Business Etiquette

Surviving and thriving at the job interview over lunch

By Arden / September 2, 2019 /

If you’re interviewing for a job, there is a chance you could be invited to meet over a meal. Managers know that you can learn a lot about a candidate by how they conduct themselves when dining. People tend to let their hair down a bit when dining because it seems more social than business.…

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How to respond when you’re thrown under the bus

By Arden / April 16, 2019 /

Work relationships, like any relationship, can be difficult. Unlike our friends, we can’t pick our coworkers, and sometimes we simply don’t like the people we have to work with. People can be petty, mean, undermining and challenging. Case in point, a friend of mine shared with me that a coworker of hers criticized her and…

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How to handle those awkward networking situations

By Arden / December 28, 2018 /

If your New Year’s resolution is to grow your contacts, get a new job or new clients, networking is one of the best ways to accomplish your goals. Yet, so many people dislike networking because it can feel so awkward. If you are one of those people, don’t feel badly. It’s hard to make small…

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How to succeed as a young professional

By Arden / September 7, 2018 /

Are you a new graduate or young person starting out in the professional world? I remember that time. College was a lot of fun but also a lot of work and I was excited and a little nervous to start working at a “real job.” I’d held many jobs through my college years – scooping…

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Avoiding the awkward goodbye

By Arden / May 20, 2018 /

I’m taking Spanish lessons for the umpteenth time, trying to get to the place where I can carry on a conversation with a Spanish speaking person. My lovely instructor, Paola with Una Buena Spanish, is helping me with my quest to speak español.

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14 annoying habits that are driving your coworkers crazy

By Arden / February 21, 2018 /

When I worked for Washington Mutual many years ago, there were a few weeks where I was working on several big, deadline-driven projects and I was pretty stressed. The days ticked by while I toiled away on the assignments. One day a coworker who sat next to me asked if I was okay. Turns out…

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Naked yoga and other no nos when rooming with a coworker

By Arden / April 19, 2017 /

Business travel can be a lot of fun or a real challenge. One aspect of business travel that can be nerve wracking is having to share a hotel room with a coworker. While you may know and even like your coworker on a business level, it’s rare to be personally close to your colleague, making…

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What George Washington knew about etiquette

By Arden / March 24, 2017 /

The concept of etiquette and civility has been around for a very long time. I recently finished a novel called “Rules of Civility” that included mention of George Washington’s Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation. Apparently, at age 16, young George (yes, eventual first president of the United States) copied by…

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Why brainstorming meetings rarely work

By Arden / March 10, 2017 /

Meetings are conducted for a variety of reasons – decision making, company or department updates, project updates, brainstorming and more. One of the more challenging or difficult meetings to conduct effectively is a brainstorming meeting. It sounds like a great idea, but too often the meetings are run in a way that people don’t feel…

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Eeek, there’s a bug in my borscht! Answers to common etiquette dilemmas

By Arden / February 18, 2017 /

I first had the thought of teaching etiquette classes when I worked for Washington Mutual. My job at the time was managing sponsorships for non-profit events like breakfasts and lunches. Because the company often received a table at these events I had to fill them with willing WaMu employees. Not always an easy job. Inevitably,…

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