For executive hiring or partnership mergers, seeing how a candidate interacts in a social setting can be the final "test" for cultural alignment. Pre-Dinner Preparation and Etiquette
The host always pays. Arrange to handle the check away from the table or give your credit card to the server ahead of time to avoid the "bill dance" at the end of the night. If You Are the Guest: business dinner with the wives
If you are the host, brief your wife on the three key topics not to bring up (e.g., the client’s recent divorce, politics, or their struggling subsidiary). Also, brief her on the one thing the client’s wife is passionate about—charity work, a hobby, their children’s achievements. For executive hiring or partnership mergers, seeing how
