Manners seem to have been left at the door these days and there are lot of factors that have caused this. Modern technology and communication platforms seem to be fertile grounds for rude and unruly behaviour. One of the earliest messages that I received in business was that it was better to be nice than it was to be mean. Very simple message but one that works to develop a respectful relationship with family, friends, and colleagues. Our chat this week on The Experts is all about etiquette and manners. Something all our politicians should tune in to.

Louise Percy of the Percy Institute is a business that trains and teaches you manners and etiquette. Something that isn’t prolific anywhere these days and has become quite novel for those that are looking to stand out. Louise has a fascinating history working in media with some of Australia’s great politicians such as Malcolm Fraser and Paul Keating. This wonderful backstory has both Carmen and I sitting on the edge of our seats listening to what it was like for some of Australia’s best-known politicians when there was no social media or a 24-hour news cycle.

There is a big difference between protocols, etiquette, and manners. Our expert Louise Percy breaks down each of these beautifully. In 1992 it started as a finishing school with a My Fair Lady approach to then becoming an Institute of International Protocol. The ability to communicate face to face has become difficult for many and the simple respectful behaviours seem to have been lost. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it, it’s your mannerisms, your body language. There is so many non-verbal cues that we are either delivering or not delivering that we need to work on. These are skills that need to be exercised.

Etiquette is the choice to show respect. Louise says it all starts at the family dinner table where the skills and communication tools are learned. There seems to be a gap in this practice recently. Louise shares some wonderful tips on how to communicate with younger people and getting them to take an interest, demonstrate empathy and really connect with them. This is a delightful chat of respect, values, interest, intelligence, behaviour, and everything that builds solid relationships. Not just for the corporate and business world because there is a lot of people that are finding themselves in new relationship situations as they get older.

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