Etiquette: Should I 'friend' my boss on Facebook?

In the good ol' days, compliments to the boss were confined within the four walls of the office. Today, sucking up has gone digital. Gushing comments on boss' blog postings, tweeting about his media appearances, retweeting his comments, providing links to his YouTube interviews and clicking 'like' on his Facebook postings have emerged as the new tools of flattery.

Should LinkedIn requests to connect be personalised?

While it's fine to use the standard format, showing attention to detail is an asset. Put in a line giving the context , like your last face-to-face meeting, online interaction or your reason for wanting to connect.

What's the right way to decline a request to connect with someone on LinkedIn?

There's no polite way to say "No" . If you have a strong reason for declining their request, simply click "Ignore" .

If someone follows me on Twitter, am I expected to follow them back?

No. However, do read their credentials, past tweets and profile to help you decide if you want their thoughts streaming on your home page.

Should the cc lists be organised according to hierarchy?

Yes, clients first, boss next and colleagues last. It's best to arrange the colleagues in alphabetical order as they will invariably glance at their ranking in the cc box.

What are the rules for marking cc in both client and internal emails?

For client emails, maintain the protocol by clicking 'reply all' . In internal emails, mark cc to colleagues who are directly connected with the topic of discussion. Adding extra people in the cc box delays decision-making and floods your colleagues' inbox. The exception is: your boss — pay attention to his management style to ascertain if he likes to be in the know 24 x 7.

Should I 'friend' my boss or client on Facebook?

As a rule, bosses should be connected with you on professional networking sites, like LinkedIn, while 'real friends' should be on your Facebook page. In case your boss or client invites you, graciously accept their invitation and master the privacy settings to control the content that's visible to your close friends versus one that's visible to your professional contacts.

(Shital Kakkar Mehra is the author of Business Etiquette: A Guide For The Indian Professional)