Maintaining Eye Contact

Have you ever been in a crowd and noticed that the person speaking to you is actually looking over your shoulder?

What he or she is saying is that there may be something or someone more interesting than you at this moment.

My feeling is that I would rather not converse with someone like that. I mean I am taking the time to make conversation with this person and they are just biding their time looking for something better.

And no, this doesn't happen just when you are single. It happens all the time.

My other pet peeve is talking, really screaming, over blaring music. When the music is so loud I can't hear myself talk, I just clam up.

some basic rules of conversation

1. Maintain eye contact.
2. Pay attention to how they are saying it; not just what they say.
3. If you need to take a call or leave, excuse yourself politely.


Judah

Maaaaaaaaaa! Someone's on the phone for you!!!

A shout heard in many a household.

The funny thing about it is that most of us don't live in palatial estates. The decibel level is many times higher than what is required to tell someone upstairs that the call you answered downstairs is for them.

It takes just a little more effort to get nearer to the person so that you can use a normal speaking voice to tell him or her to pickup up the phone.

Some rules for telephone etiquette

1. When answering the phone say "Hello, who is it please?"
2. If it is for someone other than you, ask them to please wait a moment while you locate the other person.
3. If the person they are trying to reach is in the bathroom, it probably pays to tell the person on the other side of the phone that he or she will call him or her back.
4. If the person they are trying to contact is not there, offer to take a message and make sure you take it!!

Judah

www.kosheretiquette.com

Some are wise and some are otherwise

There is nothing wrong in practicing random acts of kindness.

The key to being a polite and well mannered person is to learn tolerance. I always tell people that the benefit of growing up in a small town is that you have to get along with people. You don't have the luxury of picking a group of friends that have the same tastes and outlook as you do.

Of course, I tell these same people that growing up in a small town can also be a disadvantage. By being tolerant you are sometimes perceived as not aggressive enough. This tag can follow you throughout your life and impact your boss' perception of your decision making ability.

I think the world would be a better place if we all celebrated people's differences instead of pushing everyone through the same cookie cutter.

Some Basic Rules of Civility

1. Don't put someone on the spot or in an uncomfortable situation.
2. Make sure not to tell a joke that might offend.
3. Maintain eye contact with the person you are speaking with.
4. Never speak badly of another. (It always gets back to that person)

For more suggestions

www.kosheretiquette.com