Eye Contact

We should be expert at it because we do it every day---most of us, anyway---but there are many variables at play when we're making eye contact. Breaking the unwritten rules can hold back our careers. They are:

1) Don't text or glance at your cellphone when you're talking to someone.

2) It's wrong to look away too soon or stare at someone too long. "Holding eye contact works best for 7 to 10 seconds in a one-on-one conversation, and for 3 to 5 seconds in a group setting."

3) The rules should be adjusted for cultural differences. "In many Eastern and some Caribbean cultures, meeting another's eyes can be rude. Asians are more likely than Westerners to regard a person who makes eye contact as angry or unapproachable."

It's no wonder that many workers, especially those not experienced with face-to-face interaction, prefer to stay home and telecommute.

WSJ graphic.

And, even if we become fairly proficient at making eye contact, poor table manners can trip us up. At important business meals, one can play safe by hardly touching the food. One's job is much more important than an expensive restaurant meal, and there's usually a fast-food joint less than a block away to alleviate hunger pangs. Work would be so much easier if we didn't have to deal with other people :-)