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Good manners have never been more relevant or useful than they are today.
Mission: letting manners ease the way
Knowing what’s expected and what the rules are, allows you feel at ease in a greater number of situations – and will let you succeed like never before.
If people notice all the “mistakes” and quirks you have, they are less likely to notice your strengths. Knowing your manners empowers you; the little details of behaviour allow you to behave smoothly, effortlessly and with confidence.
What’s the point?
Essentially, good manners are an agreed code of conduct, which allow you to avoid offending or upsetting people. From this simple origin a whole art of etiquette has evolved. Of course some people will use manners to differentiate “them from us”, but the underlying purpose should never be forgotten.
A simple social example:
Guests are encouraged to send gifts in advance, rather than bringing them to the wedding. Why? On the day of the wedding, the bride & groom already have their hands full (literally with flowers and metaphorically with people to talk to). Bringing a gift on the day creates an unnecessary inconvenience for them. Sending a gift in advance allows them not to fuss and worry about where to put things.
Breaking the rules:
If you’re with a close friend or have established a good business relationship, you will know the person well enough to be more open. The great thing about knowing what’s expected also means you can be in control of which rules you want to break – and it allows you to do so appropriately.
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