Attending an etiquette course: What people really expect
After reading 276 testimonials from 14 Etiquette Professionals’ websites I got a very good idea — apart from my own personal past experiences — what people expect and appreciate in attending an etiquette course.
THE ETIQUETTE CONSULTANT/TRAINER/COACH SHOULD:
BE: engaging, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, a bundle of energy that believes in changing lives in a positive way, wonderful to work with, dynamic, enlightening, easy-to-do business with, gifted, inspirational, a charismatic and educational speaker, able to make other people feel comfortable, confident and at ease in business networking situations, be widely traveled and having a wealth of experience around the world, be conversant with all levels of people, lively, engaging the audience without embarrassing anyone, innovative, encouraging, an asset to any group, a natural speaker, comfortable, powerful, yet approachable, very respectful of the audience, succinct, patient to ensure that all attendees understand the information being presented, perseverant, able to develop an instant rapport with attendees (by captivating their attention and interests), totally committed to those around him/her, flexible, gracious, competent, able to approach sensitive subjects in a manner that does not cause participants to become defensive, but instead allow them to listen to suggestions which will help each of them, authoritative, kind, loyal, committed, able to keep the audience engaged for some hours even on a Friday afternoon, resourceful, properly focused, generous with his time, thoughtful in responses, able to connect with the audience, an outstanding role model, able to appreciate constructive feedback, able to keep the class involved and wanting to come back for more.
HAVE: substantial experience, impeccable customer service skills, an easy dialogue, high integrity, genuine interest in other peoples’ success, a caring nature, a joyful personality, attention to each detail, a natural ability to convey ideas and principles, a great down-to-earth approach, passion for the subject, an approachable style, great business savvy, a contagious zeal, a gentle and kind demeanor, a clear and warm delivery, candor and personal consideration, a bright, upbeat style.
FURTHERMORE: encompass talent and experience with great, personal style; enable people to shine in professional as well as social life, offer contact information to participants for follow up questions, take time for participants, not preach but share, teach by example without making anyone feel silly, appreciate constructive feedback, make people feel better inwardly and outwardly, set an example, know “how to …”, “when to ….” and “where to….”, remember guest names and use them at ease during the presentation to maintain that intimacy with the audience, make same topics each time fresh and relevant to different audiences, take a look at real workplace issues, and how professionalism, ethical behaviour and simple courtesy can enhance the work environment, spark enthusiasm to learn more on etiquette, teach effectively, deliver a razor-sharp training, speak with passion, enthusiasm and feeling, spend time to learn about the client’s goal for the class and anticipated outcome, make also those who feel they “knew it all” walk away excitedly talking about topics explored that opened their eyes, personify personal power, presence and charisma, give personal attention and willingness to assist the client in (e.g. assembling a team…), not have an intimidating style but open in handling of this delicate subject of image with the audience.
ETIQUETTE TRAINING SHOULD:
BE: interactive, fun and entertaining, instructive, refreshing, helpful, awesome, extraordinary relevant to today’s life, flawlessly executed, well organised and planned, valuable, eye-opening, informative, delivered in a non-threatening manner, crisp, simple, unique and presented in an elegant style, realistic, results-driven, a must-see, effective, an enriching experience, relating personal experiences to bring these techniques to life, run smoothly, memorable, appropriate, a thorough training, exciting, invigorating, meaningful due to customisation of the agenda, accessible, a truly positive experience , insightful for personal and professional development.
HAVE: the right touch of humour, a spot on delivery, professionally prepared handouts, a timely, polished, humorous presentation, the perfect pace.
FURTHERMORE: provide comprehensive learning material for better understanding and retention, provide considerable amount of information, provide a compass of invaluable skills, provide great tips, make the message impactful, give much more than expected, tailor the message to the audience’s needs, offer practical advice and provide information that is applicable in everyday life, take place in a relaxing atmosphere, provide cutting-edge online education, give participants the full benefits of the consultant’s extensive experiences, leave no open questions, cover all the topics, no stone should go unturned, consist of lessons, advice, anecdotes, give the opportunity for role-playing exercises which results in a better understanding of how to actually deal more effectively in daily face-to-face interactions with various people, meet all the objectives the client has, provide practical solutions to real-world problems, not just give the information but the how to use it, present the class material in a participatory demonstrative manner, deliver a true lesson of “savoir vivre”, give hilarious insight into modern manners, answer all the audience’s questions, make an intimidating topic a fun and interesting, learn in a very comfortable setting, give examples that the audience can relate to and take forward to ensure they are achieving optimal business etiquette, give just-in-time advice, give thought-provoking handouts, get the audience inspired to learn more about etiquette as a result of the topics covered, infuse what could have been a dry subject with humour and enthusiasm.
Some personal observations:
→ The most original testimonial I came across was …
“Oh, you are being Shannonized.” by Pat Quinn, found on the website of Shannon Smith (USA).
→ A short yet great, to the point testimonial was …
“The gains are instant and the results are priceless.” by T.K. Naha, found on the website of Priya Warrick (India).
