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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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Shower with care

By Arden | Jul 18, 2011 | Gift giving etiquette,  Shower etiquette,  Wedding etiquette
This is a guest post by blogger Abby Reph. The season of showering our friends with gifts and finger food is upon us. With it come a kaleidoscope of etiquette questions; after all, showers are one of those rare social occasions where few guests know anyone else at the event; awkwardness is nearly a guarantee.…
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Let them save face

By Arden | Jul 14, 2011 | Courtesy | 2 Comments
Recently, I was working with a client who wanted help on relationship building. As I always do in my individual consulting I observe and offer feedback on my client’s strengths and areas of opportunity. This client was very organized and quick to complete the forms I sent him before our first meeting. I’m usually good…
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Watch your cell phone ps and qs

By Arden | Jul 5, 2011 | Cell phone etiquette
Do you know that what makes hearing a cell phone conversation so annoying is you’re only catching half of the conversation? It’s called a halflogue, and the reason it’s so distracting is you can’t establish a rhythm like you can when hearing a monologue or dialogue. July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month so I…
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Is it time to update the etiquette for addressing a married woman?

By Arden | Jun 29, 2011 | Social Etiquette,  Wedding etiquette | 115 Comments
A few years ago, my sister addressed an envelope to my dad and step-mom as “Mr. and Mrs. John Clise”. That is the proper way to address an envelope to a married couple. However, my step-mother was not pleased with being called “Mrs. John Clise”. She stated she has her own identity separate from my…
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What do shoeless driving and etiquette have in common?

By Arden | Jun 20, 2011 | Business Etiquette,  Courtesy,  Social Etiquette
The other day, as I drove to give a client training, I took my right pump off so I wouldn’t scuff it on the car mat. I don’t usually do that. As I felt my stockinged foot pressing on the gas pedal the very different sensation made me question if I was shifting properly. I…
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Are you trying to escape me?

By Arden | Jun 13, 2011 | Courtesy,  Networking etiquette | 2 Comments
Recently, I had coffee with someone I had met at a conference. We agreed to meet at 2:00 and I had a client meeting at 3:30. I knew I would have to leave at 3:00 to have enough time to get to the client’s office. I thought about saying something to her at the beginning…
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Be a top 10 company in customer service

By Arden | Jun 2, 2011 | Business Etiquette,  Courtesy,  Customer Service
When looking at the 2011 MSN top ten companies in customer service, you’ll notice that what the companies have in common is they think about the customer and care about their employees. It seems so simple, so obvious, yet why do so many companies get low marks for customer service?
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Watch your tone

By Arden | May 31, 2011 | Business Etiquette,  Email etiquette,  Phone etiquette,  Phone etiquette | 2 Comments
“Watch your tone, Arden”, my mother would say to the teenage me when I’d speak to my brother in a certain way. Sometimes I’d answer that I was just asking him to do something. “But your tone was rude”, my mom would reply. When I work with clients on customer service skills, I talk about…
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Interesting etiquette facts you probably never knew

By Arden | May 23, 2011 | Courtesy,  Dining Etiquette,  Wedding etiquette
Did you know that the reason people clink wine classes during a toast is that back in the dark ages people heartily clinked their pewter mugs together to distribute any poison that might be in one of the cups? That way if someone was trying to poison someone, everyone would be poisoned, discouraging a person…
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Napkin wars

By Arden | May 16, 2011 | Dining Etiquette | 28 Comments
Sometimes etiquette consultants don’t know all the answers. Shocking, I know! And sometimes etiquette consultants don’t agree with each other. I have been amused by a rather vociferous exchange on one of my etiquette consultants LinkedIn groups about what to do with your napkin when you get up during a meal and when you’re done…
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