Holiday Dinner Party Etiquette: 8 Ways to Put Your Best Foot Forward ‘Tis the season for holiday dinner parties! Which means it’s time to brush up on your holiday dinner party etiquette. Whether the party is in the home of your boss, friends or neighbors, you will set yourself apart as a gracious and thoughtful guest, if you follow these holiday dinner party etiquette tips. Here are… Read More
Business Etiquette Errors Can Be Costly In a conversation recently with a high-level professional, he said he often scribbles notes on the back of someone’s business card to remember something they talked about. He asked if this was okay. My response: It’s not ideal. It’s like putting graffiti on someone’s card. A best practice is to wait until the person has… Read More
6 Etiquette Mistakes That Even Smart Professionals Make Good business etiquette skills go a long way to increase your influence and position you for career advancement. But, sometimes, even the most “seasoned” professionals drop the ball and make mistakes when it comes to proper business etiquette. Consider how you can set yourself apart as a more credible and polished professional by avoiding these… Read More
No Phone Brunch – 3 Reasons to Put Your Phone Away There’s a new trend called the No-Phone Brunch. But, the concept can be applied to any restaurant meal or when out having drinks with friends. Here’s how it works: Everyone puts their phones in the middle of the table, and the first person to reach for theirs has to pay the entire bill. Sounds harsh,… Read More
How Do You Eat a Wedge Salad? “How do you eat a wedge salad?” is a question that comes up often in my corporate and university dining etiquette training sessions. I normally suggest not ordering “difficult-to-eat foods,” especially at a business meal. But, with the ever-popular Iceberg Wedge Salad gracing restaurant menus everywhere, I wanted to give my attendees the confidence-building tips… Read More
5 Items to Pack for Travel to China My first trip to China was approaching. I started a packing list. Walking stick for the Great Wall? Check. Eddie Bauer ‘moisture-wicking’ shorts and tanks? Check. Comfortable shoes ? Check. (Don’t ask how many pairs I took!) But to enjoy and appreciate this people-crammed, but gorgeous country to the max, I learned while there,… Read More
Hot Tea Etiquette – 8 Tips to Appear Socially Refined Hot Tea Etiquette – 8 Tips to Appear Socially Refined While January is recognized as National Hot Tea Month, hot tea etiquette is important in business and social settings all year long. We’ve come a long way from the straight-laced Victorian tea times when afternoon tea was first established (and even the post-Edwardian period…think Downton… Read More
Thanksgiving Host and Guest Etiquette Tips Thanksgiving is a time to gather around a scrumptious table with family and friends. To be impressive as a host or a guest, here are a few host and guest etiquette tips to keep in mind, in addition to using your best table manners and dining etiquette:… Read More
13 Potluck Etiquette Rules for Hosts and Guests Potlucks at Thanksgiving and during the holidays are a wonderful and informal way to gather with friends and family. But just because it’s casual doesn’t mean etiquette goes out the window. Whether you’re hosting or attending as a guest, here are thirteen dining etiquette and host and guest tips that you should know when planning or attending a potluck meal.… Read More
The Scoop on Soup: Some Dos and Don’ts The air is cooler. Leaves are turning. Pumpkins appear on porches. Fall is here! That means soup weather is here, too. Good table manners include proper soup etiquette. At a business lunch or at home with the family, your table manners will be top notch when you use these soup etiquette tips:… Read More