Formality is Back

What Do All These Publications Have in Common?

The list is long, and includes prominent news magazines like Slate, Esquire, Forbes, Corp. Magazine, Business Insider, Executive Planet, and Biz Journals. 

It also includes university publications like The Dartmouth and Fordham Law Journal. Other institution publications on the list include Livestrong, seriousjobseeker.com, goodfinancialsense.com, the career advice section of monster.com, and Oprah, and presumably many others.

So what the heck is the criterion for being on this long list of respected journals and publications? Simple: Each of those listed have featured at least two articles in the past 12 months on table etiquette.

It's Not Just Martha Stewart Anymore

The world of high net worth is returning to more formal settings. So we will too!

For instance, here are some quick tips from our piece on Table Etiquette: 

At the Table:

• Approach your chair from the right side.
• Wait for everyone to be served and the hostess or key guest takes the first bite before beginning to eat
• Don’t reach across the table for any reason--at the table we all have our personal space just as in all other settings.
• Don't order more than your boss or your donor prospect.

There are, of course, a score of other etiquette items of which you need to be aware. You can find them in the Donor Visit Course, which includes such gems as Parking the Car and Other Practicalities and Listening vs. Hearing. 

Even if you're a novice when it comes to table etiquette (as the vast majority of us are), don't sweat it! With some practice, you'll be able to learn everything you need to know.