AML in Print

Newsweek - Japan
16 June 02

"Mannerisms and Etiquette Are Part of Your Job"

In the American business world, etiquette has been secondary. A recent study showed that American people's etiquette is the worst in American history. Etiquette schools targeting American corporations are gaining in popularity because of this study. Lisa Mirza Grotts (head of etiquette education at the consulting firm AML Group) says, "If you have good manners it doesn't hurt you, but if you have bad manners it could be fatal to you or your business."

Twenty-three employees of the Sales Division of American Airlines took a lesson from Lisa Mirza Grotts on how to be natural in black tie situations. In a lecture, Lisa Mirza Grotts told them how to shake hands, exchange business cards, use a knife and fork properly and order off a menu without feeling conscious about their manners.

The Johnson School of Business at Cornell began to offer a class on manners to help their graduates act with confidence in the real world and to give them an edge in the soft job market. Tony d'Resta, senior consultant at a law firm, signed up for a business etiquette class offered by the Lett Group. He thinks people will perceive him as detail oriented in his job if he pays attention to his manners. FYI, the Lett Group teaches manners for golfing.