Today, business is the largest social environment in the world. Our rapidly expanding global economy forces us to socialize and conduct business at the table more than ever before. It is in this setting that table manners play a major role as relationships are developed and strengthened. There is no better, or possibly worse, place →

PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS OFFICE DECORUM   As Emily Post once said, “Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others.” Nowhere are manners more important than in the business world, especially at the office. Here, the way we behave, along with how well we do our jobs, determines what others will think of us. When →

 Savvy Toasting Etiquette  1. Why make a toast? There are many reasons to make a toast. Toasts are always appropriate to acknowledge an occasion, welcome a new colleague, launch a new business, or welcome an important visitor. A toast is a compliment and acknowledgment of the event and guests. 2. What makes for the perfect toast? →

The Art of the Holiday Meal   It’s that special time of the year when we gather around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family and friends. Using our best table manners and polished social skills will ensure that we will make a good impression and that it will be an enjoyable and pleasant →

While your technical skills may help you get your foot in the door, it will be your polished soft skills that will enable you to land jobs, get promotions, win clients, and successfully launch a new business. But what are soft skills? Soft skills refer to a cluster of personal traits, including your work ethic, your →

Want to charm your date on Valentine’s Day? Be a gentleman. Nothing is more charming or flattering to a woman than being with a man who behaves like a gentleman, and treats her like a lady.  It’s the ultimate compliment you can pay her! Make an effort; dress appropriately. Do make an effort to look especially →

THE ETIQUETTE SCHOOL OF NEW YORK’S  Top 10 Business Etiquette Tips for New College Graduates   “The greatest danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in settingour aim too low, and reaching it.”     -Michelangelo   It’s that time again! Thousands of young adults will soon be graduating →

1. Prepare for the event. Go with a 15-second self-introduction prepared for the event, and something to say besides what is going on at the office. (Shop talk is boring at a festive affair.) 2. Arrive on time. Strolling in when the party is half over, just as leaving before the party is half over, →

It’s that time of the year when we will start planning our dinner parties at home with friends, family and colleagues. Do you know what it means to be a courteous host? Do you know what it means to be a gracious guest? Courteous Host Protocol Always greet guests at the door and make them feel →

By Patricia Napier-Fitzpatrick   Whether you are attending a social function for purely personal reasons, or a social business function for professional reasons, knowing how to mingle with ease and grace with others is an important life skill. It is also an essential executive skill.   Would you like to feel more comfortable attending social →