MANNERS FOR THE MODERN-DAY WOMAN TEECE ARONIN
Be More Jim and Less Dwight FIVE TIPS FOR STAYING OFF CO-WORKERS’ NERVES Much like the television show, The Office, one can get on a co-worker’s nerves by being thoughtless. No one wants that to happen to them, so here are five suggestions for being a good colleague at work. • Don’t microwave smelly foods at work. I once worked with an English lady who microwaved a plateful of kippers at the office. No one could look at fish – or her – for a month. If you must eat something smelly at work, prepare it at home and try to eat in a more secluded area. Better yet, consider enjoying more fragrant things at lunch such as bananas, edible flowers and Earl Grey tea.
• Refrain from sending frou-frou emails. Emails saying only “Thank you!” or “:)” are ghastly and will win you no friends among the co-workers who find them jamming their email inboxes. On a related note, sending business texts should be limited to one hour prior to the start of the workday and two hours after close of business.
state of mind, including lack of eye contact and vague replies. Above all, don’t gossip. And always remember, dear hearts, a good day is a well-mannered day. ■
• Use care when eating grape tomatoes. A friend once bit down on one during a business lunch and squirted me right in the eye. • Don’t be late for meetings. While one should not be late for work ever, being late for meetings disrupts others and can be an even poorer reflection on you. As I always say, “When you’re on time, no one notices; when you’re late, everyone notices.” According to townandcountrymag.com, one should strive for two minutes of advance notice for every minute you expect to be late. So, if you expect to be 10 minutes late, try to give 20 minutes notice. This spares everyone from dashing off to the meeting to learn that the bad news is your late, but the good news is they now have plenty of time to talk about you.
YOURS,
Phyllis
• Don’t be a Chatty Cathy (or a Chatty Charlie). Most of us enjoy a good conversationalist, but no one wants their ears chewed. Try to keep chitchat brief and limited to casual places in the office such as the water cooler or kitchen and watch for clues to your co-worker’s
Teece Aronin is a writer and career coach. She works with individuals from all walks of life, including people with disabilities and career-changers. Contact her at teecearonin8 @gmail.com, and read her blog, Chipped Demitasse, at chippeddemitasse.blogspot.com.
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