“Be sincere, Be brief, Be seated.”

Being polite means being aware of and respecting the feelings of other people.  We may not always notice politeness but we usually notice rudeness or inconsiderate behaviour.

What are some examples of politeness?  Here’s a rundown of quick and easy ways you can begin incorporating politeness into your life immediately:

– Hold the door for someone, even if you don’t know them

– Smile

– Remember your manners when you speak to others

– Practice empathy and understanding

– Be tolerant, even accepting of those who are different from you

– Always offer to help

Which polite words should you use?  Want more polite words to say than “excuse me,” “thank you/no thank you,” and “please?” Try incorporating these into your regular vocabulary:

– “May I?”

– “Cheers!”

– “Sorry” or “my apologies!”

– “Have a great day”

– “Good morning” or “good afternoon”

– “You’re welcome”

– “Bless you” (when someone sneezes, not necessarily in other contexts)

Tips to be politer in the office, you can do the following:

1. Greet people in the morning

2. Keep your hands away from your face (no hair-twirling, nail-biting, or nose-picking)

3. Know your table manners

4. Arrive early

5. Master personal hygiene

6. Reconsider whether humor works

7. Always dress for work

8. Don’t use jargon

9. Apologize if need be

10. Skip the watercooler gossip

11. Listen actively

12. Know basic manners

Politeness Guidelines

You can apply the following (where appropriate) to most interactions with others – friends, colleagues, family, customers, everybody!

Always use common sense and try to behave as appropriately as possible, taking into account any cultural differences.

1. Say hello to people – greet people appropriately, gain eye contact and smile naturally, shake hands or hug where appropriate but say hello, especially to colleagues and other people you see every day. Be approachable. Do not blank people just because you’re having a bad day.

2. Take time to make some small talk - perhaps mention the weather or ask about the other person’s family or talk about something that is in the news. Make an effort to engage in light conversation, show some interest, but don’t overdo it. Remain friendly and positive and pick up on the verbal and non-verbal signals from the other person.

3. Try to remember things about the other person and comment appropriately – use their spouse’s name, their birthday, any significant events that have occurred (or are about to occur) in their life.  Always be mindful of others’ problems and difficult life events.

4. Always use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.  Make sure you thank people for their input or contribution and always include ‘please’ when asking for something. If somebody offers you something use 'Yes please' or 'No thank you'.

5. Praise and/or congratulate others on their achievements.  Praise needs to be seen as genuine – this can be difficult if you feel jealous or angry.

6. At work be polite and helpful to your subordinates as well as your bosses.  Respect and acknowledge the positions, roles and duties of others.

7. Use appropriate language – be respectful of gender, race, religion, political viewpoints and other potentially controversial or difficult subjects.  Do not make derogatory or potentially inflammatory comments.

8. Learn to listen attentively - pay attention to others while they speak – do not get distracted mid-conversation and do not interrupt.

9. Respect other people's time.  Try to be precise and to-the-point in explanations without appearing to be rushed.

10. Be assertive when necessary but respect the right of others to be assertive too. 

11. Avoid gossip.  Try to have positive things to say about other people.

12. Apologise for your mistakes.  If you say or do something that may be considered rude or embarrassing then apologise, but don’t overdo your apologies.

13. Avoid jargon and vocabulary that may be difficult for others to understand – explain complex ideas or instructions carefully.  Do not appear arrogant.

14. Respect, and be prepared to listen to, the ideas and opinions of others.

15. Dress appropriately for the situation.  Avoid wearing revealing clothing in public and avoid staring at others who are wearing revealing clothing.  Avoid being dressed too casually for the situation.

16. Use humour carefully.  Aim not to cause any offence and know the boundaries of appropriate language for different situations.

17. Be punctual.  If you have arranged to meet somebody at a certain time make sure you are on time, or even a few minutes early.  If you are going to be late let the other person/people know as far in advance as you can.  Do not rely on feeble or exaggerated excuses to explain lateness.  Respect other people’s time and don’t waste it.

18. Always practise good table manners. When eating around others avoid foods with strong odours, do not talk with your mouth full or chew with your mouth open, and eat quietly.  

      Good manners cost nothing but can make a big difference to how other people feel about you, or the organisation you are representing. When you’re polite and show good manners others are more likely to be polite and courteous in return.