This is a tongue-in-cheek training about workplace etiquette. The concepts covered are common sense, but some may benefit from humorous reminders and scenarios about how the little things matter in the workplace.

1. Mis-Manners: You
Might be Sabotaging
your Career!
Presented by Courtney Brown
Professional Development Office
Indiana State Library

2. Introducing Mis-Manners:

3. Agenda:
 Difference between manners and etiquette
 What is etiquette?
 What is business etiquette?
 Why do we need business etiquette?
 Etiquette rules
 Q&A with Mis-Manners
 Etiquette Review
 Activities

4. What you’ll learn…
At the end of this presentation
you will be able to identify etiquette
techniques and how to apply
professional etiquette in the workplace.

5. What is Etiquette?
French word which means ‘ticket”
“On important occasions, a ticket of instructions was
issued to the masses detailing what they should do.
The ticket enlists the rules of well-mannered behavior
observed in a polite society.”

6. Manners vs. Etiquette:
Manners
 polite behaviors that
reflect an attitude of
consideration, kindness
and respect for others
Etiquette
 a code of polite conduct
based on social
acceptance and
efficiency

7. Business Etiquette:
 Involves treating coworkers and employers with
respect and courtesy in a way that creates a pleasant
work environment for everyone.
 is about building relationships with other people.

8. What do you think about
etiquette??
 Stuffy
 Snobby
 Social fluff
 Uptight
 Insincere
 Phoniness
 Others?

9. Business Etiquette:
 Is a practical and profitable social skill that plays an
important role in career success.
 Builds better relationships and increases
professionalism.
 Employees thrive in a positive environment where all
are treated with courtesy and respect.

10. Principles of Business Etiquette:
 Respect
 Courtesy
 Collaboration
 Non-aggression

11. Why Etiquette Matters:
 Employees who feel they are mistreated in the workplace
are less productive
 Can prevent turnover and disruption
 Employees may limit contact with peers who are
disrespectful

12. Factors for unprofessional, rude
behaviors:
 Increased stress at work
 Longer hours at work
 Heavy workloads
 Pressure to do more with less (time and money)
 Customer/patron demands

13. Factors for unprofessional, rude
behaviors:
 Struggles with work/life balance
 External triggers
 Lack of understanding/sensitivity to diversity in the workplace
 Depersonalization of communication
 Others?

14. Workplace Relationship Skills:
Communication:
 Be a good listener
 Think before you speak
 Don’t interrupt
 Avoid miscommunication

15. Workplace Relationship Skills:
Communication:
 Aim for face-to-face communications
 Be diplomatic
 Emphasize the use of courtesy and respect in all
communications.

16. Workplace Relationship Skills:
Conflict Resolution:
 Approach conflict as situation-related as opposed
to person-related
 Be positive and goal oriented
 Be clear and specific
 Be proactive instead of reactive

17. Workplace Relationship Skills:
Conflict Resolution:
 Be slow to anger
 Keep an open mind
 Accept feedback
 Never criticize a co-worker or employee in front of
others
 Don’t disagree in public

18. Workplace Relationship Skills:
Support and Appreciation:
 Credit and compliment your team in group projects
 Speak well of your co-workers and acknowledge
their accomplishments and skills
 Never take credit for someone else’s work/efforts
 Acknowledge co-workers’ birthdays, promotions,
engagements, etc.

19. Magic Words:

20. With each request-SAY PLEASE
With each completion-SAY THANK YOU
With each thank you received-SAY YOU’RE
WELCOME
With each error-APOLOGIZE

21. Discussing Good Manners
Write down three activities you did during the
week. With each activity, explain how you
practiced good manners and what you could have
done to improve your behavior.

22. Etiquette Rules for the
Workplace:
 Stand up when you’re being introduced
 Use your full name
 Don’t overdo thank-yous
 Stay off your phone
 Say hello to others in the workplace
 Send separate and timely thank-you notes

23. Survey Says:
 Receiving email from someone sitting three feet away
 Listening to voicemail over a speakerphone
 Swearing at the computer
 Playing music a co-worker doesn’t like
 Loud talking
 Gossip
 Sneezing and coughing in someone’s face/direction
 Others?

24. A Note About Email Etiquette
 Only write what you are prepared to have anyone see.
 Be clear in your subject line.
 Use proper English that is spelled correctly with good grammar.
 Keep paragraphs and messages short and to the point.
 Do not forward personal email to mailing lists without the original
author's permission.
 Be careful with humor and sarcasm.
 Avoid using upper case in the body of your email.
 Be respectful.

25. Now it’s time to ask Mis-Manners!

26. Mis-Manners Says:
 If you’re in a cubicle,
don’t shout over the
walls! You can throw
things, but don’t shout!

27. Mis-Manners Says:
 Set your cell phone to
silent or vibrate! No one
wants to hear your
ringtone all day! Ugh!

28. Mis-Manners Says:
 If you play music in your
workspace, be sure only
you can hear it. Earbuds
and headphones are your
friend!

29. Mis-Manners Says:
 If you eat your lunch in the staff lounge, clean
up your mess! Your mother nor the maid
works here! If you do have cleaning staff, be
considerate of them!
 Don’t eat someone else’s food either! That’s
rude! If you put food in a shared refrigerator,
put your name or initials on it with the date;
remove it at the end of the work week.

30. Mis-Manners Says:
 If you eat at your desk, avoid
eating sardines, onions, pickles,
and other food with strong
odors that may go through the
office.

31. Mis-Manners Says:
 Don’t ‘borrow’ items from a co-
worker’s desk without permission. If
you do borrow, with permission,
return it in good working condition.
Don’t return a broken stapler!

32. Mis-Manners Says:
 Be on time! If you do get delayed,
contact the person or group waiting for
you. Allow extra time if you have to
travel. Maybe do like me and call an
Uber! No worries, no stress!

33. Mis-Manners Says:
 Sharing professional
information is great!
Sharing gossip and overly
personal information, not
so much.

34. Mis-Manners Says:
Respect personal space.
Don’t stand too close or too
far away from someone,
especially when having a
conversation.

35. Mis-Manners Says:
 The office know-it-all: don’t
be one! No one knows
EVERYTHING!

36. Mis-Manners Says:
 Don’t make sexist comments about a co-
worker’s dress or appearance.

37. Mis-Manners Says:
 Be discreet and
compassionate when
criticizing a co-worker. Don’t
be a jerk. It’s not nice.

38. Mis-Manners Says:
 So, your Director has spinach
stuck in his/her teeth. What
would you do? You should
tell them discreetly-don’t yell
it out across the room.

39. Quiz Time!

40. Activity!

41. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
Only snobs are concerned with business etiquette.
FALSE

42. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
If you’re a nice person, you don’t need to understand
business etiquette.
FALSE

43. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
It’s Ok to be late, so long as you let the
other person know.
FALSE

44. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
Our personalities are often judged on our
outward behavior towards others.
TRUE

45. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
Our body language accounts for almost 40%
of the message we are giving.
TRUE

46. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
Whenever someone gives you a compliment
say, “thank you.”
TRUE

47. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
Only apologize if you think you’ve been caught.
FALSE

48. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
Show a genuine interest in other people.
TRUE

49. Decide whether or not the following
statements are true or false.
It’s OK to talk with your mouth full if
someone asks you a question.
FALSE

50. Self Reflection

51. Etiquette Basics-Review:
Behavior:
Exhibit a positive attitude and pleasant behavior
Use a firm handshake
Maintain good eye contact
Appropriate introductions
Rise when you are introducing someone or you are being introduced
Be a good listener
Show common respect and consideration for others.

52. Etiquette Review: How to succeed at
work:
 Be willing to help
 Mutual respect
 Compromise
 Be on time
 Dress professionally
 Respect others’ opinions
 Teamwork

53. Activity
Divide into groups of three
Write a short script for two people meeting at a conference
for the first time.
It should include:
An introduction
Appropriate questions
Appropriate responses

54. Questions/Discussion:
Geesh! What
else do you
need to know?

55. Thank you!
Courtney Brown
Southeast Regional Coordinator
cobrown@library.in.gov
317.910.5777

56. Sources:
Business Culture.org (Passport to Trade 2.0-A Bridge to
Success). www.businessculture.org.
Business Dictionary. www.businessdictionary.com
Business Etiquette: A WorkLife 4 You Guide.
Business Etiquette Rules for the Workplace. Administrative
Professional Today. March 2016.
Business Management Daily.
www.businessmanagementdaily.com

57. Sources:
Mueller, Nancy. www.nancymueller.com
Office Etiquette MNB_training (slideshare)
Office Etiquette (Office Manners). a-to-z of manners-and-
etiquette.com/office-etiquette.html
Today’s Necessity in Business Education: Etiquette Training.
San Diego Business Journal. April 12, 2004
The Free Dictionary. www.thefreedictionary.com