Even the most socially agile person can find themselves dumfounded by some of life’s more awkward situations. There is no obvious way to deal with a friend negging you or an in-law asking you rude questions.
It’s in these moments, though, that Harvard-trained etiquette expert Sara Jane Ho sees herself as a resource.
Ho is the founder of the finishing school Institute Sarita, host of the Netflix show “Mind Your Manners,” and author of an upcoming book, also called “Mind Your Manners.” She’s even given advice on The Drew Barrymore Show about how to break up fights at family gatherings and the right way to bring flowers to a party.
“I feel that part of etiquette is about putting people around you at ease,” she told CNBC Make It last year. “Instead of etiquette being a restricting convention, I see it as being an empowering tool.”
Here’s how Ho would handle six awkward scenarios that happen all too often.
1. When someone is rude to you
If you find yourself on the receiving end of a sassy remark, you can counter it with kindness and class with just one question.
“If a friend is rude to you in a social setting, I like to use a three-word answer: ‘Are you okay?'” she says.
Those three words can signal that even if you don’t take the comment personally, you didn’t really appreciate it.
“You are letting them know they cannot walk all over you, but you’re being nice at the same time,” she says.
Be sure to say it in a friendly tone, Ho says, like you are expressing concern for them.
If a friend is rude to you in a social setting, I like to use a three-word answer: “Are you okay?”
Sara Jane Ho
Etiquette Expert
2. Covering when you can’t remember someone’s name
“If you’ve met somebody multiple times but still cannot remember their name, you should never let on that you’ve forgotten their name,” Ho says.
To avoid a potentially awkward situation, tell the person you’d like to keep in touch.
“What I like to do is say, ‘I got a new phone recently, and all my contacts were wiped out. Can…
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