Business Etiquette

Four tips to make your holiday party mingling easier

By Arden / December 5, 2014 /

The holidays are here! Whether you’re attending the company holiday dinner or your neighbor’s cocktail party being ready for mingling with strangers or people you don’t know well will make the events much easier for you. Here are four tips to make your mingling stress-free.

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The “Yes, and…” principle

By Arden / November 7, 2014 /

Have you ever been to a comedy improv show or tried improvisation? My husband and some friends and I went to Comedy Sportz recently and had a great time. I was reminded how difficult improvisation is. When it’s done well it looks easy, but having taken some improv lessons I know it’s not. You have…

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Handshake alternatives for a germ-filled world

By Arden / October 14, 2014 /

Today when I called my doctor to make an appointment for my annual exam the scheduler asked me several questions – “Have you been out of the country within the past 21 days?” “Have you been around anyone who has been out of the country within the past 21 days?” “Are you sick?” I knew…

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Networking with Ease

By Arden / October 8, 2014 /

Are you someone who dislikes networking? Do you dread talking to strangers? If so, you’re not alone. It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re an introvert or extrovert, networking is hard for most people. So then why do we do it? As someone once said, networking is one letter away from not working. I wish…

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The new rules for today’s tools

By Arden / September 19, 2014 /

As a girl, one of my favorite excursions was going to my grandma’s cabin on Whidbey Island. It was somewhat rustic and had just enough amenities to make it comfortable but still somewhat of an adventure.

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A surprising benefit of LinkedIn

By Arden / August 17, 2014 /

A friend of mine recently moved from Seattle to San Diego. It was a big move. She left her job, her friends and her house to start a new life. Before she left, she looked for houses to rent online, and had a friend who lives in San Diego look at the more promising homes.…

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A fun way to stand out from the crowd

By Arden / August 4, 2014 /

There is nothing better than getting a handwritten card in the mail. It’s the first piece of mail I open and it’s usually the last item I recycle. In fact, I usually hold onto hand scribed notes for at least a few days, and every time I see the card I think of the person…

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Dealing with rude, unhelpful service people

By Arden / July 28, 2014 /

What is your boiling point? Are you one of those people who are able to stay patiently pleasant even when faced with rudeness and unhelpfulness? Or, when dealing with maddening situations do you find it easy to lose your cool?

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Inspiration through World Domination

By Arden / July 17, 2014 /

I just returned from spending four days in Portland, Oregon for the 2014 World Domination Summit. You might wonder what an etiquette consultant was doing at something having to do with world domination. I wondered too when I arrived. Despite my friend Beth Buelow’s gushing about how wonderful the 2013 Summit was I was sure…

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Seven tips to navigate the company picnic

By Arden / July 10, 2014 /

It’s summer time and the living is good – vacations, casual clothes and the company picnic. Ah yes, that annual event fraught with many perils.

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