Miss Manners, Where Are You?

What has happened to our etiquette? When did we become so rude?  In recent conversations with colleagues and clients, I hear the same message repeated; people say yes and mean no when sending an R.S.V.P. or they show up when they reply no.

I remember my daughter’s Bas Mitzvah when some of her friends said they were coming and never showed up.  What message are their parents teaching?  I still had to pay for them. Even getting confirmations from colleagues sometimes can be frustrating.

So let’s take this one step further.  If we show a lack of respect for each other in terms of manners how does this translate into the business world in terms of how we treat employees and customers?   Do we respect their time?  How do you feel when you need help now and you go through voicemail hell then you get an automated voice?  I actually prefer the voice mail messages that tell me how long  I have to wait at least they show some respect for my time.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.