Contents
Introduction: The Case for Courtesy
The Value of Courtesy to Your Career
How to Get the Most from This Book
Test Your Courtesy Quotient (CQ)
PART 1: Everyday Courtesy as a Credibility Builder
CHAPTER 1
Twenty-First Century Manners: Can Courtesy Survive in the Brave New World?
Taking Personal Responsibility
CHAPTER 2
Credibility: Creating It and Keeping It
Mastering the Art of Straight Talk
CHAPTER 3
Develop Your Gratitude Attitude: Say “Thank You” and Mean It
CHAPTER 4
I See What You’re Saying: Are Your Unspoken Messages Telling on You?
What Exactly Is Nonverbal Communication?
The Power of Nonverbal Communication
Interpreting Nonverbal Communication
Synchronize Your Body Language
Common Body Language and Its Meaning
CHAPTER 5
What the $%#*!& Is Going On Here? Should We Put a Leash on Our Language?
The Professional Cost of Cursing
Is Vulgarity a First Amendment Right?
CHAPTER 6
Tell Me Less: Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid
Rebuilding the Barriers at Work
Balancing Openness and Privacy
When You Are the Recipient of Unwanted Information
What You Don’t Say Tells a Lot
CHAPTER 7
Praiseworthy Praise: Giving Compliments that Count
CHAPTER 8
What Did You Say? Developing Your Ability to Listen
CHAPTER 9
Convenience or Curse? Is It Time for a Cell Phone Reality Check?
Keep the Technology in Perspective
CHAPTER 10
Travel Courtesy: Don’t Leave Home Without It
Once You Land: Courtesy at Home or Abroad
PART 2: Best Behaviors at Work: Interacting with Bosses and Peers
CHAPTER 11
Terror on Both Sides of the Desk: Relieving Interview Stress
Guidelines for the Interviewee
Guidelines for the Interviewer
CHAPTER 12
The New Job: Getting Started on the Right Foot
Plan for Success in a New Position
CHAPTER 13
Office Space: Make Working Together More Enjoyable and Productive
A Team Approach to a Harmonious Workplace
CHAPTER 14
E-Mail: Think Before You Send
Leverage the Advantages of E-Mail
Look for Ways to Make the Medium Work for You and Others
CHAPTER 16
Are We Having a Casual Crisis? Coping with Dress Code Confusion
CHAPTER 17
Getting Along with Your Manager: Spotting and Solving Personality Problems
CHAPTER 18
Loving Your Enemies: Coping with the Price of Success
CHAPTER 19
When Your Best Friend Becomes Your Boss: Balancing the Professional and the Personal
Reinventing the Rules of Friendship
CHAPTER 20
How to Leave a Job: Making a Graceful Exit
CHAPTER 21
Refuse to Schmooze and You Lose: Cultivating the Social Side of Business
Be Professional, Not Antisocial
Schmoozing: More than Just Parties
CHAPTER 22
Let’s Do Lunch: Dining Your Way to Success
CHAPTER 23
Standing Out in the Crowd: Getting Noticed Without Becoming Notorious
CHAPTER 24
He Said, She Said: When the Gender Gap Seems as Wide as the Grand Canyon
Men and Women Really Are Different
PART 3: Handling Sensitive Issues: Courtesy and Building Trust
CHAPTER 25
When Silence Is Not a Virtue: Complaining Without Carping
CHAPTER 26
When an Apology Is in Order: Saying “I’m Sorry”
How to Make a Meaningful Apology
Accepting an Apology Gracefully
CHAPTER 27
Tell It Like It Is: Delivering Unwelcome Information Without Doing Permanent Damage
CHAPTER 28
Confronting with Courtesy: Preserving Relationships While Resolving Differences
Levels and Sources of Conflict
Avoiding the High Cost of Unresolved Conflict
CHAPTER 29
When the Worst Happens: Dealing with Tragedy and Death
The Do’s of Dealing with Another’s Grief
The Don’ts of Relating to a Person’s Grief
CHAPTER 30
Citizenship in the Global Village