When I was a little girl, like many others, I would read under the covers with a flashlight. I didn’t read exciting mysteries, humorous comics or even books that explored anatomy. Instead, I read Emily Post’s book, simply titled, Etiquette. What caused this behavior, you ask? Well it was one nasty experience (though there were probably many, I always seem to go back to this ONE!). I left home one afternoon, feeling like Cinderella going to the ball, only to return feeling like Linda Blair in the Exorcist! And not even a pumpkin…I’ll spare you the details (for now) but it was not a good day!
The truth is, I never wanted to ever feel embarrassed or uncomfortable like that again.Who does? So I went in search of knowledge that would guide me in being more comfortable in social interactions or difficult situations.
No one wants red flags going off when you’re to impress your boss or that special person who’s caught your eye. Instead… know the Power of Polite.
Everywhere you look, people are on cell phones. In the grocery stores, restaurants, movie theatres, shopping malls and doctor’s offices, people are talking (or texting) on their phone. Just the other day I saw a woman jogging in the park with a cell phone up to her ear. It just looked odd to me somehow.
There has been an explosion of smartphones on the market, and everyone seems to be texting. This has added an additional layer of communication etiquette challenges to the mix. It’s quieter to text someone, and it would appear that it’s less distracting, but if you’re with someone and you’re not fully engaged because you’re answering every beep and buzz from your cell phone, well that is not good manners. I know I don’t want to be sitting down for a romantic dinner with a man who is answering a text from the other side of the table!
Hold that call!
By taking a cell phone call while in the presence of others, you’re saying to the person you are with “there is something or someone more important than you are.”
Alternately, have you ever grabbed a call just because it was ringing? Even though you didn’t have time to chat. You probably would have been far better off letting it go to message. Right? Well, the same is true when answering a cell phone while with other people. It’s a distraction from the current conversation and often even changes the dynamics of the conversation after the intrusion.
As much as we talk on cell phones these days, there still seems to be a lot of people who don’t have a grasp on the etiquette of cell phone use yet. Just because we can talk to whomever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want, does that mean we should completely forget our manners?
Here’s a quick review of some cell phone etiquette tips:
Don’t use cell yell when taking calls in public. Your voice sounds different on a cell and is louder and carries farther than you think.
Avoid talking about personal topics when other people can hear you.
If you must take a call when you’re already engaged in a face-to-face conversation, ask permission of the people who are with you. Then move away from them so they can carry on their conversation without your distraction.
Do NOT text during face-to-face conversations.
Maintain a distance of at least 10-feet from the nearest person when talking on your cell phone.
When the lights are turned off, your phone should be, too (movie theatres, playhouses, etc.)
Don’t place your cell phone on the dinner table, anywhere.
Use common sense. Your phone should be turned off or to silent during a job interview, funeral, wedding, at the gym, in the bathroom, during a presentation, or any other setting where a quiet atmosphere is mandated.
Do you think there are others that belong on the list of cell phone dos and don’ts?’ List them in the comments section below.
I live in a community that is known for its beautiful scenery, slow living pace and romance. We are not known for our great customer service, and I can see that we’re really not putting our best foot forward.Every summer my grandson comes to stay with me to take a two-week swimming class at the local pool. Last year I was somewhat surprised when one of the moms offered me her seat. I have to confess that on the one hand I was delighted with her manners, on the other I felt like my middle age was showing.
This year it’s a whole new story. Several times this week, tweens (under 14) were sitting in the seats at the pool while other parents stood by. And this morning a man kept his seat while a woman rose to offer me hers. I guess her mother taught her about good manners.
While I am delighted we are known for romance. It would also be wonderful if we were known for our manners and great customer service.
How can you do that? By having awareness and showing courtesy to those around you—no matter how old you are. And a note to the moms: If you don’t see it, we sure can’t expect it from your children.
The fact of the matter is this: Common manners aren’t so common anymore.
What about you? Have you been in situation where you found yourself surprised by someone’s lack of courtesy?
Even with all of the new ways to communicate these days, the telephone is still a primary means of communication in business. Good telephone etiquette will always be a crucial element to winning customers and building business relationships.
The way that you answer a business call will form your customer’s first impression of you and your business.
Here are a few telephone answering tips to ensure that you’re presenting yourself—and your business–in a professional manner, all the time!
Always answer a call promptly—at least by the third ring.
Answer the phone in a professional and pleasant manner, and with a smile. Be enthusiastic. People can feel it or hear it on the other end.
When answering an office phone, welcome callers by introducing yourself and your organization. For instance, ““Hello, Etiquette Page Enterprises, Margaret speaking. How may I help you?” If you’re answering a personal cell phone, a simple, “Good morning, this is Margaret,” is appropriate.
Speak slowly and clearly when answering the phone so that the caller can understand you. Keep your voice at a moderate level. No one likes to be yelled at.
If you’re answering a phone with multiple lines, be sure to ask the caller if it’s all right for you to place him on hold BEFORE you do so. Provide callers who are on hold with an update every 30 to 45 seconds and offer them choices if possible. “That line is busy, would you like to continue to hold or would you like to leave a message for Ms. Friesen?”
Don’t use speakerphone to answer an incoming call. This could give the caller the immediate impression that you’re not full engaged with them.
If you use an answering machine to catch those calls you can’t get to, make certain that you record a professional message that includes an introduction (just as if you were answering the phone). This will ensure that the caller knows he has reached the right person and avoid any confusion. Provide any other pertinent information that you feel would be useful to callers. For example: If you leaving for a vacation, update your message to include this information, along with the date you will be returning.
Good telephone manners go a long way. Following these few tips will ensure that you leave a positive impression with business contacts (so that they call back!)
We are getting ready to release our new business etiquette e-book, but we are struggling with a catchy title. Would love to hear your suggestions!
Vote for your favorite title in our poll below–and if you can come up with an even better title, you could win $100!
To enter the “Help us name our e-book contest,” simply share your title idea in the comments below. But hurry, we’re closing entries on Sunday, June 26! If we pick your title for the e-book, you’ll receive a$100 Visa Gift Card.
The winning entry will be announced Monday, June 27 on our Facebook page (so be sure to drop by and “LIKE” us!).
Years ago I sat on a board with a lovely young lady who after washing her hands in the public restroom acted like a surgeon. Her hands would be freshly scrubbed and held in the air. She would use her elbows to push open the door or even urn the handle to exit the washroom. She had the right idea.I wonder why in this day and age of clever devices we still can’t go into a public restroom that is really focused on keeping germs to a minimum.
Let’s give credit where credit is do though — overall the Americans do a much better job than we Canadians do at providing toilet seat covers at public washrooms. In Canada we would be wise to deny business licenses to those that don’t provide seat covers to their guests.
A couple of the places that do exceptional jobs in the area of public hygiene include the Cactus Club and the Chicago airport. Both provide automated seat covers, and the toilets at the Cactus Club that flush by stepping on a button on the floor. Kudos to you for playing your part in keeping us healthy!
We need to also appreciate those businesses that have sanitizers outside restrooms to reduce the number of potential bacteria brought in and passed around.
In today’s hurried culture, e-mail can seem like a quick way to communicate your message, but if you don’t take the time to follow the basics, you might end up shooting yourself in the foot (in a business sense, of course). One misconstrued message, sent via iPhone while running from one meeting to another could affect a business relationship.
Here a few reminders to help you keep your digital communication etiquette in check:
Thou shall use e-mail to convey only ideas and factual or logistical information, not emotions. To express emotions and sentiment, take time for a one-on-one meeting or telephone conversation rather than sending an e-mail. The sound, tone, timber, and quality of your voice will help to better communicate your message and avoid misunderstandings.
Thou shall write the topic of your message on the reference or subject line. Always write a succinct, accurate description of what recipients can expect in the body of your e- mail in the subject line. It helps them prioritize their messages and quickly sort them for future reference. It also allows them to easily follow the trail of responses back and forth. If you correspond with the same people on multiple subjects, separate the e- mails by the appropriate topic clearly stated in the reference line.
Thou shall address the e-mail using the name of the intended person. Have you ever received a personal e-mail note destined for someone else? I did—and it was a love note that made me blush! I read half of it and realized it wasn’t meant for me. Since then, I’m never sure I’m the intended recipient unless I see my name at the top.
Don’t muddy your messages; always address the recipient by name.
Thou shall use “blind copy” for e-mails sent to groups. Avoid sharing names of the whole group via e-mail unless it’s a small, closed group such as a Board of Directors or a Club and you know members have previously been given the list of names and e-mail addresses. E-mail addresses should be kept private.
Thou shall never ever forward a chain letter that states if you do or don’t do something within a certain time, your life will forever be changed.It’s nice to create change for someone but not by using threats. If you really must send the letter to others, remove the threatening language. If you don’t, you will be excommunicated from the hall of good manners.
Thou shall use “delivery receipt notification” only when it’s imperative that you know if the intended recipient received it. Don’t create a need to send any unnecessary e-mail by using this tool. It can annoy people.
Thou shall use capitalization, upper and lower case, and proper punctuation in e-mails as in all other written communications. Studies have proven that if people read text written in all capital or all lower case letters, it takes much longer to read and understand a message. Use a standard way of writing.
Thou shall close your e-mail message with heartfelt words that show that the sender is fully present. Don’t just rely on your automated signature line to close your e-mail. Let your recipients know that, indeed, a real person is sending them a message.
Thou shall proofread your e-mail messages before sending them. Although e-mail can be an informal way to communicate with people, it’s always a good habit to use spell-check and read through your note before hitting “send” so that the message is clear. Sometimes just one missing word can make a difference. “I love your work,” and “I loathe your work,” clearly mean two very different things.
Thou shall respond to e-mails within 24 hours.Even if you cannot yet provide an answer, replying to someone’s e-mail within a day lets the sender knows you received it. Sending immediate responses also keeps you organized and up to date on your e- mail correspondence.
Do you have an e-mail etiquette tips you’d like to share?
Today, I want to know what your take is on bad manners. Take a look at the examples below and select the one etiquette faux pas that makes you cringe! Be sure to check the results this week to find out which etiquette mis-step takes the cake!
[polldaddy poll=5037233]
Happy National Etiquette Week! To celebrate, as promised, I’m posting etiquette tips, interactive quizzes, and more this week!
To kick off our celebration of good manners, I’m announcing the first annual “Miss Maggie’s Manners Moment Giveaway”!
The winner will receive the Cognito card set. Cognito-Modern Wisdom for Dining & Social Etiquette contains 52 illustrated cards presented in a custom-designed box. A great way to test your etiquette knowledge–and challenge your family in a game of “Where’s Your Manners?”
It’s easy to enter. Just do one (or all)of the following. You have 3 chances to win. You will receive one entry for doing each of the above.
~ Leave a comment below and tell me what you are doing this week to promote good manners in your house or at your office
~Mention this post about our giveaway on Twitter, using the hashtag #NtlEtiquette
This is a great way to recognize civility and good manners!
This giveaway will close on Friday, May 13 at 10 p.m. PST. The winner will be announced on Saturday, May 14 on our Facebook page.
Good luck!
“Good social behavior has less to do with cutlery and and correctness than with courtesy and confidence. Doing the right things at the right times for the right reasons”
Next week marks the launch of the 14th annual National Etiquette Week. Established by children’s etiquette consultant, Sandra Morisset, National Etiquette Week was developed not to get you thinking about what fork to choose first, but as a self-assessment on the current status of civility in our society.
So as a reminder of the importance of good manners—and the little niceties that set us apart in our everyday interactions–I’m celebrating National Etiquette Week by posting an interactive way for you to participate every day!
I’ll be sharing etiquette quizzes to test your etiquette knowledge; polls and surveys to get your feedback on etiquette and good manners; and a personal challenge to participate in “Etiquette Page’s Random Acts of Etiquette!” We want pictures!
When I was a little girl, like many others, I would read under the covers with a flashlight. I didn’t read exciting mysteries, humorous comics or even books that explored anatomy. Instead, I read Emily Post’s book, simply titled, Etiquette. What caused this behavior, you ask? Well it was one nasty experience (though there were probably many, I always seem to go back to this ONE!). I left home one afternoon, feeling like Cinderella going to the ball, only to return feeling like Linda Blair in the Exorcist! And not even a pumpkin…I’ll spare you the details (for now) but it was not a good day!
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