Heck, I'm fat AND bald. Am I going to go around stopping the world from making jokes about fat and bald people? No, because I'm not a wussy.
There was a day when we could laugh at ourselves and our differences. Now its like we live in East Germany and we have to "watch what we say."
I first encountered this atmosphere when I went to law school. My class was given a "sensitivity seminar" by a group supposedly representing various minorities. There was one woman who openly declared she was a lesbian. She's the one who did most of the talking and she warned us to be careful what we say about homosexuals or they would take secret revenge against us.
The only way to stop the PC oppression is to stand up and say: "D*** it, this is a free country and if I want to make fun of (put victimized minority group here) then that's my God given right."
Here is an example of the epitome of a person so politically oriented that he is offended by how much his professional success depends on
etiquette.
Business etiquette for professionals
In addition to the following guidelines, make sure to consider Dress Code, Cross-Cultural Guidelines, Professional Corporate Tipping tips, professional golf etiquette, Corporate travel etiquette manners and cultural manners.
Good manners and professional etiquette are essential to a professional, and I'm constantly amazed that many professionals believe that professional protocol is as outdated as finger bowls at dinner. I noticed this book on Brooks Brothers “How to be a Gentleman” and I bought a copy for my young male executives, plus the book
How to be a Lady for aspiring female executives.
Business professionals are expected to understand etiquette and professional protocol, and while the standards have changed over the past century (i.e. It's no longer considered rude to address a corporate executive by their first name), there are still many rules of common professional manners.
Historically, good manners evolved from common-sense and
respect for others, and Sebastian Brandt was among the first advocates of good manners in his 1494 work in his book Stultifera Navis (Ship of Fools), a hilarious collection of woodcuts showing numerous breaches of the professional manners of the 15th century.
Later, Victorian England became obsessed with fine manners, and one of the greatest marketing efforts in the world was the Staffordshire craze of the 19th century.
American pioneer wives pestered their husbands relentlessly to get the Victorian "Flow Blue" china, so they could demonstrate fine etiquette. Let's take a look at professional mannerisms and see how etiquette and chivalry are far from dead in American culture:
Professional Etiquette in the workplace
Whatever your personal definition of professional manners, there are some common courtesies that are timeless and always expected from a courteous American professional.
Involuntary bodily functions
There are times when involuntary bodily functions can disrupt a meeting, and the well-versed professional know the proper etiquette. Everyone has had the experience of sneezing, and you should always be prepared for this unexpected reflex. I once witnessed a Herculean sneeze where the poor fellow had no ready access to a Kleenex or handkerchief and every sat in-horror watching him dispose of great gobs of spittle and snot by wiping it into his pants pocket.
Ever since Benjamin Franklin published his bestseller "Fart Proudly" there has been a debate about involuntary flatulence and the proper was of handling this breach of professional etiquette.
Acknowledgement of rank and status
It is still considered polite in corporate circles to stand when a senior executive or a woman (of any status) enters a room. This is especially true in the military and Federal Government where senior officers (Lt. Col. and up), elected officials, dignitaries and top-executives expert you to stand when they enter a meeting. In practice, most professionals make motions like they are planning to stand-up, allowing the official an opportunity to wave-them-down with a quick hand motion.
Professional Etiquette when Dining
One of the biggest areas of breaches of professional etiquette is during dining situations, and many major corporation will test job candidates with a meal as an integral part of the job interview. It's interesting to see how the rules of etiquette have changed over the centuries. An British etiquette writer of the 1840's advised, "Ladies may wipe their lips on the tablecloth, but not blow their noses on it.".
Etc.
As a child I was fully indoctrinated into professional manners, learning all aspects of the social graces, the source of much kicking and screaming. My parents always joked that Grandma insisted on chaperoning them on their first date, as it was improper for a young lady to go-out unattended on a first date.
I hated my etiquette training at the time (I especially hated learning to Waltz, Foxtrot, and Tango), but its one of those things that they will thank you for later. When I became a parent, I made sure that my kids attended Cotillion and today they are comfortable in any professional social setting.
Interestingly, even animals have social rules and norms of civil behavior, and you can always tell an intelligent animal if it understands animal etiquette. I evaluate an animals response to a social courtesy to access their social skills and intelligence.
In sum, professional manners and etiquette and mostly common-sense, but you must always be conscious that your mannerisms reflect on your personal professionalism and your company.
above stolen from the internet
I challenge those who prattle on about "political correctness" to contrast their idea of what it is with "civil behavior" amongst the general population. One wonders what Emile Post would say about "PC."
