雙語閱讀：不要在餐桌上毀掉你的前程

雙語閱讀：不要在餐桌上毀掉你的前程

　　摘要：飯局為何會影響到你的晉升?答案很簡單，當你和客戶一同進餐的時候，他們是不會與行為粗野的人達成交易的。如果你不是直接面對客戶，這個問題會影響到你和你的團隊建立和保持良好的關系。

　　Bad table manners are like any lapse in etiquette –when the problem is coming from someone else, it'simmediately apparent, but if you're the offender,you probably don't even realize it's an issue.If youare an unseemly eater, you could be damaging yourcareer and not even know it.

　　How can eating affect your shot at a promotion?Well, if you dine with clients, the answer is simple: people don't buy from people who grossthem out. If you're not in a client-facing role, the issue is about building and preservingrelationships with your team.

　　餐桌上的壞習慣，像其他的禮節過失一樣--當錯誤出現在別人身上的時候，很容易就會發現，然而一旦自己成了當事人，你甚至都意識不到自己有這個問題。如果吃飯的時候不得體，你可能毀掉自己的前途，甚至自己都不知道為何。

　　飯局為何會影響到你的晉升?答案很簡單，當你和客戶一同進餐的時候，他們是不會與行為粗野的人達成交易的。如果你不是直接面對客戶，這個問題會影響到你和你的團隊建立和保持良好的關系。

　　Even if you're heads-down most of the time, sooner or later, you'll probably break bread withyour colleagues. And when you do, you'll want to make sure your manners don't put people off.

　　即便你總是置身之外，早晚你會和你的同事一起進餐。當你們一起吃飯的時候，你會想要確定自己的行為不會讓人反感。

　　Most of us know not to start eating before everyone is served, to chew with our mouthsclosed and not speak while chewing, and to place our napkins in our laps, not in our shirtcollars, like a lobster bib. Our parents covered the obvious things – our job is just to keepthem in mind, now that mom and dad can't see us. But what about the finer points?

　　我們都知道，不能在所有人坐下之前開始吃東西，咀嚼東西的時候要閉著嘴，并且不能說話。要把紙巾放在腿上，不能像圍嘴一樣夾在襯衫領子上。既然老爸老媽看不到我們，我們能做的就是把他們放在心里。但是細微之處呢?

　　There, etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore can help. Whitmore, founder of The ProtocolSchool of Palm Beach and author of Poised for Success: Mastering the Four Qualities ThatDistinguish Outstanding Professionals, recently offered a few tips on navigating businessdinners with grace, including:

　　在這里，禮儀專家杰奎琳·惠特莫爾(Jacqueline Whitmore)可以提供幫助。最近，棕櫚灘禮儀學校的創始人、暢銷書《為成功做好了準備：掌握四種品質區分優秀的專業人才》的作者惠特莫爾，對優雅參加商業晚宴提出了一些建議：

　　Watch your breadiquette: Bread should never be eaten as a whole slice or even two halves.You’ll look more polished if you break off one bite-size piece, butter it and then eat it. Andnever butter your bread directly from the butter dish. Instead, transfer some butter from thebutter dish to your bread plate. Never dunk bread in your soup or use it to sop up sauces orjuice on your plate.

　　注意吃面包的禮儀：永遠不要把面包片整片吃掉或者是只分為兩半。如果你分開一小片，然后抹上黃油再吃掉，看起來會更優雅。不要直接把面包放在黃油盤里，而是取些黃油放在你的面包碟里。不要把面包扣在湯里或者是用面包來吸你盤子里面的醬汁和果汁。

　　No chivalry when it's about business: The business arena is gender neutral nowadays,therefore men are not required to pull out a woman's chair or stand when a woman approachesor leaves the table during business meals. And whoever reaches the door first, regardless ofgender, should open it for the other person.

　　在談生意的時候，不必獻殷勤：當今商業領域中性別是中立的，因此在商務會餐中，男士不必為女士拉出椅子，或者是在女士到來和離開的時候站起來。誰先到的門口誰為后者打開門，不分男女。

　　Salt and pepper together: Always pass the salt and pepper shakers together, even if someoneasks you to pass one or the other. It’s best to keep them together as a set in the eventsomeone else at the table wants both. Never pass them from hand to hand as this isconsidered bad luck in some cultures. Place them in front of the receiver and allow him to pickthem up.

　　鹽和胡椒一起：人們經常會把鹽和胡椒一起傳，即便是有人只問你要其中一種。把鹽和胡椒放在一塊作為一個組合是很好的，在聚餐中，有些人二者都需要。不要手手相傳，因為在一些文化中認為這是運氣不好的。把它們放在需要的人面前，讓他們自己選擇。