As I introduced you in my last post; “12 things not to forget in your business lunches (PART I)”, I have always considered business lunches as a central element in my professional activity, and for this reason I leave you here MORE KEY ASPECTS TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION AT WORK LUNCHES.
7. ATTENTION TO THE CAR: On some occasions, you will have to go to the restaurant by car. One of my first professional mentors, a retired soccer player agent, told me the following. He always stayed to eat with the football players he was going to represent in restaurants where it was common to travel by car. My mentor paid a lot of attention to the car of the person he was going to eat with. Is it a car in good condition? Is it clean? Is it in line with your status, with your professional and economic level? In this sense, he told me that he ruled out some players who, at young ages and with not yet very high salaries, bought expensive or luxury cars that were not in line with their current level. This fact, according to my mentor, meant economic mismanagement and little personal maturity.
8. DO NOT ABUSE USING CELL PHONES: Many professionals are hooked on cell phones. Checking email, WhatsApp, and social networks… has become a habit for many of us. While you are eating professionally with someone, do not abuse the mobile. Focus on the conversation with your table partner.
9. TRY TO PAY: I think it’s polite to try to pay the bill. Go ahead, offer yourself. Generally, the most common thing is that the one who invites you to the meal pays, or the one who has had the initiative to eat together. The host also usually pays, or the one who is in his area. It is also frequent that the one who tries to sell something pays rather than the one who is going to buy. In any case, offer yourself quickly, be polite… and let the other party pay if you consider it appropriate, but always offer yourself.
10. SUMMARY AND ACTION PLAN: For me, it is important in good meals to end by summarizing the points covered and, above all, to define an action plan. In other words, specify what are the next steps to take, who should take them, and within what period. Leaving a meal without summarizing or specifying the next actions is a missed opportunity.
11. THANKS: People’s time is limited. Think that the person or people with whom you have eaten have given up other things to spend time with you. So, thank him both at the time of the farewell and afterward. It costs nothing to send a thank you email or WhatsApp hours later. Be especially grateful if you have also been invited.
12. FULFILL YOUR COMMITMENTS: It is very important that you are clear about what you have compromised. Write it down before you forget… and above all, stick to it.
You have 12 ideas to manage your professional lunches well. And remember that, as Peter Drucker said “Most business decisions are made over lunch and dinner, but no MBA gives you directions on the subject.”
