Etiquette Friday: Being Courteous

Be Courteous to People at All Times

It’s Friday and the day I request you join me in my campaign for 2012 to change “Casual Friday” to  “Etiquette Friday”,  to get people and companies involved. If we consciously make an effort every Friday then hopefully it will become a habit every day.  I challenge you to make one small change a week and by the end of the year let’s hope we have a more pleasant and positive society.

It is important to be courteous to people at all times, including your colleagues, visitors to your office , waiting staff in restaurants, sandwich bars, when travelling on public transport or driving a car. If you are pleasant to people they are more  likely to be pleasant to you. As a customer or client when you are polite they are also more likely to give you better service and if it is a place where you see people on a regular basis they will enjoy your company and feel warmer towards you.

7 reminders:

1. Do say “Excuse Me”: If someone is blocking your way and you would like them to move, say excuse me .
2. Mind your Ps and Qs – remember to say Please and Thank you .
3. Be on your best behaviour” –  meaning don’t be rude, be polite at all times.
4. Do say sorry when you have offended someone, knocked them when passing or made a mistake.
5. Attentive to visitors – when visitors arrive for a meeting ensure you smile, greet them, offer a drink and take their coat.
6. Speaking to people – as you would like to be spoken to.
7. Bad language – refrain from bad language, it offends others and you let yourself down.