#[[BeaGentlePerson|Begentle]],notforcefulorinsistent.Thisdoesn'tmeanyouneedtoactlikeameek,quietpushover.Itmeansthatwhenyoudosomething,offersomething,ormakearequest,youdoitwithoutpressuringthepeoplearoundyouandmakingthemfeellikethey'rebeingpushedintoacorner.Ifyou'rehavingaconversation,it'sonethingtoaskaquestionorofferyouropinion,butit'srudetopushthematterwhensomeonehasexpresseddiscomfort(verballyornon-verbally)aboutthesubject.Evenifyou'retryingtohelp,likeofferingtopayforlunchorwashthedishes,don'tbetooinsistent.Ifthepersonsays"No,thankyou,I'vegotit"thensay"Please,I'dreallylovetohelp."Iftheystillsayno,thenletitgo.Theyobviouslywanttotreatyou,soletthem,andreturnthefavorsomeothertime. 　　#Whenindoubt,observeothers.Howaretheygreetingandaddressingeachother?Whataretheydoingwiththeircoats?Whatkindsoftopicsaretheydiscussing?Differentsettingsrequiredifferentstandardsofformality,andthosestandardsoftendefinewhatispoliteandwhatisnot.Awork-relateddinner,andholidaygathering,awedding,andafuneralwillalldemandadifferenttone. 　　#[[BeNice|Benice]].Treateveryonethesameway,evenifyouarenotfondofthem.Nevermakeanyenemies.Alwaysbecourteous,youmightmeetthispersonagaininanothersettingandwouldn'twanttohavecausednegativememoriesthatwouldgiveyouabadstanding.Ifsomeoneannoysoreveninsultsyou,don'tgetintoanargument.Say"Let'sagreetodisagree"andchangethesubject,orsimplyexcuseyourselffromtheconversation. 　　#Startaconversationbyaskingquestionsabouttheotherperson.Trynottotalkaboutyourselftoomuch.Beconfidentandcharming.Donothogtheconversation,thatisarrogant.Lookinterestedandlistentotheanswers.Don'tlookovertheperson'sshoulderoraroundtheroomwhenhe/sheistalking.Thatimpliesyouaredistractedornotinterested,i.e.he/sheisnotimportanttoyou. 　　#[[BeHonest|Behonest]].Itisalwaysmuchworsetobecaughtinaliethantotellthetruth. 　　#[[ShakeHands|Shakehands]]firmlyandlookyouracquaintanceintheeye.Youmightwanttopracticethisabitsoyoudon'tsquishpeople'shands,dependingonhowstrongyouare.Thatwouldmakethemfeeluncomfortable.Bewareespeciallywhenshakinghandsofwomenwhoarewearingrings.Toomuchpressurecanbeverypainful. 　　#*[[RememberAnything|Remember]]toothatmanypeoplewithan"old-school"etiquettebackground(especiallyifyouareinEurope)finditinappropriatetoofferyourhandforahandshaketoaladyoranoldergentlemanifyouareagentleman,ortoanolderlady,ifyouarealady.Alwaysgreettheotherpersonfirst,butwaitforthemtoextendtheirhand.Ontheotherhand,ifyouaretheolderperson/lady,keepinmindthatifyoudonotextendyourhand,theotherpersonmayfeelrejected,ashe/sheisnotpermittedtoshakeyourhand.Usuallythissituationonlytakeshalfasecondincheckingwhethertheotherpersonismovingtowardsyouforahandshake.Bealert. 　　#*Donotapproachsomeonewithanalreadyoutstretchedhand.Thatispushy.Ifyouwantsomeonetoknowyouaremovingtowardsthem,establishafirmeyecontactandsmile,maybeopeningyourarmsalittle(bentattheelbow)tomakeawelcominggesture. 　　#Knowtheproper[[ActataDinnerParty|dinneretiquette]].Forsilverware,gofromtheoutside,in.A