Discover the 5 topics to banish from a business lunch to make your business lunches a success. Comet reveals the keys!
Ah, business lunches. It is more than a simple professional meal, it is a delicate ballet where every word counts and where the plate can (almost) steal the show. It is the art of connecting, of convincing, of creating bonds around the table and of opening certain doors. But beware, some conversations can make even the best of dishes… indigestible.
Of course, nothing to do with a team lunch, where the conversations are often far more relaxed, more personal and far more friendly (and so much the better). It is also what feeds team cohesion and creates all the magic of that good moment shared together.
So that your next professional event rhymes with success and serenity, here are the 5 topics to leave in the cloakroom and we also explain why.
Politics: a debate with no appetite and no end 🗳️
Talking politics is a bit like inviting an elephant into a china shop. Unless you are having lunch with an MP (and even then), politics is the best way to make the atmosphere tense during that moment. The aim of this lunch is to build bridges, not to dig ditches…
As Forbes points out, neutrality is the key to moving a professional discussion forward without friction.
Let us keep the course on what brings people together!
Sources: Forbes (1), Forbes(2)
Money (and salary): the recipe for guaranteed awkwardness.
Figures yes!But not the ones on your payslip. Avoid remarks along the lines of “ how much do you earn at X, by the way? ”. Talking about pay or about personal spending can quickly break the collaborative dynamic that we are trying to establish during a professional lunch. The Harvard Business Review recommends avoiding discussions whose main subject is status or material perks. They break collaborative dynamics.
Psst… The value of an exchange is measured by the quality of the discussion, not by the price of the menu.
Sources: Harvard Business Review (1), Harvard Business Review (2)
Health, unless you work at Doctolib!
”And you, how is your back?!”.That is kind, but not the moment. During a business lunch, it is essential to keep and to maintain a boundary. Medical confidences, however sincere they may be, do not really have their place during this event. You can talk about well-being, sport, healthy food… but avoid slipping into detailed medical accounts, the business lunch remains a professional space 70% of the time.
Small talk? Yes ✅
The medical record? We avoid that. ❌
The (too) personal life: keep your stories for the coffee break.
Your children are adorable (we have no doubt about it) and your past experiences are precious. But the business lunch is not a group therapy session, unless the person opposite you brings up the subject… It is the same for your past relationships, whether personal or professional. You are there to write what comes next or a new story, not to replay act 1.
Overly personal anecdotes can divert attention and generate a certain awkwardness.
Holidays! Unless you are inviting the person opposite you… 🏖️
A little nod to your next getaway? Why not!But a tale worthy of a discovery by Christopher Columbus is to be banned. Everyone has their own relationship with work and with free time. Nothing worse than describing your dream trip to someone who is wrapping up files until 10pm. And if you ask “And you, where are you off to?” and he or she answers “Nowhere”… good luck getting the conversation going again.
L’Étudiant (yes, even them) suggests favouring neutral ground, such as culture, gastronomy, soft news, etc.
In short the art of the business lunch is like cooking , it is the art of finding the right balance. You have to be human without being too personal, relaxed without being casual. At Comet we are convinced that the quality of the experience is the key to a successful exchange, for all your events.
And what if the “real good moment” came through a reinvented culinary experience? 😉
