s. Writing things down and keeping a punch list helps to organize various commitments. No one can remember everything, and relying only on your overcrowded memory may mean the difference between forgetting or following through.
8. Ask for wise counsel from trusted advisors. Capable professionals don’t pretend to know everything. They surround themselves with people they trust, talk through dilemmas, and seek out various perspectives to make tough decisions.
9. Return calls and emails promptly. [Tweet “A neglected inbox or a full voicemail often indicates a disorganized mind.”] People feel undervalued when their call is not returned, or their email gets lost in the shuffle. An attentive person knows they have one business day to answer business correspondence.
10. Get a good night’s rest. A study by the National Sleep Foundation determined that while sleep schedules vary by individual, adults ages 18 and up need between 7 and 9 hours to function optimally. Any less compromises mood, performance, and alertness. Accomplished people understand the significance of rest and practice a healthy sleep routine.

For more of my Business Etiquette advice, check out my article, Business Etiquette: Handling Office Distractions on Huffington Post.