Posts by Arden
Doing business in Asian countries
A colleague of mine contacted me about giving a business etiquette training to a group of Southeast Asian business people visiting Seattle. I have been hired to give trainings on the business etiquette practices and culture of Japanese people so I know how differently Americans and Asians approach business. I find it very interesting, and…
Read MoreDivas, taskmasters and slackers
Last night I watched the first episode of this season’s Celebrity Apprentice. I don’t normally watch it, mostly because I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I was not feeling well so I decided to turn it on. The show is a perfect microcosm of a company. It’s a group of disparate people trying…
Read MoreThe F-word and other no nos at the Academy Awards
I love the Academy Awards. Every year I get together with a group of friends to watch and share our thoughts on the awards show. This year, I was with a different group of friends, in celebration of a pal’s birthday, but the critiquing was just as serious. As I did last year, I’d like…
Read MoreThe Five Essential Manners Your Child Needs to Succeed
I had the honor of being a guest on the 24/7 Moms webcast with the founder Trisha Novotny. I talked about the five essential manners you child needs to succeed.
Read MoreAll we need is love
Today is Saint Valentine’s Day. A day many men dread, women anticipate and singles hate. While I think Valentine’s Day is more of a Hallmark kind of holiday I believe the spirit of it is good; that is to celebrate love. And, I don’t think we need to celebrate only being in love or loving…
Read More“I’m going to freshen my drink” and other little white lies
The other night at a networking event I ran into someone I had met at another event. We were chatting, when during a somewhat awkward pause he looked at his plate and said, These chicken wings are really good. I’m going to get some more.” He walked away and went to the buffet and started…
Read MoreMass Rejection By Email
The other day I received an email stating I had not been selected as a speaker for the next Ignite Seattle event. At Ignite, people apply to speak for five minutes where you can have only 20 slides that automatically advance every 15 seconds. The people who attend Ignite tend to be self-identified geeks, so…
Read MoreInterrupting Without Guilt
This is a guest post by Ann Kruse, creator of The Savvy Advisor. Momma raised me to believe that interrupting others is rude. Then I grew up and entered the world of business meetings. Sheer survival taught me that there are times when interrupting is necessary. It took me years to be able to interrupt…
Read MoreForced Intimacy at the Supermarket
This morning, as I was stretching and listening to KPLU, I heard a commentary that caught my interest. Nancy Leson and Dick Stein were kvetching about how supermarkets are forcing their cashiers to be a little too intimate with us shoppers in an effort to bond with us. Specifically, Nancy and Dick complained that complete…
Read MoreFrom Meeting Mayhem to Managed Meetings
A friend recently started a new job and discovered the company likes to have many meetings, often for no apparent reason. The meetings are poorly run, too many people are in the meetings and they go on and on with no outcome. My friend is feeling frustrated at the amount of time she is wasting…
Read More