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In school, friendly or business settings, greeting becomes a familiar event, but it is important to improve this skill. Here you will find some easy tips that will help you greet someone sincerely and naturally.

Steps

Informal greeting to a stranger

Approach the person. It is very important to walk with a confident gait and a smile on your face. If you sneak up from behind, no one will like it.

Make eye contact before introducing yourself. While looking the other person in the eyes, say “Hello, how are you?” or say a friendly phrase.

• Adapt. If a person says “Salute” instead of “Hello,” say “Salute” too. If he said "Great", say "Great".

1. Wait until they get to know you. When they greet you, smile back and introduce yourself.

   • You can also add how you know the person and maybe he knows you too. For example, “I'm Johnny. Last semester we went to the same film club.” This introduction will help avoid awkward situations or silence if the person does not remember you.

2. Start a conversation. Most likely, you will want to get to know your new acquaintance better. If you have common interests, talk about it. For example, you could say, “Are you still a Richard Linklater fan?” or “I’ll take a couple of minutes from you. Why don’t we move to a more secluded place!”

3. Watch the reaction of your new acquaintance. If a person looks at you strangely and leaves, do not catch up with him. This behavior is not only suspicious - you risk getting into trouble! If he smiles and starts a conversation, congratulations! You have successfully completed the task and made a new friend!

   Formal greeting according to etiquette

   Formal presentation in a business environment

   • Remember to smile and express yourself clearly. It is much more important to look a person in the eyes. You will show the person that you are paying attention to him.
   • If you don't know the person's name, say "Nice to meet you" or "Nice to see you again."
   • If you greet an adult, smile politely and say hello.
   • If you don't remember the person's name, ask politely: “I'm glad to see you again. Unfortunately, I forgot your name." This behavior may seem impolite, but it is better than calling a person by the wrong name.

   Warnings

   • If a new acquaintance is the first to ask about your affairs, it is best to answer the question and ask the same thing from your interlocutor.
   • Don't approach someone who doesn't want to get to know anyone (watch their body language).
   • Don't be overconfident - it's off-putting.
   • Please remember that greetings may vary depending on culture. For example, in the West, shaking hands has long become a common gesture, and people will not look at you askance. But don't forget about the minor differences. For example, in Asia there is a clear distinction between eye contact and staring.

How many times do you think we greet work colleagues and business partners during the year? Please determine the circle of people you greet every day and multiply this number by the number of working days per year. The resulting figure (and on average it will be several thousand times) will impress you! It would seem that, having such experience, there can be no mistakes, but practice shows the opposite.

Many people do not remember, and may not be aware of the rules of business etiquette regarding status differences, and also do not say greetings clearly and loudly enough. Often, at the moment of greeting, we forget to look into the eyes of our counterpart, smile and call the person by name. In addition, it is important to know how to say goodbye correctly.

The main task in the process of business communication is to demonstrate respect and interest in the partner. The correct greeting (especially at the first meeting) can become the basis for further development of acquaintance, business and personal. It is important to let the person know that you are happy to see him and are committed to continuing communication. Try to express your joy with words and a smile, but do not overdo it - excessive politeness can damage your authority. Be natural and show friendliness. Notice how the work environment changes when colleagues greet each other appropriately and show kindness.

A greeting in business communication consists of two parts: a greeting in the form of a verbal address and a handshake. Each of these parts has its own rules. In this article we will look at the rules of oral greeting.

1.According to the rules of business etiquette, where such indicators as age and gender fade into the background, and the status of a person is primarily important, the junior in status is the first to greet the senior in status.

2. If the status is equal, the younger one greets first, if the age can be identified.

3. If the status and age are equal, the order of greeting does not matter, but in opposite-sex couples the man can be the first to greet the woman.

4. When greeting a client or partner on your territory, it is customary to say hello first, regardless of status, age and gender.

5.One person, regardless of status, age and gender, is the first to greet the group.

6. The person entering always greets those present.

7. When overtaking a person, the one who goes faster greets first.

8. If four partners of equal status meet (for example, two women and two men), then first the women greet each other, then the women greet the men, and finally the men greet each other. Please note that this rule also applies outside of business communications.

9. When greeting a person, you should call him by his first name or first name and patronymic, which depends on the standards of the company’s corporate culture. Greeting a person by addressing him by his last name with the addition of the words Mr. or Mrs. in oral speech is considered incorrect in Russian business practice.

10.When greeting, it is important to maintain eye contact and smile.

11.You must respond to a greeting! To refuse to say hello is to publicly insult a person.

Please note that according to the rules of general civil or social etiquette (outside of business communication), the younger one greets the older one first, and the man greets the woman first. The exception to this rule is when a very young woman meets an older man. In this case, the woman greets the man first. When people are equal in age and gender, the more polite person greets first.

Formal words of greeting:“Hello!”, “Good morning!”, “Good afternoon!”, “Good evening!”.

Recommended	Not recommended
Always be the first, regardless of your status, age and gender, to greet those present when entering any room.	Wait for those present to greet you.
When greeting a person, stand up if you are sitting at a table or in a chair.	Remain in a sitting position when greeting the person.
Always join in the greeting of someone you are in the company of and trust when they say hello to someone.	Don’t say hello to the person your companion is greeting, thinking that since you don’t know each other, you shouldn’t say hello.
Greet a person once a day and remember who you have already greeted.	Forget who you have already said hello to during the day, otherwise the person may regard it as if you didn’t even notice him the first time.
Say hello regardless of whether you like your friend or not.	Pretend that you haven't noticed someone you know that you don't like.
Look the person straight in the eye and smile lightly.	Look away when greeting, greet with a “stony” face, or use a wide smile.

The opposite of greeting is goodbye. The last words at the end of a meeting are just as important, so it's important to say goodbye properly.

In this case, the basic rules apply:

1. Regardless of status, age and gender, the person leaving is the first to say goodbye to those remaining.

2.The guest is the first to say goodbye to the host.

Formal words of farewell: “Goodbye”, “All the best”, “All the best.”

According to the rules of business etiquette, when saying goodbye to a person, you should not only say goodbye words, but also express satisfaction with the meeting, for example: “I’m glad that we agreed on everything” or “I’m very pleased with the meeting,” etc. . In a farewell situation, an apology for the time taken away from a person is also appropriate, but if possible, it is better not to focus the partner’s attention on this, but simply to thank him for the time spent talking or meeting.

Trainer-consultant and expert on modern business protocol and etiquette

How to greet someone correctly? How to enter into a conversation without abruptly interrupting your interlocutors? How and what compliments can and should you give?

Answer

If one person wants to get to know another, there are two ways to do this: being introduced and introducing yourself. The latter is quite possible at informal, but still business events.

When you introduce a person, according to the rules of business etiquette, you need to verbally address the person you are introducing: “I am glad to introduce you to my partner Alexander Komarov. Alexander heads the financial department of the holding...". The person being introduced (higher in status, older, lady) can shake hands. Or she may not submit it - that’s her priority. But in any case, the participants in the acquaintance say greetings to each other.

When independent acquaintance occurs at an informal event, not only can a man approach another man or a lady, but a lady can also approach a man - a potential partner and get to know him.

At the moment of meeting, you need to greet your counterpart in a friendly manner. It would seem that this is a common truth. However, the error occurs quite often at the level of intonation. And intonations can be polyphonic, that is, multi-sound. You can say the same phrase with different intonations, and it will sound completely different than it was intended.

For example: “DID YOU HAVE BREAKFAST TODAY?”, “DID YOU HAVE BREAKFAST TODAY?”, “DID YOU HAVE BREAKFAST TODAY?” The meaning of a statement, depending on stress and intonation, can change dramatically.

The human voice is also very informative. By a person’s voice, one can determine a person’s emotional state (cheerful, sad, excited, irritated, hysterical, etc.); nationality; social position and status; self-esteem; attitude towards the interlocutor or his proposal; health status; educational and cultural level; approximate age. Moreover, this can be found out both in person and by telephone.

Replies at the moment of greeting can be very different. At the highest level, a touch of old-fashionedness is appropriate: “I’m very glad to finally meet you! Before that, we knew each other virtually and talked on the phone,” “I consider it an honor to meet you!”, “Greetings!”, “Glad to welcome you” and so on. Of course, words like "Good afternoon!" And "Hello!" Same no one canceled.

Handshake. Kiss the hand

At official events, a handshake is accepted. Here the emphasis can be shifted to subordination based on gender and age seniority. A handshake at a social event follows the pattern of lady - man, senior - junior, where the initiators of the handshake are the lady and the senior.

Here it should be remembered that the leader is also the leader at the holiday.

If the manager came with his wife, then his business partner perceives her not as a partner, but as a lady, and can kiss her hand. Let's imagine another situation: at a party, one of the manager's partners may want to kiss the lady secretary's hand. What to do in this case? It’s probably still worth remembering that this is an event with a business focus, so each lady decides for herself what is more important: professional positioning or the woman’s charm. Nothing criminal will happen if your partner touches the pen. Another thing is that such actions in the office, in a business format, are considered unacceptable. Of course, if this happens, it is indecent to withdraw your hand. In any case, the lady should greet the man calmly and discreetly.

Appeal

It is very important, even during a short conversation, to address a person by name, first name and patronymic. To remember a name, you can read it out loud from a business card or repeat it a couple of times when greeting and communicating. “Glad to welcome you, Alexey!”, “I’ve heard a lot about your company, Anna!” and so on.

It is absolutely unacceptable to make a mistake when pronouncing a person's name. This is unpleasant and offensive. But it often happens that with an intense flow of information and lack of proper attention, the name of the person you just met instantly disappears from memory. What to do in such cases? Some mnemonic techniques (memorization rules) will prevent this from happening. You need to tune in to a careful perception of a name, position, company, person.

You can, for example, include an association rule: link a person’s name to his appearance - the curly-haired man’s name is Alexander Sergeevich. Or break his first and last name into several syllables and associate them with something familiar or tie them to the person’s appearance.

How to enter into a conversation with a group of people if it is necessary or required?

If you see a group of people standing and talking quite close to each other, then it is better not to intrude on their circle. If you see that the circle is not very dense, then you can come up, listen for a minute or two, then insert an appropriate remark and start a conversation. It is important in this case to wait for the pause that the speaker makes, and only then start speaking yourself. You can start your speech with the word “by the way.” “By the way, I heard that...”

I-statement, the art of compliment and “small conversation”

After greetings and introductions, there is sometimes an awkward pause. To prevent this, you can use some generally accepted techniques.

1. Better to use I-statement, describing your impressions, feelings in relation to what is happening: “I have the impression/feeling that this evening promises to be very eventful and interesting!”, “I really like this hall.” This will be quite different from evaluation phrases such as: “The evening will definitely be great!”, “The hall is very beautiful.”

An “I” statement allows you to express your point of view, which is usually subjective, so that it does not cause rejection from a possible opponent. After all, someone may not like this room.

After impressions and feelings have been expressed, it would be useful to ask about the impressions of the interlocutor: “I think this room is very beautiful. Don’t you think?”, “What do you think?”, “What do you think?” etc., then you need to listen carefully to the interlocutor’s answer, sometimes nodding your head as a sign of agreement.

In social communication, listening skills are extremely important.

Dale Carnegie talked in one of his books about a conversation with a certain professor. Carnegie listened very carefully and, most importantly, kindly to his interlocutor, almost silently, only nodding his head from time to time and confirming his attention with interjections. After this conversation, the professor talked for a long time about Carnegie as an attentive, interesting, sophisticated interlocutor!

2. One of the most important elements of communication is compliments.

Compliments come in a variety of forms.

For example, indirect compliments - you can praise what is dear to a person: the success of his children, his animal, his beautiful sister, referring to his acquaintance with her.

There is also a compliment, conventionally called “minus-plus”: “Ivan has a quiet, but pleasant voice”.

A compliment against the backdrop of an anti-compliment to oneself: “How do you manage to choose colors so well? I’m unlikely to succeed.”

A compliment can be said on any occasion, the main thing is that it is appropriate and non-trivial (for example, the phrase “You look great today!” may raise the question: “ Do I usually look bad?.»).

You need to be able to separate compliments said to men and compliments intended for women.

Women are always pleased to hear a compliment on their own appearance and sense of style. But even in this case, try to avoid platitudes. Men's appearance is usually not appreciated - it is considered a hint of intimacy.

Men are given compliments, pointing out their skills (professional, motorist skills), spiritual qualities, character traits. Of course, women will also appreciate hearing positive feedback about their skills.

Interesting fact: when our ladies are given a compliment, they often begin to make excuses, saying that today she looks good by chance, because she accidentally bought this dress or washed her hair, etc. This is a mistake - you shouldn’t go into such intimate details!

According to the rules of good manners, you just need to thank the person who gave the compliment: "Thank you, thank you! I am very pleased thank you! It’s so nice to receive a compliment from SUCH a person, SUCH a lady like you!” and so on.

In our country, compliments are given more often, oddly enough, by women. Men are more restrained in expressing admiration.

3. Another very effective technique for starting a conversation is called "small conversation", or small-talk (ST). This is the name of a 3-5 minute conversation on a topic that is interesting and pleasant for the interlocutors, often not even related to business activities. ST will serve as a good start to any conversation and fills the pause that everyone is usually so afraid of. During a “small conversation” you can observe your interlocutors, see what psychotype they belong to. This is also a great way to exchange information and maintain social, relaxed communication, both at an informal event and during business negotiations. ST is a positive influence and attitude technique. Just make sure that your “little conversation” is appropriate.

There is a certain algorithm thanks to which ST turns out to be useful and pleasant for the interlocutor.

Step 1. Quoting the interlocutor. To do this, it is advisable to remember the approximate topic of a previous conversation or refer to information from the press. “I remember you are fond of good cinema...”

Step 2. Positive statement. “I heard that a very interesting film by a famous director was released...”

Step 3. Informing the interlocutor. “This film will be shown at the Kadr cinema.”

Step 4. Interesting story. “An interesting situation happened at the last premiere of this director’s film...”

“Small conversation” allows you to quickly win the favor of your interlocutor and create the basis for pleasant communication and possible cooperation in the future.

As always, after compliments and a “small conversation”, you need to listen carefully and kindly to your interlocutor.

How to end small talk

Small talk should not last long. If you talk to one person for a long time, you can ignore other people who are no less important for the company.

After talking with one person or a group of people (here it is important, if you don’t address everyone personally, then at least maintain visual contact with each person standing in the group, nod your head or smile slightly), you need to thank the interlocutors, express words of pleasure from the meeting and move to another person or group.

For example: “It was nice to meet you! I hope we will see each other again today!”, “Thank you for the pleasant communication! See you!" and so on.

A few rules of social interaction

And in conclusion of our article, we will list all the basic rules and secrets of successful communication at informal events in the business environment.

1. Social communication should be easy, not burdensome for interlocutors.

2. Social communication is ideally brief. His principle: talk a little with many.

3. Communication in society should be filled with compliments and interesting short stories.

4. Topics for communication should be either interesting or understandable for the interlocutor and for everyone present.

5. Topics for conversation can be: the weather, decent organization of the event, the road to the holiday destination, art, cinema, culture, sports, animals, hobbies (the latter is discussed by amateurs).

6. Vocabulary and words should also be familiar to all participants in the conversation.

What is best avoided in informal/social communication?

1. Gossip and unpleasant information (about death, disasters, unpleasant incidents, etc.) are excluded.

2. It is not customary to touch upon topics that may cause too heated discussion: politics, religion, nationality, etc.

3. You shouldn’t complain about life either. So, for example, a person of slight build, holding a glass of champagne in his hand or sitting at a richly laid table, who says that “everything will be bad,” that the economic situation in the country leaves much to be desired, etc., causes dissonance.

4. Critical statements about anyone, as well as about one’s own country, are extremely unethical, which reveals the characteristic style of the unfortunate “lion”. As we already said, replicas "in this country impossible to live"(most often this phrase is pronounced by the one who held the glass of champagne in the previous paragraph) according to the rules of good manners and environmentally friendly communication are unacceptable.

5. There are still a few obvious taboos. It is forbidden:

Asking an unmarried girl about when she will finally get married;

Ask a childless couple when they are going to have children;

In the presence of two women, tell one that she looks great, and deprive the other of a compliment. If we say something nice, then to both;

In a society of middle-aged women, allow statements like “This old woman got married at the age of 40. It’s strange, who was flattered by her?”. However, such remarks are not acceptable in any environment.

6. Rudeness and, of course, profanity are absolutely excluded.

7. In a mixed group, topics that are interesting only to women (children, recipes) or only to men (football, fishing) are not welcome.

8. It is considered bad form to ask a doctor present at the event, who, like everyone else, came to rest, for advice on treating his many “favorite” ailments.

By following these simple and, in general, generally accepted recommendations, not for a moment forgetting about politeness, attention to others and delicacy, the secretary and personal assistant will be able not only to communicate with dignity at the event, to be a pleasant interlocutor, but also to maintain the high image of his company and create useful connections.

Even if you are a polyglot, there is no guarantee that you will hit the mark with greetings in a new country. And a lot depends on how correctly the first exchange of phrases occurs. Especially when traveling.

You get lost on the road, take the right turn, or just want to grab an inexpensive snack. You will have to communicate with the local population.

The word “hello” or the familiar “Hi” does not always mean greeting. Every culture has its own unique way of saying hello. To avoid getting into trouble, I suggest you learn the interesting customs of different countries.

In Japan

1 This country of the Rising Sun is known throughout the world for its traditions and customs. In Japan people greet with a bow from the waist. The duration and depth of the tilt differs.

You can nod casually. Or bow from the waist and freeze in this position for a long time. It depends on who is being greeted and with whom. A very respected man accepts very long “hello.”

In an environment with a traditional floor covering - tatami, it is customary to kneel beforehand.

Bowing is appropriate: in China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, India and other Asian countries

In Kenya

2 When going to East Africa, or more precisely to Kenya, don’t forget to learn the dance. In the Maasai tribe it must be performed upon meeting. This dance of "jumping" is called "adamu". It is performed only by male warriors.

Before doing this, it is advisable to tell a story from your fearless past. Then, with screams and shouts, there is a jumping height competition. And the other part of the tribe stands in a circle and waits for its turn to show courage and bravery.

In Tibet

3 Have you decided to make a pilgrimage? Or were you just tired of the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and went to Tibet for fun?

The monks greet people in a very unusual way. They use - language! Opening their mouth wide in a good-natured smile, they show their entire chewing organ.

The beginning of such a tradition dates back to the 9th century. In those days, the monks proved by this their non-involvement with the cruel king of Landarma with a “black tongue”. Symbolic proof of goodwill.

They also cross their arms across their chests and “declare” that they come in peace.

In the Philippines

4 The “mano” gesture means “hand” in Spanish. When meeting, the younger one takes the elder’s hand and places it on his forehead with the outer side. At the same time he pronounces a respectful “mano po”. In this case, there is a slight bend forward.

To Tuvalu

5 The local population in the small island state of Tuvalu, in Polynesia, greets with their cheeks. They press their faces closely to each other's cheeks. After this, take a deep breath at the same time.

In the Middle East

6 In all Middle Eastern countries, it is customary to shake hands when meeting. And the words “As-salamu alaykum” are pronounced. Men can kiss each other on the cheek by placing their left hand on the acquaintance's right shoulder.

Greeting kisses are used by residents of: France, the Netherlands, Turkey, Sweden, Belgium, Spain and Italy.

In Botswana

7 This ritual is familiar to many. It consists of several simple movements:

• Habitual handshake
• Finger lock
• Raising your hands to your chest
• And again the usual handshake

Handshakes are common: in Europe, the USA, Australia, Asia, and some Arab countries.

In Latin America

8 The temperamental inhabitants of these southern countries are famous for their violent emotions. They are happy to greet everyone with wide hugs, long handshakes and even kisses. Sound familiar?

It happens that such loving behavior causes a stranger to become confused and bewildered. Should we throw ourselves into hugs when meeting residents of these countries? You definitely shouldn't. But be prepared for such manifestations of affection and attention.
Hugs accepted: in Latin American countries, possible in Spain and Italy

Want to hear what a greeting sounds like in different languages?

Video

The main rule for all tourists: respect the culture of the country you are visiting.

Greeting for an emergency

In case you forgot all the rules of etiquette or are simply confused:

• Do not make sudden movements or jumps
• You shouldn't rush to hug either
• Avoid kissing for sure

A friendly smile and an open outstretched hand can win over any stranger.

This is also interesting:

How to bargain in different countries or shopping according to all the rules 30 funny facts about different countries Birthday in different countries or head on the floor - for good luck! Cultural differences between countries - how not to get shocked and remain a polite tourist

Greeting is the most important element of a conversation, which largely determines how the conversation will go and whether it will start at all. The utterance of one or more greeting phrases must be taken with full responsibility. After all, the first impression you make on your interlocutor usually sets the tone for the entire conversation. Different countries and cultures have different ways of greeting each other. For example, Tibetans stick out their tongues when greeting each other, New Zealanders rub their noses, Japanese and Indians bow when they meet, the French symbolically kiss, touching each other’s cheeks. And it is customary for us to shake hands when meeting, while saying greetings.

What words are appropriate when greeting? Psychologists have developed special techniques, using which you can leave a good impression on your interlocutor. So, 5 ways to greet each other.

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Navigator by methods

Method 1. Give a compliment

Every person is pleased to hear flattering words about himself, however, they must be spoken truly sincerely. When you see a friend, find something really worthy of praise in him and say a kind of greeting in the form of a compliment. The main thing is that your words do not feel rude flattery. Do it subtly and delicately. For example, when you see a friend, you can exclaim: “Hello! You look good! How does this dress suit you (shoes, coat, hat...)!” When you meet a guy, you can praise his athletic appearance, for example, with the following phrase: “Hi! You look more and more awesome!”

Method 2. Announce the news

If you are greeting people you have known for a long time or your friends who are privy to the details of your life, you can immediately announce some news to them along with the greeting. Of course, this form is not suitable for greeting unfamiliar people or for an official greeting. But you can please your friends. Exclaim, for example: “Hello everyone! I'm happy! My Bug gave birth to five puppies yesterday! Three boys and two girls!

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Method 3. Emphasize individuality

Every person is unique. And each individual has positive qualities and virtues inherent only to him, which he is rightfully proud of. When meeting, it is very important to notice and emphasize the individual characteristics of a particular person. For example: “Hello! You have a gorgeous hairstyle, as always!”, “Hello! You are smart as always!”, “Hello! I always admire your elegance!”

Method 4. Express joy

Sometimes, when you meet someone you really like, you don’t even have to think through your greeting in advance. It is enough to simply sincerely express your joy at meeting a close friend. At the same time, it’s nice when sincere words are complemented by a sparkling smile and warm hugs. For example: “Hello! I’m so glad to see you!”, “Hello! How long have we not seen each other!

Interesting: 5 ways to kiss a girl

Method 5. Business greeting

In business communication, greeting is one of the most important attributes, on which the fate of negotiations and your career as a whole can depend.

The rules and framework established by business etiquette apply to business greetings.

First of all, when welcoming a business partner, you need to establish yourself as a businesslike, confident person with good manners. For this purpose, in all countries there are generally accepted principles in business communication: tact, politeness, dignity, naturalness.

Excessive expressions of joy, compliments and news reporting are inappropriate for a business greeting. You should limit yourself to the traditional: hello, good morning, good afternoon, or good evening.

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