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Not your grandmother’s etiquette

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Hello and welcome to the Clise Etiquette blog, a place to discuss savvy and not so savvy decorum. Etiquette may sound like a stuffy or old-fashioned topic, but it’s really just about making yourself and others more comfortable by being respectful, kind and professional.

I am an etiquette consultant, speaker, trainer, coach and author of Spinach in Your Boss’s Teeth: Essential Etiquette for Professional Success. I share etiquette and protocol tips, stories and techniques that you can use to feel more confident, at ease and successful socially and in the workplace.

I invite you to share your thoughts and questions on the situations in life that confuse you, anger you, give you pause or make you proud. Please feel free to let me know if there are topics you’d like me to discuss or hear more about. Some of my best posts come from questions or stories readers share with me.

Thank you for stopping by. I invite you to subscribe to my blog by clicking on the green button.

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Four tips for being a good host to house guests

By Arden | Jun 2, 2023 | Kindness,  Social Etiquette
In my last newsletter I shared some tips on being a good house guest. A reader suggested I share tips on how to be a good host. She and her husband had a challenging visit at a friend’s house when they were relegated to a “horridly uncomfortable” couch in the office. When they were invited…
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“Do you always eat this way?”

By Arden | Mar 7, 2023 | Dining Etiquette,  Table Manners
I recently gave a dining etiquette presentation to DECA leadership participants. DECA hires me every year to speak to these bright young people because they know it’s important the students have good dining etiquette and table manners for success in their careers and social interactions.
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Are we back to shaking hands?

By Arden | Oct 3, 2022 | Business Etiquette,  Illness etiquette,  Meeting etiquette,  Networking etiquette | 2 Comments
In late February 2020 I drove to my CPA’s office to drop off my tax documents. At that point, 15 cases of the COVID-19 virus were reported in the U.S. and there were over 1,100 deaths worldwide. I felt a bit nervous about the virus but not overly concerned. When my CPA came out to…
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New tipping guidelines for a changing world

By Arden | Aug 18, 2022 | Dining Etiquette,  Tipping etiquette,  Travel Etiquette
In 2017 I wrote a blog post about tipping where I shared who to tip and how much. What a difference five years makes as I write this in 2022. A lot has transpired since 2017 that has impacted tipping. One of the biggest factors is the pandemic. When the COVID-19 virus shut everything down…
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Napkin love

By Arden | May 10, 2022 | Dining Etiquette,  Manners,  Table Manners | 2 Comments
I have to admit that I have a thing for napkins. I simply can’t sit down to a meal without one on my lap. Even if I’m eating fast food I will put one of those flimsy little paper napkins on my lap. I guess my mom’s constant reminders to use my napkin stuck.
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Wedding etiquette: from invitations to attire

By Arden | Apr 15, 2022 | Wedding etiquette | 2 Comments
Wedding season is upon us! In June, I am attending two weddings for family members. One is Friday night, and the other is the next day on Saturday afternoon. While it will be a little challenging getting to two weddings in two different states on consecutive days, I’m thrilled to attend them. I love weddings!…
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Won’t You Be My Neighbor? 14 Things You Need to Know About Being A Good Neighbor

By Arden | Feb 11, 2022 | Kindness,  Manners,  Social Etiquette
Do you know who your neighbors are? According to the Pew Research Center, 57 percent of Americans say they know some of their neighbors. Whether you frequently talk to your upstairs neighbor or you only see your next-door neighbor on occasion, being a good neighbor is important in establishing yourself as part of the neighborhood…
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How etiquette has changed over the last twenty years

By Arden | Dec 16, 2021 | Business attire,  Business Etiquette,  Letters and notes,  Social Etiquette,  Technology Etiquette | 1 Comment
I sometimes wish there was a different word for etiquette. Often the term conjures up a stuffy, old-fashioned concept; one that is certainly not relatable to today’s realities. But as I often say in my trainings, I would not be an etiquette consultant if it was any of those things. I remember when I was…
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How I became an etiquette consultant

By Arden | Aug 15, 2021 | Business Etiquette,  Dining Etiquette
When I decided to become an etiquette consultant in 2009 I choose to attend The Etiquette Institute based in St. Louis, MO. for my training and certification. I had done quite a bit of research about the various institutions that offer etiquette consultant training and The Etiquette Institute seemed like the best fit. I couldn’t…
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“No problem” and other customer service communication problems

By Arden | Jun 3, 2021 | Communication,  Customer Service | 8 Comments
A friend of mine implored me to write something about the use of the phrase “no problem.” She was the recipient of the words at her dental appointment. Upon arriving at the dentist’s office, she was instructed to wait in her car until they were ready for her. Because it was hot outside, she started…
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