If you are in the business world, then you probably have seen many rules and regulations. This is common and will always be present in any organization. Companies set their own rules and regulations in a written manner so that everyone can see it. Of course, rules and regulations are essential, as this will be a deterrent to everyone that will be a part of the company. Everyone must respect the rules as written.
But have you ever thought that there is another set of rules existing? A set of unwritten rules in business that is existing everywhere. The once that cannot be seen in the documents, .there are a set of unwritten rules that are present and followed by every emerging entrepreneur. Although they are not technically rules, they’re more like guidelines.
What does unwritten rule mean?
Usually, documented rules and regulations will also have corresponding punishments once broken. There will be enforcement with rules since they are in black and white. But if the rules are unwritten, some might say that the rules are made up and the points don’t matter. On the contrary, these unwritten rules are much more important than those.
These rules are not based on technical research but instead, based on moral standards. It is more on the emphasis of professional dignity and how to show proper respect to everyone. The reason why it is not written because it is expected that these should be common actions in certain situations. These unspoken rules exist in every aspect and not just in the business world.
Of course, you do not want to commit the mistake of breaking these rules as you are remembered for the rules you break. If you are new in this field, then this article is for you. We will be talking about these rules and regulations.
Unwritten Rules of Business
Always Respond in a Professional Way
An action easier said than done. You might think that in the business world, everyone is professional and respect the rules. Well, not everyone does so, and in fact, some are even intentionally rude and forget communication etiquette. But this does not permit you to respond rudely.
Personal feelings are indeed fundamental in a business environment. You do not want to fuel the fire once someone is angry. The always correct way to respond is to respond professionally, even if the other side does not. The ones who can keep calm in a heated conversation will be the ones in control.
Never forget the importance of etiquette and that you are in the field of business. Everything can be connected, and you don’t want to burn those bridges down just because you want to respond unprofessionally. Never let it get the best out of you and control your emotions.
Responding in a professional way is the only way to handle this kind of conversation. Always remember to be able to show proper respect to everyone, especially in conversing with them.
Convey the Proper Details or Instructions
Miscommunication will often lead to problems. Problems that should not have happened in the first place only if the message was clear and correct. But in today’s business world. When it comes to writing messages, communication comes in the form of an email. If you able to express your thoughts in an email is a primary technology skill.
Writing a message that is professional but is easy to understand is a skill that someone in the business field should be able to have. The information in the message should all be correct and be detailed as much as possible. This is for others to have an easier time understanding what message you want them to have.
A detailed message is always much easier to understand. This could also save you the time of explaining it in the next messages if they don’t understand it at first. If you could explain everything in the first message, then do so.
A simple tip for your colleagues to act immediately on your business message, the message needs to be clear and alerting as well. If a message is hard to understand, not everyone can act accordingly. If there is no sense of urgency in it, then no one would be alerted by it.
Don’t be the Cause of Delay for Others
Whenever you are working with others, it is common to be wary of their time and not just yours. Always try your best not to be the cause of delay for others. The ones who often causes the delay is consistently recognized by others even if no one talks about it.
A typical example is taking long breaks or even a vacation in the middle of a hard task. This is fine if you have done your part, and you do not have anything else to do in the process. But if you have a critical task and you opted to leave them hanging, then that would hurt the whole process, right? If you are the reason that the project or task got delayed, then you will be held accountable for it.
Another example is often setting unplanned meetings or rushed tasks. What is your first task before organizing a meeting? Make sure that everyone needed in the meeting can come. This won’t happen if you don’t set a proper schedule for the meeting. Rushed tasks compete with the schedule of anyone. Although this will happen from time to time, this can be lessened. Try your best to properly allocate time for everything to avoid this as much as possible. Proper time management is the key to avoiding these.
Don’t Ask if You are Not Open to Taking Other’s Advice
If you are new in the business world, then you will surely ask others for advice or directions. But before you ask for help, be sure that you are willing to consider it, at least. Never ask and dump it immediately just because you don’t want the response you got.
There are multiple reasons why you are the one asking questions, and they are the ones whom you are requesting. Since they have been in the business world longer than you, they should be able to share a thing or two. Never disregard any advice from others and always try considering it, especially if you are the ones who asked in the first place.
It is a sign of respect to others if you consider the things they say to you. When you write it down so that you won’t forget it, and you can have time to review it later.
Always Put an Effort in Expressing Gratitude
Gratitude will help you come a long way in any course you decide to take. If you practice expressing your gratitude to anyone who has done things to help you, they will surely remember it. Especially if you take the extra mile is showing them your appreciation. For example, in today’s electronic media environment, handwritten thank-you notes will give a lasting impression on anyone.
There are a lot of benefits of gratitude and it could never go wrong for everyone. It shows that you know the importance of etiquette and that you have proper professional decorum. A showing of gratitude is always taken into the positive side. This can also establish a lasting relationship and will help you get connections.
Understand When the Work Ends
There are time schedules that signal the end of the working day. But there are times when there is a need to work extended periods. Assess your task load and your deadline to see if you can make it in time. If not, then you probably need to work more than what is set in time.
This is a common thing among business, and you are not the only one that extends time whenever working on a task. Once you learn the necessary business skills and the ability to do proper time management, this will happen less often. If you need to work longer hours, then so be it. But do your best to do everything within the set time.
The work will not always end by the clock. Give extra effort if needed, and do what you need to do.
Conclusion
You never know just how you look through other people’s eyes. That is why you should be wary of what you do, especially in the business world, where everything you do will have a more significant effect than what you think of. If you still ask the question of why you have rules when everyone is not following it, then you should throw that off. Rules are made to be followed, and this will help the business succeed.
These unwritten rules are a useful reference to be successful in the business world. It is not always about the documented process. Learn to see the unwritten rules from where you are. Do you have any unwritten rules that you know that you follow until now? Share it all with us in the comment section and let us talk about it.