Business Etiquette with the Social Question : “How are you?”

• How must one conduct his or herself in a business situation when asked how he or she is or how his or her day is going?  Should a person reveal as much as they would confess to a friend or family member? 
• When presented with the question “how are you?” one must reply honestly without confessing news that is too personal and without taking too much of the other person’s time.  It is acceptable to be honest, even if the day is not progressing particularly well.  However, it is inappropriate to drone on about all the negative details concerning your life’s latest travesty.  An appropriate response is that you are doing well, and it may be appropriate to add that you are doing well because of (reason). 
• If you are not going as well as usual, then it is polite and provides a good impression to still respond that you are doing well.  A co-worker is your co-worker, not your therapist.  It sounds harsh, but it’s the way the business world is.  Your boss or fellow employee does not need to know the intimate details of your life.  They will be impressed if you always reply that you are doing well or excellent.  They will be pleased that you are so positive and therefore a positive influence in the work world.
• Regardless of how much the other person asks about how you are doing and also of how much time they invest into hearing your reply, it is always polite to thank the person for their interest and kindness.  Also, you will be going the extra mile if you return the favor and take the courtesy of asking how he or she is doing.  Taking the time to do so will make a good impression on the other person.  This will allow for the two of you to develop a stronger professional relationship.  It is good to work on developing your professional relationships with coworkers and bosses so that all are working in a positive environment which will even further allow the business to function better and more smoothly. 
• Therefore, you should be short with responses, only provide additional details if they are requested, and thank the person for asking how you are doing, and reply the person with the common courtesy of asking how they are doing and  spending an adequate amount of time listening to their reply.  
• I regret that additional reading from other blogs or websites is unavailble, as most social etiquette in the business world topics do not include the "how are you?" conversation.  My content was derived from myself and edited by Polly Matteson at Truman State University's Career Center.