Etiquette Boss: Seating etiquette quiz

I like to give an etiquette quiz ever so often to test how well you score on your etiquette and protocol knowledge. No peeking until the test is completed.

(1) Mayor Bill de Blasio was seated opposite President Obama at a meeting of all new mayors. In seating protocol code, this declared him (a) the guest of honor (b) lowest mayor on the totem pole (c) second to the person on the president’s right.

(2) A young couple hosts a formal dinner to which both sets of parents are invited. The wife places her parents to the left and right of her, and her husband places his parents to the left and right of himself. Is this seating arrangement proper dining etiquette? (a) Yes. (b) No.

(3) At a business meeting, a junior employee who enters the room early, should (a) sit wherever he or she chooses (b) remain standing until senior management is seated (c) wait until the chairperson of the meeting indicates the seating arrangement.

Answers: 1. (a) is correct. At business meetings, where no spouses are invited, the guest of honor is usually seated opposite the president or CEO of a company. 2. (b) is correct.  At a formal dinner, the wife places her father-in-law to her right, and her father to her left. The husband places his mother-in law-to his right and his mother to his left. The guest gets the honored seat. 3. (c) If the meeting has a chairperson, it is that person’s duty to indicate where attendees should sit. If not, junior employees should wait until senior management is seated, or risk being asked to vacate the chair of a senior person.

Beauty Tips –  A Beautiful Neck

• Pretend you are a turtle. Push your neck out as far as it can comfortably go without moving your shoulder. Hold for six seconds and slowly pull back your neck as far as it can come toward your throat. Hold for six seconds. That’s one round. Relax and repeat 10 times.
• Place your elbow on a table and your palm under your chin. Open and close your jaws slowly as if making a fish mouth. Do this daily 10 times, three times per day. You will soon see positive results if you persist.

Phillipa Morrish is the president of Etiquette Training International.