Having good manners is being able to consider the feelings of other people, treating all people the same, with kindness and respect. One thing has been true all along – good manners will open doors that the best education can’t. Not only that – if your manners are at the forefront of everything you do, people will treat you differently.
Being kind and respectful towards people, even to the hardest to get along with, makes them feel good about themselves, elevates their self-esteem and makes them want to treat you the same way. I believe we all know that one person, the nicest and politest person in the world – to me it is one of my former colleagues. This lady was always so well-mannered and polite towards everyone. Even when I didn’t feel like talking or was in a bad mood I would stop and make time for this lady, simply because she would always do it for me. Practising good manners at home, work and any other time is important as it created your identity and add to your persona. Most of all if you always have good manners, every single new connection you make will leave a great first good impression.
The trick is to always be polite and respectful, as casual kindness is something of a complete rarity these days. When it gets videoed and posted on Instagram – the internet explodes with ‘aww how nice and lovely’. Well we can be this nice and lovely every minute of every single day. Good manners may be considered as a ‘been and gone’ type of phenomenon, but I am a strong believer in the Renaissance of manners and once again the age of consideration will come.
It is difficult being kind or patient with someone, when other people take advantage of that or are completely ignorant towards someone’s good heart. The fact is that no education, etiquette or protocol can save us from rudeness, abruptness or people who simply don’t care for us or our good manners. At that moment there are two crucial elements. The first thing is to stop and try to understand why this person would behave this way. Many of us only show or tell very little about us, hence underlying issues may take their toll on certain people which usually results in certain animosity towards the whole world. The second thing is – well imagine you are waiting to be served in a coffee shop on your lunch hour and the mature lady in front of you is taking her time chatting to the barista, telling her life story whilst you are left fuming at the fact of how inconsiderate she is. But maybe, just maybe, the barista is the only person this lady would get to talk to all day and that 2-3-minute chat will make her day. Wasn’t that worth a wait? The main pillars of manners are patience, taking the time to listen, and considering that things may not be as they seem.
Having good manners is making people feel at ease around you. An elegant woman will always be able to adapt to a different situation, environment and audience. But whilst we may tone things up or down depending on socio-economic layers of society – the key is to always remain authentic and to exercise best manners. In today’s global economy, manners can be make or break for many contracts, jobs or lucrative deals. The confidence that good manners gives, profoundly improves self-confidence, which inevitably leads to presenting yourself in the best light, being memorable and admired and having a competitive advantage at work or in your personal life.
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