"Etiquette is not about being 'stuffy.' It's about putting yourself forward in the best possible way, using courtesy to others as your guide, while still allowing your own personality to shine!"
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I help individuals and businesses polish their ability to stand out among their competition.
Visit my website to see what I can do for you!
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You are out to dinner with friends and suggest returning to your home for dessert and coffee ... a lovely way to finish off the evening. You welcome your guests into your home, inviting them to make themselves comfortable as you take care of the coffee and finish up the final preparations. To your chagrin, as you re-join your company you find that in your absence they have been touring your house, including your bedroom!
As a gracious host, it is your responsibility to set the tone. As much as you may want to react to finding friends unexpectedly looking over your personal space by screaming "Get out, get out, this is a mess / my sanctuary / private, etc." this type of response might be a bit difficult to smooth over at a later date. So, no matter that you may find yourself taken aback, the best thing to do is overlook the imposition and allow what could have been a very uncomfortable situation to quietly pass by.
Now, as a guest in someone's home, remember that you are just that, an invited guest, and by invited I mean you have been welcomed into certain areas of the house but the remainder of the dwelling is off limits unless your host specifically encourages you to wander.
- If you are a frequent visitor to the home, don't take it upon yourself to play tour guide, unless requested to do so by the host.
- People love to show off their homes but only when they are prepared for it. If your request to see the house is met with any hesitation, don't pursue the matter. Some people feel that everything must be picture perfect before it can be seen, while others are very casual and unself-conscious. Respect your host's sensitivities.
- If you are invited to tour, mind your manners when it comes to your remarks. For example, as you are viewing a newly remodeled bathroom, there is no need to comment on the wet towels dropped on the floor.
- Compliments are always welcome!
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Remember...
It is most inappropriate to venture a field in someone else's home, uninvited,
or, worse yet, offer to lead the expedition without the wholehearted
approval of the host. On one hand, he may be flattered, but on the other, he may find himself creeped out or seriously shaken to know that friends, no matter how close, have been on tour.
As a host, you set the tone for the event and how you react to someone's faux pas will be remembered long after the blunder itself is forgotten.
Privacy -- and courtesy -- is important to everyone.
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Please feel free to send me any of your
etiquette or customer service questions or stories!
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Jodi Blackwood
Business Etiquette & Customer Service Specialist
Speaker & Seminar Leader
"Etiquette is about polishing your approach,
not changing who you are."
mailto:jodi@jodiblackwood.com
360-798-4912
www.jodiblackwood.com
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