January 21st, 2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Men in high-status positions are expected to execute certain tasks and behaviors in a superior manner. Just like James Bond who readily knows how to do everything and nothing, you need useful skills in order to become a suave "Jack of all trades." Use following list in order to acquire skills necessary to embody essence of a successful man.

1- Dining etiquette

During influential functions and fancy dinners with clients, it´s important to know your way around table. When eating a meal with many courses and a plethora of forks, knives, little spoons, and napkins, remember this simple rule: You typically use utensils from outside in. The set of utensils furthest from your plate is used for first course and so on. Put your napkin on your lap before you start your meal, and do not commence eating until all guests have been seated and their meals have been served. Gentlemanly etiquette separates composed from crass.

2- Ordering alcohol

For elaborate meals with five courses or more, it´s wise to know when to order which drinks. Cocktails, like martinis and Scotch on rocks, are generally served with hors d´oeuvres before meal and typically away from table setting. Before meal, sometimes it is customary to order an "aperitif" like port or a sweet wine.

In terms of what wine to order with dinner, remember that red wine typically goes with cheeses, red meat and creamy dishes, whereas white goes with fish, chicken, and fondue. After meal, you can also order a "digestif" like cognac or a sweet liqueur like Anisette or Baileys. Likewise, tipping well increases your sophistication.

3- Smoking a cigar

There´s nothing like a sweet Cuban between lips of a head honcho. Classier and more celebratory than a cigarette, a real cigar -- rather than one of those cheap, crispy imitations from convenience store -- can be a measure of true class.

First, go to a specialty store to select a decent cigar. Expect to spend at least $10 for a quality cigar. You will likely have to "clip" end of cigar (where you will be putting your mouth), so it is wise to obtain a cigar clipper.

To light it, turn cigar slowly with one hand, so that entire end is evenly exposed to heat of flame. When it glows evenly, consider it lit. Take a long puff of your cigar, and let smoke gather in your mouth rather than inhaling into your lungs. It´s about taste, not tobacco.

Remember not to re-light a cigar after it has been out for more than thirty minutes because taste will alter unfavorably. Generally, cigars are allowed in special smoking lounges, and it is prudent in restaurants to ask if they have a "no cigar policy." The same goes for dinner parties because some people find odor offensive.

Speaking with confidence, managing time and shaking up a storm...

4- Speaking well in public

Being able to persuade, influence, flatter, motivate, and inspire is essential in life of every successful man. In any situation, being a master of social seduction takes one main attribute: Confidence. When you speak in front of a crowd, you must first be relaxed with yourself and your abilities.

A challenge almost any company entering an international market will be faced with is translating its marketing materials, product and service documentation, and other documents into language of target market. Depending on your requirements, there are basically three options:

• You can do translation yourself or have someone in your company do it. • You can find and hire a different translator for each language. • You can hire a translation agency.

To make this decision, you will have to consider several factors, including your abilities and resources, your needs, and cost.

Your Resources Do you, or does someone else in your company, have ability to do translation? If you require a translation into Spanish, for example, and you have a Spanish-speaking employee in your company, it is tempting to simply assign him or her to perform translation services. However, there are several factors to take into account:

1. A translator is more than just someone who speaks two languages. A translator has to be perfectly fluent in both languages and will usually translate from her second language, source language, to her mother tongue, target language. It is of great advantage if she lives in country your translation is intended for. She needs to be familiar with topic that is translated and have excellent writing and editing capabilities in target language. Consider this: When you have your marketing material written, do you simply choose any person who speaks English? Or do you select someone with excellent writing skills – and still have text proofread by a second pair of eyes? You should have same demands for your potential translator. So does your German, French, or Spanish employee have necessary writing skills in her first language? If, however, you have such enormous requirements for translation into one single language that you can employ one translator full-time, this might be most economical option. Just make sure that you have necessary expertise to choose a competent translator. Remember: this will be only person to perform all your professional translation services. If you are dissatisfied with work this person is doing, it will not be easy to switch translators. Also, you will probably still want to have someone else proofread translation, just as you probably had someone proofread your original texts.