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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.

Dating dos and don’ts for an online world

Two hands holding coffee cups
Many of my single friends are dating and, yes, yours truly is too. Let me just say, dating is weird at my age. In my before-marriage dating days you just met people and if you liked them you went on a few dates and eventually decided if this was the forever person. There was no…

How to raise mannerly children

Teaching manners to children can be challenging for parents, but it’s an essential part of raising kind and respectful individuals. Many adults reflect on the manners they were taught as children and recall how valuable those lessons have been in their lives. As a parent, you can model and reinforce these important lessons, helping your…

Lessons in harmony: How my Slovenia and Croatia tour can inspire a positive workplace

I recently returned from a delightful Rick Steves tour of Slovenia and Croatia. Our group consisted of 26 people from diverse backgrounds with different values, interests, and opinions, yet we all got along wonderfully. This is particularly remarkable given the many hours we spent together each day—whether riding a bus, standing shoulder to shoulder on…

What would Ted do?

a child holding a red heart in her open hands
I’m a bit behind on my TV series watching so I’m just finishing the third season of the highly acclaimed Apple TV series, Ted Lasso. From the very first show in season one I was hooked. The series is about an American football coach, Ted Lasso, who is recruited to lead AFC Richmond, a fictional…

Four tips for being a good host to house guests

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…

“Do you always eat this way?”

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.

Are we back to shaking hands?

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…

New tipping guidelines for a changing world

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…

Napkin love

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.

Wedding etiquette: from invitations to attire

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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