The role of etiquette in society and human communication. The role of etiquette in modern life

The role of etiquette in society has always been very great, which is confirmed by its long historical and social evolution, functions in society, multifaceted structure, diverse types and forms.

Unlike ritual, whose ritual ceremonies are demonstrative in nature, etiquette is based on practical social expediency. The most important feature of etiquette is that it is always subordinate to the established system of cultural values. Accepting etiquette norms means recognizing oneself as a member of a given social group or society as a whole and submitting to the cultural values ​​that have developed here.

The social significance of etiquette is manifested in the fact that it reflects the equality and inequality of individuals and groups (both external and internal), the social hierarchy that has developed in society, the democracy or conservatism of social relations. Etiquette allows people to navigate repeated sociocultural situations (greetings, making acquaintances, behavior in public places, etc.). Etiquette also reflects the general cultural level of people (education, good manners, conformism).

Despite the fact that etiquette norms are associated with a significant limitation on the egoism of an individual, they are taken for granted by the majority. This also reveals the uniqueness of etiquette, which can have a significant impact on people’s consciousness and their moral guidelines.

The most important social function of etiquette is the prevention of conflict situations in interpersonal communication, where it plays the role of a strong preventive tool. Here etiquette can relieve psychological tension. In conflict situations (family, interpersonal conflicts), etiquette norms perform the function of “synton” (“psychological stroking”). Tactfulness, as a sign of respect for the conflicting party, creates conditions for a civilized resolution of the conflict.

Etiquette norms help people find a common language and behave with dignity in difficult situations. Failure to use etiquette worsens relationships between people and leads to human drama.

Introduction
Modern society is all about to a greater extent becomes a society of experts, specialists with special knowledge and skills. This tendency of society towards specialization gives rise to increasing independence and independence of professional groups, which, in turn, gives rise to a lot of ethical problems.
First of all, this is the problem of the existence of codes of professional ethics, or rather the compatibility of their requirements for members of a particular profession with the requirements of universal ethics. That is, professional codes should not be the source of any special ethics that would allow members of the relevant professional groups to “do what it is immoral for others to do.” Another side of the same problem is the need to combine professional ethics with the principles of loyalty and obedience to the organization in which these specialists work.
Although this issue is important for any professional group, for the legal profession it should probably be at the forefront. The reason for this is the very nature of the lawyer’s activity, which, as Doctor of Law, Professor A.S. quite accurately defines. Koblikov, “concerns the most important benefits and interests of people, often associated with an invasion of their personal life, and sometimes with the restriction of rights, making decisions that affect the fate of a person.”
Consequently, the own problem of the existence of legal ethics is associated with the special responsibility of the legal profession to society.
According to the French legal specialist J.L. Bergel, a lawyer “has no right to be either a simple clerk, doomed to slavishly scrupulously follow all points of the existing regulations, or a half-educated wizard whose stupidity becomes the cause of illogical and unforeseen events.” Lawyers must take care of the safety and stability of relationships between people even when they are not entirely satisfied with the existing order.
The legal profession is commonly called a liberal profession. Traditionally, society provides free professions with greater autonomy than, for example, crafts or business. This is expressed in the fact that society weakens its control over the activities of representatives of liberal professions, demanding in return service for the benefit of society, the implementation of internal professional control, the establishment of stricter and morally higher standards and rules of behavior compared to the rest of the community.
Of course, reducing public control is not acceptable for all types of the legal profession (public control is necessary primarily where lawyers exercise the functions of state power: courts, prosecutors, internal affairs bodies, etc.). But in any case, simultaneously with public control, there must be internal professional control over compliance with the principles and rules of professional legal ethics. For these purposes, codes of professional ethics are created and responsibility for their violation is established.
It should also be taken into account that often the standards of professional ethics of various legal professions are contained in laws. Hence, improving legal ethics partly solves the problem of improving the mechanism of legal regulation as a whole.
To solve this problem, it is necessary to pay attention to the categories underlying legal ethics, its goals and principles, which serve as a kind of value standards against which the rules of professional ethics themselves are qualitatively verified.
These categories will be considered in this work.
The main goal of the work is to reveal the content of these categories and show their meaning and relationship. To achieve this goal, the categories and principles of professional ethics of a lawyer are considered in comparison with the categories of universal ethics, using examples of specific legal professions, one of the sections of the work is devoted to the analysis of the ethical principles of one of which (lawyering).
The work is based on the analysis of special scientific literature devoted to the problems of legal ethics, in particular the works of such authors as M.Yu. Barshchevsky, A.S. Koblikov, E.A. Krasnikova, N.Ya. Sokolov and others. The work takes into account the current Russian legislation, and also examines the norms of Russian and foreign codes of ethics of various legal professions.

3. The role and importance of etiquette in the work of a lawyer
Business etiquette is the most important aspect of the morality of a person’s professional behavior. Knowledge of it is a necessary professional quality that must be acquired and constantly improved.
Ethics of business communication is the sum of moral and ethical requirements, principles, norms and rules developed by science, practice and world experience, the observance of which ensures mutual understanding and mutual trust of subjects of business communication, increases the effectiveness of contacts and the final results of their joint actions,
Business communication should be based on certain moral principles, among which the main ones are the following:
1. Business contacts are based on the interests of the business, but in no case on personal interests or one’s own ambitions. Despite its apparent banality, it is this principle that is violated most often, because not everyone and not always finds the ability to sacrifice personal interests when they conflict with the interests of the case, especially when this can be done with impunity and the only judge of the deed will be one’s own conscience. An example of such behavior for a law enforcement officer is providing the contactor with legal assistance, explaining to him his rights and capabilities, as a result of which he may be able to solve the problem not in your favor (after all, it was enough to simply remain silent). The opposite, immoral behavior would be the selfish use of your competence (professional, legal, including business communication techniques) to obtain a decision that is beneficial to you.
2. Decency, i.e. organic inability to commit a dishonest act or behavior, based on such developed moral qualities as:
- a heightened conscience (illustrated quite well by the above example), the awareness that even inaction or silence can be dishonest;
- a constant desire to preserve one’s honor unblemished as the highest degree of honesty and nobility and to assert one’s own dignity as the right to self-respect recognized by others;
- the ability to behave equally with any person, regardless of his official or social status;
- moral stability, manifested primarily in the fact that under no circumstances does a person compromise his principles;
- commitment, accuracy, responsibility, loyalty to your word.
3. Goodwill, i.e. organic need to do good to people (good is the main category of ethics). Of course, any professional activity has the goal of satisfying a social need and, in this sense, is aimed at “production of the useful,” which, in essence, is also “good.” However, “benevolence” expands the sphere of a person’s social life, because without this approach he is limited only to what he is obliged to do within the limits prescribed by the service (for which, in fact, he receives a salary). The principle of benevolence encourages a person to do not only what he should, but also beyond what he can for the benefit of people, and for which he receives not a salary, but only human gratitude and emotional satisfaction.
4. Respect, i.e. respect for the dignity of a communication partner, realized through such well-bred moral qualities as: politeness, delicacy, tact, courtesy, caring. Like any other moral principle, in addition to its moral content, it also contains business expediency. This is well illustrated by the following example. In the Russian fleet, at important meetings, it was customary to give the first word to juniors. At the same time, the possibility of not listening to their opinion was excluded in cases where it did not coincide with the opinion of their elders, and they could be “embarrassed” to express it or put them in an awkward position.

Conclusion
The formation of moral and ethical skills in future legal professionals should begin at an early stage of training, since each individual is raised in accordance with his social status. And the legal profession presupposes the presence of significant powers, which can negatively affect a person with unstable moral principles.
Legal ethics - changing meaning. Its changes are determined primarily by changes in the person himself, his views, as well as the characteristics and subject of the legal profession, therefore it is important to pay attention to ethical aspects in the learning process.
etc.................

Æ Etiquette is a word of French origin meaning manner of behavior. It includes the rules of courtesy and politeness accepted in society.

The established moral standards are the result of a long process of developing relationships between people. Without observing these norms, political, economic, and cultural relations are impossible, because one cannot exist without respecting each other and without imposing certain restrictions on oneself.

Modern etiquette inherits the customs of almost all nations from hoary antiquity to the present day. Fundamentally, these rules of conduct are universal, since they are observed by representatives not only of a given society, but also of the most diverse socio-political systems existing in the modern world. Peoples make amendments and additions to etiquette, determined by the social system of their country, the specifics of its historical development, national traditions and customs.

There are several types of etiquette, the main ones being:

court (state) etiquette – strictly regulated order and forms of treatment established at the courts of monarchs (heads of state);

diplomatic etiquette – rules of conduct for diplomats and other officials when contacting each other at various receptions, visits, and negotiations;

military etiquette – a set of generally accepted rules, norms and behavior patterns for military personnel in all areas of their activities;

religious etiquette – rules for communicating with representatives of a particular denomination and staying in churches;

general civil etiquette - a set of rules, traditions and conventions observed by citizens when communicating with each other.

General civil etiquette, in turn, is divided into several subtypes: business and non-business communication; ritual; table; conversation – visual, telephone, electronic, etc.

Most of the rules of diplomatic, military and civil etiquette coincide to one degree or another. The difference between them is that greater importance is attached to compliance with the rules of etiquette by diplomats, since deviation from them or violation of these rules can cause damage to the prestige of the country or its official representatives and lead to complications in relations between states.

As for general civil etiquette, as people’s living conditions change, education and culture grow, some rules of behavior are replaced by others. What was previously considered indecent becomes generally accepted, and vice versa (for example, an outfit such as pants could cost a woman her life in the Middle Ages). But the requirements of etiquette are not absolute: compliance with them depends on the place, time and circumstances. Behavior that is unacceptable in one situation may be appropriate in another situation.

The norms of etiquette, in contrast to the norms of morality, are conditional; they have the nature of an unwritten agreement about what is generally accepted in people’s behavior and what is not. Every cultured person must not only know and observe the basic norms of etiquette, but also understand the need for certain rules and relationships. Manners largely reflect a person’s internal culture, his moral and intellectual qualities. The ability to behave correctly in society is very important: it facilitates the establishment of contacts, promotes mutual understanding, and creates good, stable relationships.

It should be noted that a tactful and well-mannered person behaves in accordance with the norms of etiquette not only at official ceremonies, but also at home. Genuine politeness, which is based on goodwill, is determined by a sense of proportion, suggesting what can and cannot be done under certain circumstances. Such a person will never violate public order, will not offend another by word or deed, will not insult his dignity. Unfortunately, there are people with a double standard of behavior: one in public, the other at home. At work, with acquaintances and friends, they are polite and helpful, but with loved ones they do not stand on ceremony, are rude and tactless. This indicates a person’s low culture and poor upbringing.

Modern etiquette regulates the behavior of people in everyday life, at work, in public places and on the street, at a party and at various kinds of official events - receptions, ceremonies, negotiations.

So, etiquette is a very important part of universal human culture, developed over many centuries by all peoples in accordance with their ideas about goodness, justice, morality, as well as beauty, order, improvement, and everyday expediency.

Æ True politeness is one of the manifestations of sincere, unselfish benevolence towards all other people with whom a person encounters. With work mates and with many everyday acquaintances, politeness can turn into friendship, but an organic, equal attitude towards people in general is an obligatory basis for politeness. A true culture of behavior is where a person’s actions in all situations flow from moral principles. Unlike an ignorant person who splashes out his negative emotions on others, a polite person knows how to restrain them.

Being polite does not mean fawning and ingratiating yourself. Politeness not only makes you feel good, but also allows you to keep a person at a distance.

Tactfulness and sensitivity towards others is an indispensable condition for fruitful cooperation between boss and subordinate, and work colleagues. The content of these two noble human qualities is attention, deep respect for the inner world of those with whom we communicate, the desire and ability to understand them, to feel what can give them pleasure, joy, or, conversely, irritate them.

Tactfulness and sensitivity are in fact inextricably linked with the normal work process in a team. An institution where well-mannered people work works like clockwork: professional problems are solved quickly, personal problems recede if team members take part in them. Show tactlessness and rudeness towards a subordinate, and his resentment will immediately result in the most unpredictable forms.

Tactfulness is also a sense of proportion that should be observed in conversation, personal and work relationships; This is the ability to feel the boundary that no one has the right to cross. A tactful person always takes into account specific circumstances: age difference, gender, social status, place of conversation, presence or absence of strangers.

However, a culture of behavior is equally obligatory on the part of the inferior in relation to the superior. It is expressed primarily in an honest attitude to one’s duties, in strict discipline, as well as respect for the leader and colleagues. Demanding respectful treatment of yourself, ask yourself more often: are you responding the same to those around you?

Tactfulness and sensitivity also imply the ability to quickly and accurately determine the reaction of interlocutors to our statements, actions and, in necessary cases, self-critically, without a sense of false shame, apologize for the mistake made. This will not only not diminish your dignity, but, on the contrary, will strengthen thinking people’s opinion of your modesty - an extremely valuable human trait.

Modesty should not be associated with timidity or shyness. These are completely different categories. Very often, in critical circumstances, modest people turn out to be much more decisive and active.

A modest person never strives to show himself better, more capable, smarter than others, does not emphasize his superiority, and does not demand any privileges for himself. The word “modest” is related to the words “secluded” (hidden) and “secret” (under cover of secrecy). All these words are connected by one common meaning - to hide from human eyes. A modest person who does not expose his inner world is the most protected.

Calmness, diplomacy, a deep understanding of the interlocutor’s argumentation, well-thought-out counter-argumentation based on accurate facts - this is the solution to this contradiction between the requirements of good manners in discussions and firmness in defending one’s opinion.

Nowadays, almost everywhere there is a desire to simplify many of the conventions prescribed by general civil etiquette. This is one of the signs of the times: the pace of life, current changes in social and living conditions greatly influence etiquette. Therefore, much of what was accepted at the beginning or middle of the 20th century may now seem absurd. Nevertheless, the best traditions of general civil etiquette, even having changed in form, have been preserved.

Ease, naturalness, a sense of proportion, politeness, tact, and most importantly, goodwill towards people - these are qualities that will reliably help in any life situations, even if you are not familiar with all the rules of general civil etiquette, which exist in great numbers.È

V. Yuzhin. Encyclopedia of etiquette. Electronic resource http://www.e-reading.org.ua/bookreader.php/148062/Yuzhin_-_Enciklopediya_etiketa.html, free access.

Æ The way to behave in society, the external form of behavior, treatment of other people, expressions used in speech, tone, intonation, characteristic gait, gestures and even facial expressions - all this is called manners.

Society values ​​a person's modesty and restraint, the ability to control one's actions, and communicate carefully and tactfully with other people - it is on these qualities that good manners are based.

Bad manners are considered to be the habit of speaking loudly, without hesitation in expressions, swagger in gestures and behavior, sloppiness in clothing, rudeness, outright hostility towards others, disregard for other people’s interests and requests, shameless imposition of one’s will and desires on other people, inability to restrain one’s irritation, deliberate insult to the dignity of people around, tactlessness, foul language, use of humiliating nicknames and nicknames.

Manners relate to the culture of human behavior and are regulated by etiquette. Etiquette implies a benevolent and respectful attitude towards all people, regardless of their position and social status. It includes polite treatment of a woman, respectful attitude towards elders, forms of address and greeting, rules of conversation and behavior at the table. In general, etiquette in a civilized society coincides with the general requirements of politeness, which are based on the principles of humanism.

A prerequisite for communication is delicacy, which should not be excessive. Do not mistake flattery and unjustified praise of what you see or hear for this quality. There is no need to try hard to hide the fact that you are seeing, listening to, tasting something for the first time, for fear of seeming ignorant. Any pretense is repulsive.

The ability to behave correctly in various situations can protect you from an unfriendly attitude, which is, of course, important for any person, and especially when it comes to his business relationships. The exchange of formal courtesies (unless it is outright fawning) is actually not such a banal thing as it seems at first glance. By showing the proper tact, you win over your interlocutor and leave a pleasant impression - that’s the whole axiom.

Be considerate towards a woman or an elderly person. Show your concern in the form of simple and unpretentious courtship. Give the woman a coat, let her pass first, sit her at a table in a cafe, pull up a chair for her, and invite her to look at the menu first. In order to behave this way, it is not at all necessary to graduate from diplomacy school. It is enough to just be polite and learn that the people around you deserve no less respect and attention than you do. Simply put, follow the ancient golden rule: treat other people the way you would like to be treated.

The idea of ​​excessive complexity of etiquette rules and the desire to simplify relationships is very controversial. Stopping showing each other signs of respect does not mean taking life easier.È

V. Yuzhin. Encyclopedia of etiquette. Electronic resource http://www.e-reading.org.ua/bookreader.php/148062/Yuzhin_-_Enciklopediya_etiketa.html, free access.

Æ It is very important to find your own, unique image. Do not forget to constantly and vigilantly take care of your appearance.

Meticulously examine yourself in the mirror and polish your clothes. However, this can only be done at home or in places where there are no strangers.

When choosing colors in clothes, you should consider the following patterns:

Red color in clothes emphasizes the natural whiteness of the face;

Blue color is more suitable for light hair;

The yellow color gives a purple tint to the whiteness of the face and suits dark hair;

White color suits people with pink complexions;

Black color absorbs the shine of other colors.

Don't wear clothes that are too bright or too colorful. Choose calm tones and styles that best suit both you and the event in which you are participating.

Don't neglect the details of your closet. A wrinkled suit, an unironed shirt, a faded tie will say more about you than the worst gossip.

If you want to put your suit in order, comb your hair, clean your nails, etc., choose places for this where you cannot be seen.

Do not place a pen, pencil, glasses, comb or other items in the outer pockets.

It is always extremely important to keep your clothes and shoes clean and tidy. The condition of the shoes characterizes the person. Don't go outside in unclean shoes. Entering a public place barefoot or wearing dirty shoes is equally disrespectful.

Don't wear your hat pulled down over your eyes (like a mafioso) or pushed back (like a hillbilly).

You should not appear in a robe or slippers anywhere except the bedroom or bathroom.

No matter how luxurious a tracksuit you have, it should be reserved exclusively for sports. Moreover, in the recent past, a tracksuit combined with a leather jacket, like the notorious red jacket, served as the traditional outfit of Russian mafiosi, members of criminal gangs.

Jewelry is not only for decoration. You can wear a tie pin, watch chain, brooch, hairpin, etc., because these things are useful. But the simpler they are, the better. Women should be especially attentive to their jewelry and not overload their image with too much of it.

Watch your step. You should not walk with a waddle, but firmly, without bending and with dignity.

Always keep your hands under control. Don't gesture with them unnecessarily and don't put them in your pockets often.

Don't whistle on the street or in public. No wonder they say: “You’ll blow away all your money.”

Don't laugh too loudly, even if you find it very funny.

Don't smoke if it makes others uncomfortable.

Never forget that others pay attention to your appearance and your manners.È

V. Yuzhin. Encyclopedia of etiquette. Electronic resource http://www.e-reading.org.ua/bookreader.php/148062/Yuzhin_-_Enciklopediya_etiketa.html, free access.

Æ On the street, a man usually walks to the left of a woman. On the right are only the military, who must be ready to salute.

The man accompanying the lady should not smoke. If both smoke, then it makes sense for them to stop.

Before entering the room, the man opens the door for the woman and enters after her.

If a man and a woman go somewhere by taxi, then the man will approach the car. opens the right rear door. The woman sits down first, the man sits next to her.

The man gets out of the car first and helps the woman out.

If a man drives a car himself, he first helps the woman sit in the front seat, and then gets behind the wheel himself.

When going down the stairs, a man walks one or two steps ahead of the woman, and when going up, a couple of steps behind, so that if the woman stumbles or slips, he has time to support her.

In the wardrobe, a man helps a woman undress, and when leaving, he gives her a coat.

A true gentleman always helps a lady of any age carry heavy things or gives her a seat on public transport. But this rule does not apply to a fur cape or coat, except in cases where the lady is not feeling well.

A well-mannered man will never be frank about his relationship with a girl or woman with another person (this is called gossip and humiliates both the narrator and the listener).

A well-mannered man will never allow himself to enter a room ahead of a woman, unless it is dark and he needs to turn on the light so that she can enter.

A well-mannered man will never sit in the presence of a standing lady or sit down without an invitation.

You should not start a conversation with a woman or bow to her until she recognizes you. Although there are exceptions to this rule. If a man wants to attract the attention of a certain acquaintance, he can catch up with her and carefully touch her hand or quietly call her by her first name and patronymic (but in no case by her last name).

A well-mannered man will never talk to a woman about her age unless he is on duty. A priori, they follow the rule: a woman is as old as she looks.

You should never touch a woman without her desire, take her by the hand, touch her during a conversation, push her or take her by the arm above the elbow, except when you are helping her get on or off a vehicle, or cross the street. . If you believe that your feelings allow you to hug and kiss, then in any case you should not do this on the street and in the presence of strangers.

Even if a lady smokes, a man should not light a cigarette without first offering a cigarette to the woman he is accompanying, and without her permission if she refuses to smoke.

On a train, or in a crowd at a bar, do not smoke, standing too close to a woman: the smoke can cause a negative reaction in her. Do not smoke a pipe or cigar in a cramped room without asking permission from the women present - aromas that seem unearthly to you may seem disgusting to others.

A man should not talk about unpleasant things at the table, or touch on ambiguous topics that offend others, and especially ladies.

Gentlemen are not late. If a man meets a lady at an appointed place, being 5-10 minutes late is acceptable, but... extremely undesirable.

According to the rules of good manners, a man arrives at the meeting place a few minutes (but not seconds!) earlier. His lateness may put the lady in an awkward position; in case of unforeseen circumstances, you should try to inform her about it.

A woman waits for her lover as long as the strength of her feelings allows.

A woman may be a few minutes late for a date: But you shouldn’t test your lover’s stability and endurance in the rain or bad weather.

A man in love never forgets to arrange the next meeting and is not the first to say goodbye. If your friend behaves differently, then you shouldn’t delude yourself about him.È

V. Yuzhin. Encyclopedia of etiquette. Electronic resource http://www.e-reading.org.ua/bookreader.php/148062/Yuzhin_-_Enciklopediya_etiketa.html, free access.

ÆTest: how tactful are you?

1. If a friend tells you that their romance is over or that their marriage is over, you:

a) ask him what happened (3);

b) say that you would not like to interfere in this matter (0);

c) listen to everything he wants to tell you (10).

2. If you meet a friend whom you haven’t seen for a long time, and it turns out that he has gained a lot of weight, then you:

a) tell him that he has gained a lot of weight (0);

b) tell him something nice about how good he looks (0);

c) you won’t say anything (10).

3. Your neighbor tells you about his successful purchase. If you know a place where you can buy this item for less money, then:

a) tell your neighbor that he made a mistake

b) advise him to go to other stores

c) you will not talk about whether this purchase, in your opinion, was successful (10).

4. You and a group of colleagues went for a country walk. It turns out that one of them forgot money at home. You:

a) proudly announce that you will pay for it (0);

b) you won’t say anything (3);

c) quietly tell him that you have enough money to pay his expenses (10).

5. In order to get a job, you have to go through an interview. Knowing that your employer is conservative, you:

a) still dress casually (0);

b) put on a very respectable, out-of-fashion suit (3);

c) dress in a fashionable business suit, tailored in a strict style (10).

6. You have been invited to a dinner party. When the second one was served, you found it tasteless. You:

a) move your plate to the side (0);

b) say that you are on a diet (3);

c) while talking about something interesting, eat only a small part of the dish (10).

Test results. If you typed

50–60 points. You easily make new friends and, thanks to your courtesy towards others, you are rarely the target of attacks.

30–49 points. In general, you are a frank person. Sometimes you step on other people's toes, but you do it without malicious intent.

0-29 points. You don't seem to care at all about how others feel. This is not the best way to network.È

V. Yuzhin. Encyclopedia of etiquette. Electronic resource http://www.e-reading.org.ua/bookreader.php/148062/Yuzhin_-_Enciklopediya_etiketa.html, free access.

This saying in full goes like this: “Noscitur ex socio, qui non cognoscitur ex se” - “We do not learn from a man himself what we learn about him from his comrade.”

Ethics(from Greek ethos - custom, disposition) - the doctrine of morality,

morality. The term "ethics" was first used by Aristotle.

to denote practical philosophy, which should give

the answer to the question of what we must do to accomplish the right

strong, moral actions.

Morality(from Latin moralis - moral) is a system of ethical values ​​that are recognized by man. Morality is the most important way of normative regulation of social relations, communication and behavior of people in various spheres of society.

social life - family, everyday life, politics, science, work, etc.

The most important categories of ethics are: good, evil, justice, benefit, responsibility, duty, conscience, etc. Moral norms receive their ideological expression in general ideas, commandments, principles on how must behave. Morality always presupposes the presence of a certain moral ideal, a role model, the content and meaning of which change in historical time and social space, i.e. in different historical eras and among different peoples.

Communication- the process of interaction between social actors: social groups, communities or individuals, in which information, experience, abilities and results of activities are exchanged.

Communication acts as a way of existence of society and people.

It is in the process of communication that the socialization of the individual occurs

and her self-realization.

Specifics business communication is due to the fact that it arises on the basis of and in relation to a certain type of activity associated with the production of a product or business effect. At the same time, the parties to business communication act in formal (official) statuses, which determine the necessary norms and standards (including ethical) of people’s behavior. Like any type of communication, business communication is historical in nature; it manifests itself at different levels of social

systems and in various forms. Its distinctive feature is it

does not have a self-sufficient meaning, is not an end in itself, but serves as a means to achieve some other goals. In market conditions, this is primarily about obtaining maximum profit.

Hence, ethics of business communication can be defined as

a set of moral norms, rules and ideas that regulate the behavior and relationships of people in the process of their production activities.

The ethics of business communication is a special case of ethics in general and contains its main characteristics.

Business conversation- a necessary part of human life, the most important type of relationship with other people. The eternal and one of the main regulators of these relations are ethical standards, in which our ideas about good and evil, justice and injustice, the correctness or incorrectness of people’s actions are expressed. And communicating in business cooperation with your subordinates, boss or

colleagues, everyone in one way or another, consciously or spontaneously, relies on these ideas. But depending on How a person understands moral standards. What content does he put into them, to what extent does he take them into account at all?

communication. He can either make business communication easier for himself, make it more effective, help in solving assigned tasks and achieving goals, or make this communication more difficult.

or even make it impossible.

Ethics of business communication determined by the socio-economic system of society, the structure of its social organization and the dominant type of social consciousness.

In a traditional society, the main mechanism of business communication is ritual, tradition And custom. They are consistent with the norms, values ​​and standards of ethical business communication.

Confucius has a large number of sayings dedicated to the ethics of business communication. First of all, they relate to the principles of behavior between the leader

and subordinate and the disclosure of those norms and principles of communication that make it most effective and efficient from an ethical point of view.

A ruler must be a ruler, and a subject must be a subject, a father must be a father, and a son must be a son.

When a ruler loves justice, no one dares to be disobedient; when a ruler loves truth, no one among the people dares to be dishonest.

I listen to people's words and look at their actions.

Keep the two ends but use the middle.

A noble man, when he leads people, uses the talents of everyone; a small man, when he leads people, he demands universals from them.

Leading untrained people into battle means abandoning them.

Noble men are in harmony when there is disagreement; small people cannot have harmony even when there is agreement.

When you don't talk to someone you can talk to, you miss out on talents; when you speak to someone with whom you cannot speak, you waste your words in vain. But a smart person does not leave anyone out and does not waste words in vain.

Next to a noble husband, three mistakes are made: speaking when it is not the time to speak is rashness; not speaking when it is time to speak is concealment; and speaking without noticing his facial expressions is blindness.

A noble man... when he looks, he thinks whether he saw clearly; but he hears - he thinks whether he heard correctly; he thinks whether the expression on his face is gentle, whether his manners are respectful, whether his speech is sincere, whether his attitude to business is reverent; when in doubt, thinks about seeking advice; when he gets angry, he thinks about negative consequences: and before he gains something, he thinks about justice.

If for people who were forced to work, they choose feasible work, then which of them will develop anger?

To execute those who were not instructed means to be cruel; to demand execution without warning in advance means to show violence; delaying an order and at the same time seeking urgency means causing damage; and in any case, to be stingy when issuing, giving something to people, means to act in an official manner.

Without knowing the ritual, you cannot establish yourself.

When you cannot correct yourself, how will you correct others?

The sayings of the great philosopher regarding ethical standards of communication have not lost their relevance today. Following them will undoubtedly be of great help in establishing effective interaction and will help avoid many mistakes in

business communication.

In fact, can that “path of the golden mean” - the path of compromise that Confucius preached, asserting the need to “keep two ends, but use the middle”, lose relevance? His aphorism, “I listen to people’s words and look at their actions,” sounds no less relevant today, expressing the need to maintain the unity of word and deed, the need to verify the word with deeds.

Is it possible to disagree with the thinker’s opinion that in business communication

everyone must correspond to their status and take into account the status

Rules of behavior sometimes resemble ritual rites: they seem meaningless, but they educate people.

A. deSaint-Exupery

In the system of important management laws that regulate the procedure for people to communicate with each other, etiquette occupies a strong place, i.e. rules of behavior in society. The media and specialized literature are increasingly turning to the problem of etiquette. This increased interest in issues of etiquette is explained not only by nostalgia for the “good old days”, not only by the increased trips of state leaders abroad, but also by more pragmatic reasons. Often, too often, smart, energetic Russian entrepreneurs have failed when communicating with foreign partners because of their bad manners and inability to behave in society. Attempts to justify one’s bad manners with special, supposedly purely Russian principles of hospitality and “modern” manners do not stand up to criticism.

It is known that the foundations of European etiquette were laid at the brilliant court of King Louis XIV of France, when the rules of conduct for courtiers, dignitaries and guests at state ceremonies, holidays and balls were thought out to the smallest detail. Those invited to such celebrations received special tickets (labels) indicating the time and place of the reception, as well as recommendations on the regulations and features of the costume. Although, undoubtedly, at all times and all peoples had their own established rules and norms of behavior for various social circles, the modern foundations of etiquette were regulated by French court “labels”.

The attitude of society towards etiquette, especially those social strata that did not follow its rules, was often skeptical, even more often ironic, and sometimes openly hostile and critical. From the beginning of the 19th century until 1917, the liberal intelligentsia of Russia persistently opposed education as a true, real value to education as a value, in their opinion, imaginary, illusory and certainly secondary. An old dispute from the theory of utilitarianism - form and content! In Soviet encyclopedic dictionaries, etiquette was categorically rejected as “a form of behavior and behavior in the upper strata of noble-bourgeois society.”

However, life has convincingly proven that there are rules of behavior in society and these rules must be followed in order not to be an outcast. It has already become clear to many that if you dress untidy, eat with your hands, blow your nose with your fingers, or use obscene words, then the doors of many houses and institutions will be closed in front of them, and business and friendly contacts will become impossible. What style of behavior to take as a basis, because each layer of society has its own customs, its own unspoken rules of behavior - the task is not so simple, and everyone solves it according to the seen standards, the customs of their usual society in accordance with the level of their culture, intellectual baggage and upbringing .

For example, scoffers claim that among artists it is necessary to be unkempt, to wear unwashed dark, preferably checkered shirts, the obligatory sweater and baggy trousers, to talk vaguely about expression, the missing light, about one’s unrecognized “vision”, to be certainly hairy and bearded and with disgust to drink vodka. Actors and especially directors must have a shabby leather jacket and cap, be extremely relaxed, skillfully tell jokes and willingly accept invitations from fans to “sit” in a restaurant: Many “new Russians” are easily recognized by their red jackets, the intoxicating aroma of cologne and shifty eyes. Prostitutes, “tough guys,” deputies and political leaders are subject to their own rules of behavior and a very unique “code of honor.”

But if we put aside the irony and think about the etiquette of an entrepreneur, a government employee or a leader at any level, then his behavior in society is quite strictly regulated, whether he wants it or not, and this is not just the ability to yawn with his mouth closed. There is no doubt that the requirements of etiquette have now become more “democratic”, although even now a well-mannered and polite person must confidently navigate complex hierarchical relationships and follow stereotypes and established behavior patterns.

The focus on American businessmen and their unique etiquette has become very popular in recent years. Many are impressed by the completely relaxed manner of Americans, their emphasized friendliness, goodwill and optimism, and the ability to quickly switch to a friendly, interested tone of conversation. However, the simplicity and democratic manner of behavior of an American businessman is also quite rigidly formalized and subject to difficult etiquette. Yes, an American sometimes considers it possible to lounge in a chair with his feet up on the table, talk to a woman with his hand in his pocket, and pat a friend on the shoulder, but along with this outward democracy, even simplicity of behavior, the notorious “American way of life,” the upbringing received in family and college, the experience of communicating with business partners requires very strict adherence to business etiquette. Accuracy, neatness, the ability to keep one's word, neatness in clothing, and clear regulation of behavior in standard situations determine the style of official and friendly communication among American business people.

There is no doubt that there is a lot of attractiveness in the business etiquette of other countries: the correctness and impeccable manners of English gentlemen, the friendliness and equanimity of the Japanese, the emphasized gallantry of the French, the reliability and punctuality of the Germans, but I would like to dwell in more detail on the etiquette of the Russian nobility - a class that until recently constituted the pride of Russia, which has been so mercilessly defamed and forgotten lately. The Russian aristocrat (in the true, undistorted sense of the word) was the bearer of the traditions and spiritual values ​​of noble culture; his manner of behavior and special type of personality reflected the genuine unity of high ethical and etiquette standards. There is no doubt that the etiquette of the Russian nobility was formed from the middle of the 18th century under the significant influence of European and especially French etiquette, but its further development was so original and fruitful that the Russian nobleman - officer, landowner, diplomat, writer - thanks to his upbringing, manners, and high morality enjoyed sincere respect in any country. There is no jingoism in this conclusion; the author was lucky to live among this declining class and meet true Russian aristocrats abroad.

For a Russian nobleman, etiquette was never an end in itself; compliance with the rules of etiquette was a natural and not burdensome consequence of upbringing. From early childhood, the child had to learn for the rest of his life that he is a nobleman, and this imposes on him special responsibility for his every action. La noblesse oblige, i.e. nobility, noble origin, position obliges - one of the central postulates of the nobility. “To whom much is given, much will be required,” Grand Duke Konstantin Romanov (a famous poet who wrote under the pseudonym K.R.) often repeated to his children.

The most vulnerable in the complex organism of the nobility of any country and the greatest asset of a nobleman, protected with special care, was noble honor. The concept of honor, instilled from infancy, is more valuable than any conceivable values: profit, success, even safety; principles have always been more valuable than any results. It was the principles of honor and dignity that raised the nobility above all other classes, but it was they that often caused failures in life, disruptions in careers and cost the lives of thousands of its representatives, despite the strictness of the ban on dueling. Moreover, the dueling situation itself was paradoxical: accepting the challenge means criminal punishment is inevitable; refuse - the officer was expelled from the regiment by a court of honor. The strictness of the code of honor is the same for the nobility of all nations: for the Japanese samurai, for the Spanish hidalgos, for the nobles of England, France, Germany, Russia.

There is, perhaps, no more widespread, more absurd and unfair belief that the nobility is characterized by arrogance and tribal swagger. On the contrary, the hallmark of an aristocrat, like any well-mannered person, is natural modesty, imperturbable calm, restraint, even simplicity in communicating with everyone, regardless of their social status. Lord Chesterfield advised his son: “Even if you had to talk to the king himself, you should behave as easily and naturally as you would with your own valet.” A. S. Pushkin writes to his wife to never change her “sweet, simple aristocratic tone,” rightfully equating simplicity with aristocracy. It is not easy, of course, to achieve this naturalness and ease, and the decisive role of education from generation to generation is obvious here (one can’t help but remember the famous English parable that the lawn will be well-groomed if it is “just” regularly watered, cleared of weeds, and carefully mowed). ..at least 300 years!).

The Russian nobility has its own special and very attractive features, which are reflected in the rules of etiquette. Many nobles received not only a good upbringing, but also a very deep education (not all, of course, there is no need to idealize the nobility, let us at least remember the heroes of the immortal Gogol!). Governors and Bonns laid the foundations for fluency in European languages ​​and etiquette rules from childhood; gymnasiums, universities, and a network of closed special educational institutions provided access to knowledge not only to children from wealthy families. It is hardly possible to master classical and modern literature and philosophy, “to make ladies smile with the fire of unexpected epigrams” without a serious education. Therefore, in noble society, casual small talk often touched on deep moral, philosophical and political topics.

A mandatory requirement of the etiquette of the Russian nobility was high, fundamental physical cleanliness. Not only the body, clothes and shoes of a well-mannered person, but also his home should be absolutely clean and well-groomed, which, alas, is not noted in the chronicles of the court of Louis XIV. Having read from I. Ilf and E. Petrov that “in the janitor’s room there was the smell of rotting manure, spread by Tikhon’s new felt boots. The old felt boots stood in the corner and did not ozonize the air either,” we can reasonably assume that Tikhon was not a nobleman. An amazingly strong blood connection with the common people is very characteristic of the Russian nobility. L.N. Tolstoy says about Natasha Rostova: “Where, how, when did this countess, raised by a French emigrant, suck into herself from that Russian air that she breathed, this spirit, where did she get these techniques...?” The impeccably secular Tatyana Larina loved with all her soul the customs and traditions of “common antiquity.” Among the Russian nobility, folk tales and beliefs found a strong and permanent place; folk sayings and proverbs were widely used, although an English gentleman would consider this in bad form. The nobles never had problems communicating with the people, since the connection with them was never interrupted; they lived among them - sometimes all year round, more often during the holidays. These problems are characteristic of the intelligentsia of various ranks, although it was they who sincerely wanted happiness and prosperity for the people and claimed to know their soul. This protracted requiem to the traditions of the fading Russian nobility had the main goal of proving that one does not need to travel far, especially overseas, for examples of high morality, spirituality, and strict rules of etiquette.

Now about the etiquette itself. The main feature of etiquette is its rationality, its foundations are moral norms, its goal is not to complicate, but to facilitate a person’s behavior in society. You can, of course, eat with your hands, but this is unreasonable and impractical; you can drink champagne from an aluminum mug, but, you see, it’s tastier, more pleasant and more solemn to drink it from a beautiful glass. It is immoral to laugh at a cripple, to hit a woman, to be rude to an old man, to mock the defenseless and weak - all this, naturally, is condemned by the rules of etiquette. Louis XIV, wanting to test the upbringing of the nobleman, known for his impeccable manners, invited him to be the first to enter the carriage and the nobleman accepted the invitation without any hesitation. "He's a really polite man!" - said the king: etiquette requires simplifying, not complicating, relationships between people. Life is diverse, but it also consists of individual, often standard situations, and etiquette over the many centuries of its existence has developed impeccably reasonable human reactions to these standard situations.

Literature on the rules of etiquette describes in detail what, how, where, when a well-mannered person should do, although there are infinitely many collisions in life and it is completely hopeless to take into account all the nuances of behavior in countless combinations of life situations. It is believed that etiquette only formalizes relationships between people and does not confront a person with the problem of choosing between good and evil, between justice and injustice. However, in order to perfectly master etiquette, you must first of all constantly improve yourself, in order to have noble manners, you need to be the most noble and decent person, although, alas, there are unfortunate exceptions. Education, honor, dignity are the main and indispensable foundations of etiquette. Anyone who does not possess these fundamentals is doomed to painfully search for the right solution every time, constantly make mistakes and, in the end, trying to console his wounded pride, declare that “all these ceremonies” are completely unnecessary.

Modern educated and cultured people are beginning to pay more and more attention to their manners and appearance, but more often than not, only its external attributes are taken from etiquette: men are in a hurry to kiss ladies’ hands, to stretch themselves out “in front” when meeting each other, they painfully struggle to eat only with their left hand, to wear an unusual “ bow tie" and a handkerchief in the breast pocket of his jacket. Yes, external manifestations of good upbringing are also important, everyone needs to learn themselves and teach their children, but the main thing is ease, natural behavior and a friendly, respectful, helpful attitude towards everyone around them.

Some of the advice of modern etiquette experts causes involuntary surprise. How a woman should dress in various situations - and detailed recommendations are given (the suit of a business woman in the USA is especially strictly regulated). “A business woman can come to work in a trouser suit, but in various situations she cannot wear a regular blouse and trousers.” And “he can’t come to work without stockings.” And if the poor woman left the house “at that hour when it seemed she had no strength to breathe, when the sun, having heated Moscow, fell in a dry fog somewhere beyond the Garden Ring” (M. A. Bulgakov) - she’s all- Do you still need to wear stockings?

What should a modern man wear - and again a specific recommendation is given: “you can wear a red tie with a gray suit, and a green tie with a brown one, a scarf in the outer pocket of a jacket is usually worn from the same material as a tie or socks” (?), etc. d. Such advice, although controversial, is undoubtedly useful, but it is more appropriate to give it in fashion magazines rather than in literature on etiquette. The rules of etiquette only imply that women and men should be dressed well, but how is a matter of taste, style, manners of each, the only important thing is that a person should be dressed impeccably.

Within the framework of this book, we are primarily interested in etiquette and, in particular, the costume of a modern business person: a civil servant, a businessman, an entrepreneur. Over the past decades, a unique uniform of “white collar” workers has emerged all over the world - this is how officials at various levels are called. Yes, indeed, usually a business person wears a suit, white shirt and black shoes to work. This style of clothing replaced the official uniform, which previously distinguished a person from the crowd, could tell a lot about a person’s place in society, his corporate affiliation, and was very practical.

Thank God that the paramilitary suit with patch pockets has sunk into oblivion; in the 50s, all bosses wore it, from the Leader and Teacher to the director of the bath and laundry plant. Such a detail of an intelligent person’s costume as a felt or velor hat has also become a thing of the past, after these hats became a mandatory attribute of cattle breeders in the Asian republics. The established fashion for a composition of jackets and trousers of different colors is very helpful for impoverished low-ranking employees (the emergence and sustainability of this fashion is very simply explained - trousers wear out faster than jackets!). “A business person approaches the elevator and always greets the people waiting for the elevator. Anyone entering the elevator must say: “Good afternoon.” The first person to enter the elevator, as well as a restaurant, is a man, since the elevator is a zone of increased technical danger.” . Wise, but try to show courtesy in the elevators of the State Duma, the White House or the high-rise building of Moscow State University, will they understand you correctly? And in other “zones of increased technical danger” such as trains, trams, and subways, should a man also try to enter first? “A woman should walk to the right of a man” is true, but if cars are driving along the puddles of a dirty road to the right of the sidewalk? “If an employee enters the boss’s office, the man may not get up when greeting her.” But the king stood up, since he is just a king, and a woman has an even higher title - Woman.