Social Etiquette

The panhandling dilemma

By Arden / October 3, 2012 /

One of my friends and Facebook page Likes asked me to write a post about the etiquette of dealing with panhandlers. The issue of panhandling is more of an ethical and moral topic, but there is an element of etiquette to it.

Read More

The hugging dilemma

By Arden / August 14, 2012 /

When I teach handshakes in my client trainings or presentations I’m often asked about hugging. Because the West Coast tends to be more informal, there is a lot of hugging going on, especially between women. But, there are a good many people who don’t like to be hugged. 

Read More

The gingham dress and the truth behind it

By Arden / August 7, 2012 /

Have you heard this story? A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston and walked timidly, without an appointment, into the Harvard University President’s outer office.

Read More

The shame of poor sportsmanship

By Arden / August 1, 2012 /

I have bags under my eyes from staying up late watching the 2012 Olympics. It’s inspiring seeing these incredible athletes compete, knowing they have worked so hard to be an Olympic competitor. Witnessing their pride and emotion on the medal podium always brings tears to my eyes.

Read More

What dogs can teach us about etiquette

By Arden / July 23, 2012 /

Sammie, our beloved 13 year old dog, died recently. We miss her terribly. Coming home is a constant reminder of her absence. When she was alive, as I got out of the car, I would hear her come downstairs to greet me, tail wagging, big grin on her face. As she became sick, she wouldn’t…

Read More

Do we still need etiquette?

By Arden / July 6, 2012 /

I was invited to be on The Boss Show to talk about the five workplace etiquette no nos that can derail your career. The fun hosts, Jim Hessler and Steve Motenko, and I had a delightful time discussing the no nos and teasing each other. Steve opened the interview by asking me if etiquette really mattered any longer.

Read More

Uncommon Courtesy: How Simple Acts Can Make Your Company Soar

By Arden / June 21, 2012 /

I recently purchased some shoes through Amazon from a non-Amazon vendor. Unfortunately, the shoes were too big, so I called the company in the evening to ask for information on their exchange policy. The phone just rang and rang and rang. No answer. So I then emailed the company.

Read More

Keys to Memorable Giveaways that Prospective Clients Will Love

By Arden / June 13, 2012 /

This is a guest post by Molly Gordon, MCC. We’re shaking it up with a post that isn’t etiquette related. Enjoy. Whether you do business online or off, free gifts have the potential to establish credibility, demonstrate value, and build trust. But not all giveaways are created equal. Here are some keys to creating giveaways…

Read More

The allure of gossip

By Arden / May 4, 2012 /

I’ve been thinking about gossip lately. The other day, I taught an etiquette class to a mom and her delightful eight year old daughter. One of the topics I covered was gossip.

Read More

My Facebook regrets

By Arden / April 10, 2012 /

While on Facebook I saw a friend had posted a political video. I watched the video and thought, wow, this is really great information. So, I shared the video and posted why I thought it was worth watching. An hour later I started to have regrets. I had justified to myself that the post was…

Read More