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Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Good Manners At Meetings: phones, chairs, latecomers, escorting visitors to and fro

Phones
Turn off phones or switch to silent and buzz. But remember to turn them on again. If you are a Toastmasters and ask people to turn off phones, it is only fair to tell them when they can turn on phones again.

At a recent meeting, after the break, I head the Toastmaster of the Day say:
If you have been using your phone in the break, please turn it back to silent again.

Sharing Food
Do not take the last piece of cake, the last banana, or anything else. Offer it to others or offer to share it. You might say, "I can't eat a whole one. Can you help me out? Can you take half?"

Dividing Food
Divide the food using the wrapper as a barrier to your fingers, or take the piece which you have pulled away so that the other person gets what is 'untouched by human hand'.

Fetching Chairs
At a meeting, if an older person or visitor needs a chair, fetch one. Leave a spare chair near the door for the convenience of latecomers, to avoid embarrassing them and to save disturbing the speaker and other members of the audience..

Latecomers
If somebody texts you to say they are late because of traffic or working late, the announcer can explain this, to save embarrassment for the latecomer, and tell visitors that it's ok to be late, so long as you alert the organizers so they can adjust the timing of the agenda.

Walking and Taking Lifts
If you decide to take the stairs to get exercise, look and see if your companions are elderly or limping and carrying one, two or more heavy bags. If so, offer to carry one or more or all items.

Don't allow a person wearing trainers to force a group of people wearing high heels to follow on a long journey.

In a group, the leader should stop at corner to ensure the latecomers know the direction.

Pedestrian Safety - And Mobile Phones
In some countries it is illegal to cross a road whilst looking at a phone. Or to drive a car.

Better safety for all of us.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker 

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