Etiquette doesn't just mean RSVPs and dinner party manners, it's a reflection of your entire outlook on social interaction and public life. Not holding the door open for a little old lady says something about you to everyone who sees it -- namely, that you can't spare five seconds to be a half-decent guy.
所謂禮儀,指的不僅僅是答覆邀請、或參加晚宴時的優雅舉止,它能反映出你在社交場所及公眾生活中的模樣。舉個例:一位上了年紀的老太在你身後進門,你卻忘記幫她扶著門……那麼,任何目睹了這一幕的旁觀者會立馬對你的印象大打折扣。
In most situations, your image and appearance isn't just part of what defines you; it's the only thing that defines you. People who don't know anything about you are going to fill in the blanks with the only information they have, which is how they see you behave. Regardless of how you think of yourself, one awful social habit can easily become the thing that comes to identify you: Anyone who sees you chewing your food like a cow and acting belligerent toward your waitress is going to remember that stuff far before your job title or sophisticated wit.
在絕大多數時候,你的外表和形象往往代表了一切。那些不熟知你的人,只能夠通過對你舉止的觀察,來填補對你形象的空白。無論你是否自視甚高,只要有一點兒禮儀上的錯誤就能導致你被全盤否定。比如,吃飯的時候狼吞虎咽、或對待服務生粗暴無禮,這些都會比你是否身居高位、是否處事圓滑技巧高超更讓人印象深刻。
No.10 Failing to introduce people
第10條:忘記相互介紹
Whether in a professional or social setting, it's always awkward if you fail to introduce two people when you're their only shared acquaintance. This is really just common courtesy, but if you're called away from the conversation, it also leaves these folks making strained small talk while not even aware of each other's names. There are technically some agreed-upon rules to making professional introductions (such as saying the name of the professionally superior person first), but none of that is as important as remembering to make the introductions in the first place.
無論在什麼場合,如果你認識的兩人碰面,而他們彼此都不認識,這時若你不出面相互介紹,就會導致尷尬的發生。介紹一下實為舉手之勞。假如你還沒介紹他們互相認識,就半途藉故離開的話,他們會不得不尷尬地有一搭沒一搭地聊著,卻連自己在和誰說話都搞不清楚。介紹也是個技術活兒,有一些約定俗成的規矩可供參考,比如:先介紹身份更高一點的那位會比較合適。不過無論怎樣,在一開始就相互引薦才是最重要的禮節。