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Browse published articles attributed to Lydia Ramsey, with full-archive search.
Imagine this. You return to your office following lunch and find Katie Couric and her camera crew waiting for you. She smiles politely and says she has a few questions to ask you. Your first thought is "How fast can I get out of here?" Television interviews, whether filmed on the spot or in a ...
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is, "What is the biggest business etiquette faux pas that people commit today?" In a world where rudeness is rampant, it's hard to narrow the list. Business people constantly violate the rules of etiquette with their e-mail practices, their ...
Declining reimbursements, increased overhead, implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the rush to litigation are but a few of the reasons to "sweat the small stuff" in the medical arena. If you don't think you need to pay attention to the details when it comes to making your patients happy as well as healthy, think again. If ever there was a time to mind your medical manners, it's now.
"You can't shake hands with a clenched fist."n- Indira Gandhi The most significant gesture in business and in life is a handshake. In many cultures it is the unspoken message that accompanies our words. A handshake often takes place when you meet someone new, when you are greeting someone you ...
When a colleague, a coworker or a business associate loses a family member, do you find it difficult to offer your sympathy? Do you worry that you will use the wrong words or that you will intrude on the other person’s grief? As a result, how often have you ended up not doing or saying ...
Have you ever thought about how much rudeness may be affecting your bottom line? What is the cost to your company when you or the people who represent you lack proper manners? Do you know how many clients are turned off by employees who would rather carry on a conversation with each other than ...
Do you sometimes wonder where your customers have gone? In a study by the International Customer Research Institute, individuals gave the following reasons for becoming “non-repeat” customers:nn· 1 percent died (makes you wonder how they responded)n· 3 percent movedn· ...
Do you want to grow your business this year, attract more customers, keep your current ones and increase your bottom line? If you answered "yes" to any of those, here are my top ten business etiquette recommendations for you. 1. Be on time for meetings, presentations, workshops and networking events. People who habitually arrive late send a clear message that their time is more important than everyone else's. They develop a poor reputation, and they miss out on information and opportunity. Keep in mind that if you are not five minutes early, you're late.
Summer has arrived, marking the beginning of the barbeque season. This is the time of the year when the grill is hauled out and cleaned off, the required cooking utensils are inventoried, the lawn furniture is hosed down, and the sauces and rubs are added to the grocery list. It is also the time for revisiting your barbeque etiquette.
The ability to connect with people is essential to success in any business. Professional networking events present opportunities to interact with others on a personal level and to develop profitable relationships. These occasions are critical for anyone who wants to grow a business or promote ...
"Conversation: a vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener."rn- Anonymous In today's fast-paced high tech world, we think that we are communicating more efficiently and effectively with other people. But are we really? Good communication means good listening-something we rarely do. Most people would rather chatter on than listen so they talk over other people, they interrupt, and they finish sentences for others. They fail to listen.
The holiday season has arrived. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, there will be the usual round of business/social events including cocktail receptions, luncheons and dinners. Some will be stand up events; others will be seated. Whatever the venue, one thing you can count on is that there will be food and drink involved and people will be watching you eat.
We all make mistakes, but often it is hard to admit them and more difficult yet to say those key words, “I’m sorry.” When you have offended someone in business, a sincere apology is essential if you wish to continue the relationship and move on. Some times words are enough. ...
Have you recently received a gift from someone with whom you do business? Were you the lucky recipient of a basket of gourmet foods, a plant for your office or a gift certificate for your favorite restaurant? Businesses are constantly looking for ways to show appreciation to their customers. ...
There is no doubt about it-social networking, or social media if you prefer, is all the buzz. A report just out by Forrester's Research indicates that 51% of online Americans have joined a social network. Another 73% are consuming some form of social content on a regular basis. People are connecting with, listening to, following and collaborating with each other online at an amazing rate. Some people are using it for personal reasons. They are sharing their recipes, their photos and their ideas to stay up to date with their friends and family.
Business travel is often a necessity whether you work for a Fortune 500 company or own a small home based business. Only so much business can be conducted by telephone, e-mail, computer and fax. There will come a day when you need to travel for business and how you conduct yourself will make all ...
My name is Anita and I’m a therapy junkie – or, rather, I was. Like many people, I spent much of my time looking for something that would ‘fix’ me. In particular, I wanted something that would cure the Irritable Bowel Syndrome that had plagued my life for over a decade, ...
When it comes to holiday greeting cards, to send or not to send is often the question. Once you have decided in the affirmative, you then have to determine who to include on your list, what kind of card to choose and how to address the envelope. There are lots of reasons for sending those ...
The dinner napkin has been around for a long time, centuries in fact, and it has taken on a number of forms and uses. When meals were eaten entirely with your fingers, it was the size of a bath towel. It wasn't until the introduction of the fork in the seventeenth century when hands remained ...
May and June are still the most popular months for getting married but a wedding can be held at any time of the year. How do you decide whether or not to attend the wedding of a co-worker or business associate? The simple answer depends upon your relationship with the person inviting you. If ...
Can you close a sale in just seven seconds? You can do it even faster if you make a great first impression. Seven seconds is the average length of time you have to make a first impression. If your first impression is not good you won' t get another chance with that potential client. But if you ...
Imagine this: you've worked for hours putting together the proposal that your prospective client requested and are finally ready to hit the send button. You envision the recipient checking e-mail immediately and contacting you within a few hours to seal the deal. You have a mental picture of ...
If you are involved in sales, and who isn't, you know the terms, techniques and tips for attracting potential customers, creating the desire to buy, gaining trust, closing the deal and maintaining relationship. Each step in the process is critical to the desired outcome: productive and ...
Last week I accompanied a friend to a doctor’s office. The waiting room was packed. People were sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall and slumped over furniture. A few of the lucky ones had chairs. Everyone looked miserable. For the most part the only sounds were moaning, ...
I recently called a local restaurant to place a take-out order for lunch. The phone rang numerous times before a perky voice answered and said, "You have reached XYZ restaurant. Our hours of operation are 11 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday. If you give us a call tomorrow, we'll be happy to help you." Well, hello, it was already "tomorrow." It was Monday and after 11 AM when little Miss Merry said they would be open and happy to help me.
A day in the life of every businessperson is made up of a series of meetings and greetings. Whether you are making the initial contact with a client or a colleague, you want to get off on the right foot. Doing so will make the first encounter and subsequent ones go smoothly and easily. Getting ...
For the past month you have been attending more than the usual number of parties and receptions, and the end is not yet in sight. You knew before you arrived at these business related events that you were expected to be on your best professional behavior. No letting down your guard so you ...
To say that today's business environment is becoming increasingly more global is to state the obvious. Meetings, phone calls and conferences are held all over the world and attendees can come from any point on the globe. On any given business day you can find yourself dealing face-to-face, ...
Many a business meal starts with a soup course. Unless you have already begun by munching on the bread, this is your first opportunity to demonstrate your table manners-to impress or un-impress-your dining companions. Choosing the right spoon is step number one. If the table has been preset, ...
One thing you can count on during the holiday season is the obligatory office party. No matter what the size of the organization, there is always an effort to bring coworkers together for one more moment of merriment. Some people look forward to the chance to mix and mingle outside the confines ...
Since Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, people who previously had limited or no access to public places now move about with a degree of ease in the workplace. While these people have their challenges with sight, hearing or movement, those who work with them are often ...
You return to your office from an afte oon meeting and decide to check e- mail. You wonder where your day went after spending hours downloading messages, reading some, deleting others, crafting replies and filing those that you want to work on later. Your e-mail box was full when you arrived ...
The job fair, once limited to the college campus, is quickly becoming a favorite tool of America’s recruiters. The thought of milling about with numerous would-be employers and hundreds of competitors can be overwhelming. If you go with a well thought out plan, a good attitude and your ...
Many people know how to navigate place settings and know when to use each utensil. How to hold those knives, forks and spoons, where to put them when you are not using them and what to do with them at the end of the course or the meal may still be a challenge. Glancing around you while dining ...
Today's job applicants are encountering a lack of courtesy that is all too common. Businesses are flooded with applicants for every opening and many are showing a lack of respect for job seekers by failing to respond to their applications. Most employers request resumes and other documentation ...
"There's not anybody who really cares about using voice messaging the way I envisioned it." According to Gordon Matthews, the inventor of voice mail, he never anticipated that his automated message system would be used to confuse and frustrate business callers. He didn't foresee how many ways ...
When a colleague, co-worker or business associate loses a family member, do you find yourself stuck on the etiquette of sympathy? Do you wonder how you should handle this kind of situation? Do you worry that you will use the wrong words or that you will intrude on the other person's grief? As a result, how often have you ended up not doing or saying anything and later regretting it?
One day as you are approaching the two lane bridge leaving the island where you live, you look up and see an ambulance with lights flashing coming over the top. There is a pick-up truck and a small car in front of the ambulance. If you pull onto the bridge, the ambulance is stuck.