Business & Professional Etiquette

Every time you make or receive a telephone call, you’re making a lasting impression, so make sure your tone of voice and your manner of speaking are courteous. Answering the Phone for Another Person • If you’re answering someone else’s phone, give that person’s name first, then yours: “Pat Farrell’s office, Lisa Grotts speaking.” Avoid…

Treating your colleagues with respect can gain you a winning edge and create a win-win situation for everyone at the office. Here are some basic rules of etiquette in the office and at office parties. • Have respect for those around you, and show a keen interest in your position. • Familiarize yourself with the…

Navigating computers and their problems can be challenging for all of us. At some point, you may need more than a computer Help line and a Genius Bar. This is the time to ask a computer technician to come to your home. In this situation, what are the rules for both client and technician? Here…

Long ago, the famous poet Oscar Wilde said: “The world was my oyster, but I used the wrong fork.” Today, in the toughest, most competitive arenas, knowing which fork to use and when is important, and speaks volumes about our social skills. In today’s global and multicultural environment, having an area of expertise simply isn’t…

As a host, it’s your duty to handle the smallest of details, from the reservation to the menu to the tip. It’s important to consider the likes and dislikes of your guests when entertaining. It’s not enough just to be gracious. Are the needs of your guests being met? Are you listening for a conversational…

Who doesn’t feel welcome at Disneyland? Walt Disney got it right when he said, “Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.” If only life were as simple as a fairy-tale. Shirley Temple presented Walt Disney with his special Academy Award for Snow White and…

Not another set of rules? I’m afraid so. Today’s new forms of social media — Facebook, Twitter, blogging, Skype, texting, YouTube, Instant Messaging, and those indispensable smart phones — require follow-us-wherever-we-go rules, and they are changing as you read this! Social media are the new e-mail. These networking tools have exploded in consumer popularity in…

  f you want to drink, that’s your business. But as soon as you drink and get behind the wheel of a car, it becomes my business. ~ Candy Lightner Candy Lightner, founder of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) had a huge impact on me when I was growing up in Sacramento, California. Her thirteen-year-old…