Mixing Tea and Business: Persnickety or Not?
A dining expert says in his blog to “avoid ordering tea while dining with clients because they might think you are persnickety.” When I read this, I scrunched up my forehead in a state of confusion and asked myself, “What does “persnickety” mean and how does drinking tea make me appear persnickety in front of business clients?”
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of persnickety is:
- fussy about small details
- having the characteristics of a snob
- requiring great precision
A snob? How ordering tea over coffee or espresso is considered snobbish is beyond me. But, if the dining expert refers to the fact that making a perfect pot of tea takes great precision, then perhaps a client might see attention to detail as a good quality in a business partner.
Preparing tea is an art. I’m comfortable in saying that a client who doesn’t appreciate “art” during a business dinner may be drinking too much coffee and be better off with a glass of Port.
Tiffany Nielsen shows men and women of all ages how to stand out-not stick out socially and professionally. She is the President of Premier Etiquette, a full-service etiquette and image training and consulting company, and co-author of The Power of Civility and Incredible Business. Visit her website at http://www.tiffanynielsen.com/ to learn more about how you can thrive socially and professionally!
Copyright 2011 Tiffany Nielsen. All Rights Reserved. To reprint, please contact Tiffany Nielsen at tiffany@tiffanynielsen.com for permission. www.tiffanyynielsen.com
Thanks for the fun y0u bring to the art of good business practices!