FINANCIAL GAZETTE STAFF TRANSFORMED INTO DYNAMIC PROFESSIONALS BY EXQUISITE BUSINESS ETIQUETTE AND PROFESSIONAL GROOMING TRAINING

The Press is the 4th branch of government and without an affluent press a country cannot develop. It was upon this realisation that FINGAZ engaged the Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy to unroll Business Etiquettes and Professional Grooming training. The workshop covered customer service for handling government officials and diplomatic members that transformed the trainees into more competent and dynamic professionals in the media industry. It emphasized the possession of exquisite business etiquette, business and social protocol and communication skills to attract opportunities and maximize corporate excellence. The topics covered included Conference Diplomacy skills, acceptable Business Protocol and Exquisite Business Etiquette, Networking and marketing Etiquette, Netiquette and creating a Professional Image. The participants were encouraged to be employees that maximize the organization’s corporate image potential. They learnt the basic tools of protocol and etiquette in the business world, procedures of conference diplomacy as they engage and interact with state and non-state agents in the media fraternity. This included how media is important in diplomacy as politicians and business elites are the clientele of the FINGAZ media coverage. They learnt on how to conduct interviews, the right questions to ask, analyzing newsworthy articles and handling sensitive information in the public interest. In the final session, the participants analyzed the elements of professional grooming and how to apply them at the workplace to maximize corporate excellence in the organization. The training ended with a grooming competition on how to walk as a lady/gentleman. The winners were awarded with scholarships to undergo the Executive Certificate on Diplomacy, Protocol, Etiquette and Professional Branding offered by the Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy.