Proper etiquette can be learned in many different ways. Observing other people is one way to learn helpful etiquette tips. There are also professional etiquette seminars that teach everything from excellent table manners to proper business behavior. Etiquette books and DVDs are other good sources for learning proper etiquette in many different types of social situations.
Table manners are important to learn, for both dating and business dining etiquette. People often form an impression of others based on how polite and well mannered they are. For example, chewing food with an open mouth is not likely to impress clients at a business lunch. Observing people whose manners you admire, and who others seem to respect, is a good way of learning proper etiquette.
Etiquette coaching is a service that may be provided by business or personal life coaches. Life coaches help others improve their social skills in order to communicate and function better in their lives. An etiquette coach can provide help in areas of your life in which you may be lacking good social skills, such as dating.
Proper dating etiquette is crucial, as inappropriate behavior may cause people to break dates without getting to know a person. Little, yet very polite, things such as opening a door for the other person or giving a sincere compliment go a long way when dating. When dating someone new, both people can lack confidence; it may be difficult for someone on a date to know what the other person is feeling or thinking. Giving a compliment about how your date looks is polite and will let the person know that you at least like something about him or her. Books on dating and relationships often include proper etiquette as well as romance tips.
The rules of online etiquette can be learned by communicating in web forums. Most of these forums have published rules about behavior when communicating with others online. Profanity or insults are usually not permitted. Proper etiquette online means not using all capital letters, as it's considered the same as yelling in regular conversation.
Many people learn etiquette from their parents or other relatives. For example, children are often taught at an early age to say "please" and "thank you." When they get older, children usually learn proper table manners from parents or relatives, such as to place a napkin in their lap before eating. For people who don't learn proper etiquette at an early age, a combination of observation and learning from books and other instructional materials can help them develop good manners.
