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Business Etiquette and Leadership in the 21st
Century
By Robin Reeves
Soulcial Scene Contributor
Status, Class and
Etiquette
Status, class and etiquette – how much has it changed since
the 18th century?
One of my experiences in the month of May took me to
Boalsburg Pennsylvania a small, charming town of about 3722
(2010 census) people and the birthplace of Memorial Day. I
stayed at the beautiful 18th century Springfield House Bed
and Breakfast just a few blocks from Penn State University.
Pennsylvania has a long history that includes underground
railroad routes and Mother Bethel African Methodist
Episcopal (AME) Church (1794).
My nephew’s graduation ceremony took me to this historic
place and I’m so glad it did! During the commencement
address, the speaker told a story about two young ladies
who started their freshmen year by not wanting to share a
room with each other or anyone else. I wondered, didn’t
their parents prepare them for this life changing event?
Didn’t someone tell them that they will meet new and
different people so be prepared to build new relationships?
Were they suffering from status and class disorder?
Seven Words That
Win for DECADES:
As I’ve shared in past articles, proper etiquette and image
makes others feel comfortable with you but you must first be
comfortable with yourself before you can transcend into
areas that you’ve never been before. When this happens,
status and class cannot hinder you from reaching your goals.
There are seven words that everyone should know that will
provide a solid foundation and stepping stones for what it
takes to “get along” as we age and mature.
Before I tell you what the seven words are, let me take you
back a few centuries. At the bed and breakfast where I
stayed, I ran across a book called Homes During the Civil
War Period. The homes included in this book were owned
by presidents and others. During this time, status and class
of people were determined by the type and size of their
home, the clothes they wore, their speech and behavior.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, different status and
class did not mix (at least not in public).
Today, achievements such as educational attainment, careers,
social networks, the type of home we live in, the cloths we
wear, speech and behavior give us an expectation of what our
status and class should be. That makes it difficult for us
to mix with others whose status and class does not match our
own. Did the two freshmen girls clash because of their
status and class that was inherited from their parents or
other influences in the society in which they once lived? I
don’t know but I was glad to hear the speaker say that the
young ladies worked out their differences and became
roommates after all.
Here is a little advice from the “Etiquette Maven.” Apply
the following seven words to your life, and see how you will
experience maturity growth for D.E.C.A.D.E.S. that will
guide the way you allow your status and class to influence
you. Try it.
1. Decorum:
proper behavior, speech, dress; orderliness
2. Expectations:
the act or state of expecting
3.
Customary:
According to or depending on usual, activities established
by custom rather than law.
4.
Appropriate: suitable or
fitting for a particular purpose, person, occasion
5.
Dignity:
having self respect
or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion
or situation
6.
Energy:
The ability to do
work, an adequate or abundant amount of power
7. Society:
a body of individuals living as members of a community,
Decorum
helps us to create a distraction free environment and enable
us to establish a level of expectation for ourselves
while respecting the expectations that others put on
themselves. The customary activities we learn in our
household help us to establish our values and morals. Appropriate
behavior, dignity and an adequate amount of energy
will leave a positive impact on the society in which
we live.
Let me leave you
with this quote:
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are, while your
reputation is merely what others think you are.” John
Wooden
Peace
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