Corporate Wellness

7 Etiquette Rules To Know

There is a lot of unspoken etiquette that a person is expected to know, and it can really impact the dynamics of your relationships. From knowing when to stay silent to making eye contact, here are some etiquette rules you should know.

By URLife Team

17 Oct 2023

There are many aspects within a relationship that can lead to stress, anger and frustration for the people involved. Often, it can be something as simple as not saying thank you when needed. Other times, it may be because of the consistent lack of etiquette and manners shown by one person to the other.

Etiquette is often known as the hidden language of social interaction. We all use the basic etiquette like saying please and thank you, or apologising when we've made a mistake. But what about those unwritten rules of conduct that often go unnoticed, leaving us unaware of our occasional social missteps?

Etiquette is learnt as you interact with people. However, if you’re looking to find out some unspoken etiquette rules, keep reading.

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Be Gracious

Graciousness is often about being aware of the needs of those around you and acting accordingly. It's about being patient, humble, and willing to lend a hand without expecting anything in return.

Allow others to pass through doors first, don’t be the person who shoves their way to the front of the line, instead, step back and let others go first. This simple act of graciousness sets a tone of consideration and selflessness in the room.

Respect Personal Space

Respecting personal space is not just about maintaining physical boundaries; it's a way to show you respect someone's comfort. The art of respecting personal space means giving others room to breathe, both physically and emotionally. In a conversation, allow other people to have their say before diving into your own story.

Dining Etiquette

Dining etiquette goes beyond using the correct fork for your salad. The rule here is about mastering the art of not drawing attention to yourself. Avoid slurping, chewing with your mouth open, or making loud noises while eating.

Practising the subtleties of dining etiquette can make a significant difference in social settings.

Gift of Silence

Listening actively and attentively to others without constantly interjecting with your own thoughts and opinions can make you a cherished conversationalist. Sometimes, the most thoughtful response is a thoughtful silence. So restrict yourself in getting into any conversation where you are not welcomed or invited.

Be Away from your phone

Our devices have become extensions of ourselves, but there are moments when they should be stashed away. When spending quality time with loved ones, attending meetings, or enjoying live performances, the uncommon etiquette is to disconnect gracefully and be fully present in the moment.

Compliment not Critique

Imagine you are in a work meeting, and instead of diving straight into what could be improved in a colleague's presentation, you start with, "I really appreciate your thorough research; here are a few ideas to make it even stronger."

Before pointing out someone's mistake or offering feedback, begin with a genuine compliment. This softens the blow, making your criticism far more palatable and constructive. This will make the recipient believe that your feedback is genuine and constructive and you are not there to highlight the negative aspects only.

Be Interested in Others

"Hey, how's it going?" A simple question, right? It's often used as a form of greeting, but how often do we truly care about the answer? This is where our first uncommon etiquette rule comes into play: Be genuinely interested in others.

Sure, it's easy to nod along while your mind wanders, thinking about your to-do list or your plans for the weekend. But when someone shares a piece of themselves with you, they're offering you a glimpse into their world. To truly connect with people, we must show a genuine interest in what they have to say. However, here's the twist - faux interest is worse than none. It's like serving a delicious-looking cake with no flavour; it's all show off.