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Not your grandmother’s etiquette

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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Cut, color and conversation

By Arden | Sep 4, 2013 | Conversation, Customer Service, Sales | 1 Comment

Some people think I’m a daredevil. No, not because I once hurtled myself out of a plane with just a parachute on my back, nor that I ate food from a street vendor in Mexico, and not because I left a secure job to start a business in the Great Recession. No, it’s that people…

Augie’s customer service lessons

By Arden | Aug 20, 2013 | Customer Service

We adopted a puppy three months ago. Augie is a nine month old Boston Terrier and cute as can be. But, he’s also a teen and can be full of mischief. Augie provides me with many lessons I can share with my clients. For instance, I recently was hired to give a customer service training…

Cell phone pet peeves

By Arden | Jul 18, 2013 | Cell phone etiquette, Courtesy, Customer Service, Phone etiquette

Do you have a cell phone pet peeve? Are there things that people do with their cell phones that drive you crazy? If so, you’re not alone. Most people are bothered by the rude cell phone behavior of others.

Don’t turn wedding bells into wedding hell

By Arden | Jul 9, 2013 | Wedding etiquette | 3 Comments

A dear friend of mine is getting married in a week. I’m very happy for her and look forward to celebrating her wedding. At her bridal shower she mentioned that she was dismayed by how many people had not responded to the wedding invitation. She stated that even when calling these people to politely ask if…

What is your posture saying about you?

By Arden | Jul 2, 2013 | Business Etiquette, Professional image

I talk about posture a lot. When I give my First and Lasting Impressions training or coach on executive presence, I always emphasize the importance of standing or sitting tall. Good posture conveys confidence, whereas someone with rounded shoulders or a bent head looks insecure or unsure of themselves.

The power of gracious behavior

By Arden | Jun 13, 2013 | Civility, Conversation, Courtesy, Networking etiquette

It’s always heartwarming when I see really gracious, polite behavior, and not just because I’m an etiquette consultant. When I see people being courteous and other focused I am reminded of how powerful it is.

Lessons learned from an unpleasant coffee meeting

By Arden | May 9, 2013 | Business Etiquette, Conversation, Courtesy, Dining Etiquette, Networking etiquette | 2 Comments

If you are a salesperson, business owner or are unemployed, you most likely do a lot of networking. This often means coffee and lunch dates with people who have complementary businesses or who can be helpful to you in some way.

Cocktail parties with class

By Arden | May 1, 2013 | Uncategorized

This is a guest post by Laura Taylor of Honest to Goodness. Entertaining friends and family can be easy and impressive without all of the stress. You can plan and prepare party appetizers that are simply delicious and sure to wow your guests. When planning a menu for an afternoon or evening reception, here are…

Leaving a job with grace

By Arden | Apr 22, 2013 | Business Etiquette, Civility, Courtesy, Professional image

It can be very challenging to be gracious when you feel you’ve been wronged. And, when the situation is one in which you’ve been terminated from a job, it can be especially difficult to not be angry and vindictive.

A polite colleague’s dilemma

By Arden | Apr 3, 2013 | Courtesy, Customer Service, Letters and notes, Social Etiquette | 3 Comments

Dear Arden, I enjoyed a lovely dinner with a colleague and would like to mail her a handwritten thank you note. Her business card doesn’t list a mailing address; this seems to be the trend with so many business cards in these days of electronic communication. I will email a note but I’m wondering if…

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Not your grandmother’s etiquette

BLOG TOPICS

By Arden | Sep 4, 2013 | Conversation, Customer Service, Sales | 1 Comment

By Arden | Aug 20, 2013 | Customer Service

By Arden | Jul 18, 2013 | Cell phone etiquette, Courtesy, Customer Service, Phone etiquette

By Arden | Jul 9, 2013 | Wedding etiquette | 3 Comments

By Arden | Jul 2, 2013 | Business Etiquette, Professional image

By Arden | Jun 13, 2013 | Civility, Conversation, Courtesy, Networking etiquette

By Arden | May 9, 2013 | Business Etiquette, Conversation, Courtesy, Dining Etiquette, Networking etiquette | 2 Comments

By Arden | May 1, 2013 | Uncategorized

By Arden | Apr 22, 2013 | Business Etiquette, Civility, Courtesy, Professional image

By Arden | Apr 3, 2013 | Courtesy, Customer Service, Letters and notes, Social Etiquette | 3 Comments

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Sign up for the award-winning Clise Etiquette newsletter and receive a free chapter of Arden's book Spinach in Your Boss's Teeth.