The “Yes, and…” principle

Have you ever been to a comedy improv show or tried improvisation? My husband and some friends and I went to Comedy Sportz recently and had a great time. I was reminded how difficult improvisation is. When it’s done well it looks easy, but having taken some improv lessons I know it’s not. You have…

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National Etiquette Week: Forks and fingers

Did you know May 12 to 16 is National Etiquette Week (NEW)? Yep, etiquette gets its very own national recognition. It’s not just about using the right fork at a meal, the focus of NEW is to call attention to the importance of courtesy, civility and kindness and practicing good manners in all aspects of…

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Are Millennials Ruder?

There was an article in BusinessWeek about how the demand for etiquette training is up because millennials are entering the workforce clueless about how to interact properly with others. The article stated among other things, that they don’t use email properly — using acronyms, abbreviations and emoticons. That they don’t know their place as the new…

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Directness vs. Diplomacy

As you may know, I write a business etiquette column for the Puget Sound Business Journal. Each week when the Journal arrives I eagerly open it up to the “Growing your Business” section to see if my latest column has run. Seeing my name in print is still exciting.

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Does Business Etiquette Matter?

I sometimes get out my Amy Vanderbilt’s Everyday Etiquette book to see how much etiquette has changed since the book was written in the 1950s. There is a section on when a man should remove his hat and one on where a secretary should put her steno dictation pad when meeting with her boss. While…

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The Six Biggest Mistakes Employees Make at the Company Holiday Party

It’s that time of year when businesses host their annual holiday party. The corporate event can be a wonderful time to make and strengthen connections, or leave you disgraced and possibly fired for your lack of good judgment. Avoid these six pitfalls to steer clear of the latter. Dressing Inappropriately Follow the attire description on…

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Keeping the Giving in Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is almost here, and with the holiday comes etiquette challenges. Make your Thanksgiving a happy occasion by following these tips. Approach Thanksgiving with a giving heart While you may not look forward to seeing loud Uncle Ernie or crazy Cousin Sally this is a time to be gracious and kind even to those who…

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