10 Ways to Improve Your Facebook Etiquette
Want to improve your Facebook etiquette? Here are 10 simple ways in which you can get others to “like” how you present yourself!
Giving the Good Way: 10 Etiquette Tips in Giving Gifts
Always complement a gift with a card.
Giving gifts can often feel more rewarding than receiving them. But etiquette always enters into this fine art. Here are 10 surefire ways to find the perfect gift, but perhaps more vitally, to properly deliver it.
Know if the circumstance requires giving a gift. Sometimes invitations blatantly request presents, but on the other hand, it may be vague. Determine if others are also giving gifts, so you are not the only one and look awkward.
Consider the person’s cultural background. Certain symbols, numbers and pictures possess negative meanings in other cultures. Think ahead. Read this blog entry by Travel Opinions for more insight.
Think of the person’s interests. Know the individual before you buy a gift. There is not a worse feeling as a recipient than to obtain something that does not correlate to favorite pastimes or hobbies. Sure, the thought counts, but recipients appreciate when the gift-giver takes into consideration his or her interests.
Write a card. Simple and sweet, crafting a message for the recipient – whether short or lengthy – demonstrates consideration. If you have time, make your own. Otherwise, pick up some cardstock or a cool design from Hallmark. Regardless, write something.
Choose gift cards instead of checks. Checks signal that you just could not think of anything and settled with money. Granting someone a gift card to his or her favorite store suggests you at least put some thought into this.
If you know what the recipient likes, you will certainly receive a positive response.
Avoid giving novelty or gag gifts. Of course they make people laugh, but ponder over its usefulness after the initial laugh. A good gift holds value, not just hilarity.
Be practical. Certain situations do not warrant spending much money. One situation is with office gift-giving. Keep your budget in mind and your ego in check. The ImpactPublishing blog echoes these thoughts.
Give the gift in timely fashion. Anyone can overlook receiving a gift a few days or even a week late – assuming it was shipped – but longer than that suggests the recipient is an afterthought. Think ahead and make a note on your calendar of what date the person’s birthday falls on, or face the consequences.
Do not feel obligated to give a gift in some situations. For instance, if you are not attending a wedding, you should not feel required to send a congratulatory gift. The Wedding Lens blog emphasizes this point. Good luck as you look for that next special present. – Brett Nachman
Barrett, The Honors College Downtown Student Advising Etiquette
This special edition of Etiquette with Brett, co-written by guest Patricia Oliverio-Lauderdale, focuses on a specific population: Barrett, The Honors College Downtown Phoenix Campus at Arizona State University students, concerning the topic of advising.
* Directly e-mail your advisor when setting up an appointment. Chelsea Overstreet, student services assistant at Barrett, The Honors College Downtown Phoenix Campus, said to directly e-mail an advisor (Sashaun Wood or Jill Johnson) to discuss any questions that you may have concerning requirements at Barrett, The Honors College.
* Come on time. Sashaun Wood, student services coordinator sr. at Barrett, The Honors College Downtown Phoenix Campus, asked that students be respectful of the amount of students with advising appointments, compared to available time. Allocate enough time to arrive at the office to make sure you can still have your appointment.
* Don’t “wait until the last minute to get something scheduled.” Overstreet said students tend to get frantic when thesis preparation looms around the corner. Often students feel the pressure of graduation, so she recommends to start working on this process early.
* Arrive with questions in mind for your thesis-preparation appointment. Wood said, “some students come in and say, ‘I don’t know. Do I have to have an idea?'” She said this is not representative of all students, but those who do come prepared tend to be more successful with developing their thesis.
* Don’t walk in uninvited. Bringing in a long list of questions into an advisor’s office without an appointment is not only disrespectful, but also a poor use of time. Wood said that signifies a big pet-peeve, and also makes it difficult for advisors to prepare.
* Don’t hesitate in asking a student worker for help. W
hen a computer snafus, students need not panic, since student workers can often print out materials for preparing for an advising appointment. Abby Nielsen, a student worker at Barrett, The Honors College Downtown Phoenix Campus, recommended students e-mail her any documents they need to print, should the technology not function correctly.
Hit the Books on Library Etiquette
Read up on acting appropriately where you often may read some books: the library.
Take a note of when your library opens and closes, as you don’t want to arrive too early or too late.
Don’t talk on your phone. The Not Writer blog says that chatting loudly on your mobile device disrupts others. If you need to take a call, answer it in a whisper-like tone and walk into the lobby or outside the building.
Place books back in their original locations. Sure, librarians can handle this task, but if you can make their jobs a little easier, they will surely appreciate it.
Notify staff if you damage or dirty material. Eloquent B comes stocked with etiquette tips, and one of them urges to not smoke and stink up a book. Clean discs if possible to prevent scratching, and don’t try to conceal if you damage goods. Remember, they know who checks out what.
Don’t complain about content. Of course, you may not agree with the viewpoints or subject matter found in many content found in the library, but it’s your choice to access it. Censorship serves little purpose, because some individuals want to expose themselves to that material.
Keep it clean. No mess equals no fuss. Eat outside the library, or within the designated café area if it offers one. If you must drink, use a reusable bottle.
Remember to drop off your books before the due date arrives.
Bring items back on time. Make a note of the return date on your calendar, or otherwise you will pay the financial consequence and those longing to check out the item must wait even longer.
Don’t offend others. Alphabetically Inclined recommends visitors follow obvious actions. Basically, watching adult videos, leaving cranky comment cards, and making private information (like bank statements) visible are all bad ideas. Use your brain so others won’t experience pain.
Bring headphones. If you plan on using your computer or tablet, think ahead and plug your earbuds in. The rest of the library need not listen to your favorite song.
Thank the staff. They exist to help everyone enjoy the benefits of this public service. Some librarians hold storytime with children, while others lead free classes for adults. Recognize their efforts.
This animated video will help reinforce several of these aforementioned points.
Happy reading and share your etiquette thoughts below. – Brett Nachman
Correct Canine Conduct: Introducing Your Dog to New People or Animals
Introducing Jessie, my German Shepherd, to other individuals warranted dedicating much time and patience to guaranteeing she felt comfortable. (Photo by Brett Nachman)
They wag their tails and bark with delight.
But meeting a new dog – and introducing that dog to others – requires following some simple tools to ensure the initial meeting occurs without incident.
Reporter Karen Workman writes of the importance of carefully presenting Sensibull, her fearful pit bull/Labrador mix, to others in her “Dog Blog.”
When she introduced Sensibull to new friends, she cautioned them to not make extended eye contact with her dog and to allow him to come over.
Patti Savage, volunteer coordinator for Gabriel’s Angels, a therapy dog organization, said she agrees in playing hard to get.
Laura Johnsen, volunteer and event coordinator of Arizona Animal Welfare League, recommends respecting the dog’s wishes.
Even if the dog is approachable, act slowly.
“You don’t know the dog and you want to be safe, so I always go in with my hand outstretched, with my fingers kept in, just in case (he does) decide to nip for the fingers,” Johnsen said.
Other times, owners must acquaint their dogs with potential new members of the family.
Occasionally those new additions might be dogs.
This necessitates several components.
The Oh My Dog blog suggests that before even considering adopting a new dog, owners should try to coordinate introductions by meeting on neutral ground.
Basically, they should meet up where they do not feel threatened or territorial, such as at a park.
“Never predict that you know what’s going to happen,” Johnsen said. “Always assume an element of the unknown.”
Occasionally, the new individual Rover might meet is not another canine, but rather a human baby.
When introducing Leroy, my cat, to Jessie, my new German Shepherd puppy, I monitored their early interactions with one another. (Photo by Brett Nachman)
Central Ohio Dog Blog advises this initial meeting remain upbeat, and to not reprimand the dog for its curiosity, as the canine will then associate baby with negativity.
Keep the baby safe in a sling to limit the dog from reaching too close to the infant.
Now and again, that new member of the family might be Fluffy the feline.
The Cats & Co blog proposes no face-to-face interactions happen until after the first week.
Then the owners can bring the cat, safely tucked inside its carrier, into a room with a dog.
Always have a treat in easy reach to reward your dog.
Good luck with future introductions. – Brett Nachman
Watch this Howcast video for more insight.
How to Demonstrate Phone Etiquette (with your boss)
This video edition of Etiquette with Brett will show you how to treat your boss with respect over the phone.
How to Properly Introduce Friends to Other Friends
Check out my first video edition of Etiquette with Brett, which will help you avoid those uncomfortable situations in not knowing how to introduce friends to other friends.
Ni Hao: How to Properly Communicate with Your Chinese Counterparts
Photo courtesy of Victor1558 on Flickr.
The 2013 Chinese New Year celebrates the year of the snake. Honor that event and the self-proclaimed “year of etiquette.” Welcome back to Etiquette with Brett, commemorating the Chinese New Year with a special edition focused on communicating with Chinese individuals. Customs can differ across cultures, but showing manners is universal.
Do not expect to easily read Chinese individuals’ expressions. “American people prefer to use more facial expressions and that’s easy to get what they mean,” Olivia Sun, an Arizona State University student from China, said. On the other hand, Chinese individuals often do not emote as visibly.
Familiarize yourself with nonverbal communication differences. The Blog Worth Spreading details many alternatives, including the significance behind gestures.
Watch Chinese television shows or movies. Sun said they can help Americans gain a “deeper understanding” of how individuals communicate and behave.
Be careful in making eye contact. Xia Zhang, Arizona State University senior lecturer who teaches Chinese linguistics and language, cautions indviduals to avoid making direct eye contact with Chinese people. Zhang said it may show disrespect.
When traveling to China, do not communicate negativity. Certain colors and symbols often hold different meanings, as this Sample The Culture blog entry suggests. Beware giving green hats!
Act modestly and give compliments. “You (should) always find something good to say about the other person,” Zhang said in describing Chinese culture.
Behave with greater formality in business situations. Always demonstrate respect, but make a priority to behave even more formally with Chinese elders, officials and wealthy individuals, as Bruce Mayhew’s blog notes.
Photo courtesy of futureatlas.com on Flickr.
Do not touch, do not harm. While in American culture many individuals may pat one another on the back, hug or kiss, only deep friendships extend past the custom of shaking hands, Zhang said. Nodding represents common good etiquette.
Stay sincere. Sun said that many Chinese people are genuine. Acting authentically can help develop relationships, so be yourself.
Speak up. Zhang said Chinese individuals often speak louder than Americans, so keep volume in mind.
Find common ground. “American people and Chinese people are not as different as people thought,” Zhang said. True, some interests or life experiences may vary, but humans are human.
Of course, reciprocate. Chinese individuals should learn about American culture, Zhang and Sun said, to maintain good relations. After all, this is a two-way street.
Happy Chinese New Year, and more importantly, have healthy and productive dialogues with individuals of all cultural backgrounds.
Share your interactions and experiences with Chinese friends and co-workers in the comments section! – Brett Nachman
To Tweet or Not To Tweet: Twitter Etiquette
Photo courtesy of MDGovPics on Flickr
Log on to one of the most popular online media platforms and question how many users implement consideration. No matter Twitter representing a virtual social space, etiquette knows no boundaries. Carry these tools and tidbits to ensure you utilize Twitter properly and judiciously.
- Don’t promote yourself too much. Certain networks, such as LinkedIn, encourage moderate vanity, but Twitter is focused on sharing information. Few individuals appreciate narcissistic and thoughtless people, so distribute personal news or content to a minimum. Blogger Peggy Blair offers even more insight into this issue.
- Avoid making leading or accusatory statements. Reporters must be especially cautious in tweeting breaking news, but this also expands to regular users. “You have to be careful if you use things like ‘allegedly’ or ‘it seems like,’ to make sure that it’s clear that you’re only reporting what you can see, and not necessarily what might be the absolute fact,” Evan Roberts, web and social media coordinator for Phoenix Art Museum, said.
- Deem whether a post is appropriate. Embarrassing and negative pictures or comments never truly disappear. “Even if you delete (a tweet), once it’s been posted, it’s probably been archived by the Library of Congress,” Roberts said.
- Think before you post. Some individuals share information that should remain private or complain without considering the consequences. “If it’s one of my friends that I know and if I think they shouldn’t be sharing (something) publicly, I’ll send (a message) and say ‘hey, do you need to talk?’” Roberts said.
- Continue a discussion, but act receptively to feedback. Scott Hale, digital strategy freelancer, said users must be “open to understanding that you may be wrong.” Hale suggests users not feel afraid to argue a point and to ask questions. “You will also find that a lot of people will respect you for doing that.”
- Credit others’ ideas. As I am crediting the Lexical Linguist for her thoughts on crediting others, the same rule applies on Twitter.
- Complain to companies with consideration. This blog speaks to personal experiences on how to notify companies of customer service issues. Just make sure to act diplomatically and reasonably with your grievance.
- Do not purchase followers. This serves little purpose other than to boost quantity, and can hurt one’s reputation. Engagement always trumps amount of followers.
The next time you get ready to tweet, pause and reflect on these lessons. It might save you a headache or even your credibility. Check out this Howcast video for even more etiquette ideas. – Brett Nachman
Share the lessons you have learned in tweeting in the comments section – or even by tweeting this piece!
Silver Screen Manners: Etiquette at the Movie Theater
Photo courtesy of arbyreed on Flickr
Imagine you head to the theater to catch the latest blockbuster and practically every moment of this “escape from society” is ruined by inconsiderate individuals. A baby shrieks a few seats behind you. Teenagers kick your seats. Late-arriving patrons scoot in front of you.Nobody appreciates poor etiquette anywhere, let alone in the tranquil environment of a theater, where simple disruptions seem even more pronounced.
Follow these tips to make sure you are never the one annoying others in the theater.
- Arrive at the theater at least 15 minutes before the scheduled showtime. Sure, trailers comprise ten to fifteen before the movie even begins. Not only will arriving early ensure you do not have to squeeze by others, but also it will guarantee that you find a perfect seat. Hurrying never accomplishes any good, so why feel frazzled and frustrate filmgoers by showing up too late?
- Keep small children at home. There is no reason a toddler should be watching a Quentin Tarantino film with you in the theater, or even any film that does not feature a cartoon character. Sometimes parents cannot find a babysitter, but babies do not belong near the big screen. However, a solution exists. Some cinemas, like AMC Theatres, offer “bring your baby matinees,” where parents can take a tot for a special screening.
- Maintain some distance between you and other patrons. Adam Ryan Daniels offers some advice on where to sit in a movie theater in his visually-appealing blog entry on theater etiquette.
- Put your phone on vibrate and keep it in your pocket. How irritating is texting during a movie? The main point of watching a film is to take a break from others. Why some feel the need to respond to messages in this venue, I have no clue. What I do know is that everyone in the theater can see the distracting bright light. If you must contact someone, walk out of the theater and answer the call in the lobby.
- Keep your feet down. Just because the seat in front of you is empty does not mean it should serve as a tall Ottoman. Never push the seats in front of you, nor rest your feet on them. Gross. Rude. Unacceptable.
- Lower your voice. Understandably, if you have something to share a comment with your friend or relative sitting next to you, feel free to do so. Just whisper. The only thing attendees should hear is the sound emitting from the speakers, not your conversation on the legitimacy of an actor’s performance.
- Throw away snacks in receptacles. The floor is not a garbage can, though popcorn kernels and extra Skittles on the floor may make it appear otherwise. Yes, occasionally something may spill or fall, but show some respect and at least toss concession goodies in containers. The movie theater employees will appreciate it. More importantly you limit the chance you will have to scrape candy off of your sneakers.
Think your experience constitutes as grating? Watch Miss Piggy’s experience in this movie theatre etiquette-themed advertisement.
Remember to act proper in all contexts, even within the confines of the silver screen. Your actions can help ensure that everyone enjoy the show – the movie, not your maddening spectacle. – Brett Nachman
Share your irksome movie theater experiences in the comments section!
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