We have always been taught good manners. Certain attributes are drilled into us since we learn to stand and talk, and later on, we instinctively know that going against these rules is not good manner. Most of us look at good manners as a set of rules, ad very few of us actually stop to think why we are told to follow these rules. After all, what difference would it really make if we let our manner slip every now and then, or at least once in a while? And truth be told, we all are tempted every now and then to do the exact same thing. In the pressures and turbulence of modern life, our nerves are mostly high strung, and it is very easy indeed to let go and vent our bottled feelings on a deserving or unsuspecting person.
However, that is not a very good idea. Good manners are, whether we like it or not, something that needs to be practiced at all times. In this article, let us find out why.
Keeps you presentable
When you have good manners, you are someone who is always presentable. It would be very difficult for a person to suddenly spruce up and be at their best behavior for a single day when they have to be at a job interview, or meet the girlfriend’s parents. Practicing good manners all your life, on the other hand, will always keep you prepared for any such event, and you will not require any special grooming. You will always be well and appropriately dressed, and there will never be the chance that you will be overdressed or underdressed for any occasion. Your ease with politeness and good manner swill show through any interview- personal or professional, and you will likely win hearts without trying too much, or at all.
Good impression
A person with good manners never fails to make a good impression. It is often told that the first impression is the last, and in case that is true, good manners will indeed take you a long way. When you are well dressed, well groomed, and speak easily, slowly, and confidently people will naturally be drawn to you. A very simple test for this would be to imagine yourself lost in a strange country. You see someone who is obviously a local, but inappropriately dressed, quite unkempt, and talking in a loud voice into their cell phone. Next to him you see someone of rather ambiguous ethnicity, well dressed, quietly speaking into their cell phone. Chances are, you will approach the second person for directions, despite the possibility that he might also be a tourist and might provide you with incorrect directions without any malicious intent. Such is the power of good manners.
You are better company
When you have good manners, you are automatically preferred in any social group. All social groups have a certain set of protocols, be it a formal or an informal setting. And since you are practiced in good manners, you will be able to pick up these protocols without being coached. You will know how to dress for any occasion and for any group, and you will never be impolite. You become a good listener, and are not quick to pass your judgments or impose your opinions on others. You will not burp or fart at the dinner table, and any slip on your part will always be followed by an apology.
Professional advancement
Being a well mannered person has untold advantages in the professional scenario. First of all, it becomes easier for you to secure a job by making a good impression in the job interview itself. Your good manners enable you to listen carefully and comment insightfully on topics, which make you an invaluable part of any team. Plus, you are naturally the first choice when it comes to important meetings, because there is no chance that you will embarrass anyone from your organization with your behavior. Your practice at being polite enables you to adjust easily to any situation without losing your cool, and that makes you the perfect employee for any workplace.
Your manners reflect who you really are. More often than not, they provide an insight into your upbringing and the company you currently keep. More than clothes, it is manners that can really make or break a man or a woman. If you are well mannered, you will automatically be more likeable than the rest. What’s more, you will also be labeled as a reliable person, both in your personal and professional spheres. Work hard on your good manners, and you will find that securing your position in the workplace and earning your peers’ respect will all become relatively easier.