Business Style: June

Community Comments

The Business of Good Manners and Gifts

By Jeanne Winnick Brennan and Carol McCain

You can expect work and social situations to trickle into each other’s turf occasionally or possibly quite often, depending upon your profession or employer. The key is to be prepared and feel confident at any and all business social events. Simply put, good manners translate into good business. The essence of etiquette is about enhancing your people skills and creating the best possible relationship with everyone in your life, and that includes business. 
    Ever notice how some colleagues or friends just instinctively seem to be at ease when working a room, making introductions or attending dinner in the boss’ home? Believe it or not, that can be you. There is plenty of help available. You can fine-tune your social skills through numerous books, CDs and websites or you can put yourself in the hands of an etiquette coach who will pick up with you where your parents left off.

Coaches for All Occasions
Shirley Willey, owner of Etiquette & Company in Sacramento, has helped more than 25,000 men and women “put their best foot and fork forward since 1990.” A frequent guest on national talk shows, Willey conducts workshops to help men and women avoid costly and embarrassing business etiquette mistakes and provide them with confidence to face a variety of situations. (See her list of Most Common Business
Etiquette Mistakes.)
    “The number one complaint I receive is about ‘rampant rudeness’ in the workplace and the lack of common courtesy,” says Willey. “Cell phone rudeness and bad grammar in emails indicate etiquette, or netiquette, hasn’t caught up with technology, but good manners can be learned.”

• Share
  • Digg This
  • del.icio.us
  • Newsvine
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • Furl It
  • !Y My Web
  • Google
• Email
• Print

Recommend This

Community Comments