Is it OK to do this in business?
Ladies, please weigh in on this. If you’re at a networking event and two people are engrossed in conversation, is it OK to break in and say to one of the people, “I just had to say hello to this lovely lady.” Then you plant a wet one dramatically on her cheek?
I say, you don’t break in on a two person conversation no matter if it’s 2 men, 2 women or mixed genders. I also say that to kiss a woman in that context is insulting and inappropriate. Why?
Women are the subject of being thought lesser of in an informal networking environment. This sort of judgment happens less when the group is technical like accountants, engineers or architects. But, when people are meeting for the first time, they might wonder, “So does she kiss everyone in business?” Yuck.
So the next time you find yourself in a networking event and 2 people are engrossed in their conversation, don’t barge in. Instead, look for the people who are by themselves. They would appreciate someone going over and talking to them.
Just don’t plant a wet one on them.