When To Be Social And When To Not

When to be social and when not to in business can be tricky to define. It is important to be on as friendly a level as possible with other businesses in your chosen industries, but not in certain areas that must be kept private. It is often difficult to know when to be social and when not to with business associates, but even more so with your competition. So here are some guidelines to think about when it comes to business social interactions.

Keep in mind that social interactions are symbolic of structural hierarchy. How the upper chain of command acts towards another business entity is a reflection of how everyone below them is expected to interact accordingly. This is often unspoken and therefore very important that social interactions be done with a clear sense of purpose. If social interactions are not handled in this way, it can cause a great deal of confusion down the chain of command. This will cause communication breakdowns that will interrupt or halt the goals of the intended social interactions between the two companies. So keeping the symbolic significance of the social interaction clear is all important to everyone involved.

The situations that are appropriate to be social with other businesses are fairly simple, but may not be something you have ever thought much about. Social interactions are necessary when negotiating trade of products or services between your company and any business associates. The interactions may include doing lunch or dinner to discuss terms, it could also mean meeting for an informal negotiation at a club or golf course, but always it requires the meeting be held at an informal setting. Social interactions are always necessary when working out the details of a merger or any corporate joining that results in two companies sharing resources. This interaction is a symbolic gesture letting employees know that the two companies are entering into their contract under friendly terms.

The situations when it is not appropriate to be social with other businesses are clear cut, if you think about them seriously. Probably the most obvious arena where social interactions are not appropriate is in the sphere of research and development. This is the area of business where most companies have to keep their business information private. Trade secrets are not something that should be shared unless it is absolutely necessary, even then it should only be authorized by the top level of the company leadership. Many companies loose sight of this and fall victim to what is known as corporate espionage. The losses that come from stealing of trade secrets can cripple a company in the long run, but also can lead to the breakdown of trust within the company internally. Another area not to allow social interaction is the security sector for many of the same reasons.

The factors that define when to be social and when not to in business today are simple, but all important for the modern company. Being able to socially interact with other business entities is a necessary component of progressive business strategy. So it is always best to know what makes for safe social interactions and what does not in business. Keeping within these guidelines will allow for friendly and intelligent choices to be made by everyone in your company.

Article Source: http://www.abcarticledirectory.com

Kenneth Vogt is CEO of Content Crooner, a high quality content distribution service that gets you more targeted web traffic. Discover how to create quality content that drives targeted traffic to your web site in our free report.

Posted on 2011-12-01, By: Kenneth Vogt *

* Click on the author's name to view their profile and articles!!!

Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author.