A few etiquettes to observe when in public.
1. Mobile etiquette: While on a date, a meeting or any such function, put your cellphone on the silent mode. A missed phone call must be returned within 24 hours or earlier with a suitable excuse for not having taken the call at that time.
2. Business-wise: Hold the door you have just passed through for the person behind you. When handed a business card, examine it and make some polite comment and keep it in front of you for the duration of the meeting. Before leaving, place it carefully in your bag.
3. Host well: While eating, think alphabetically: bread on the left, main plate in the middle, water on the right. If you are the host, try to chat with all your guests. Make polite conversations and try to make them comfortable.
4. Ladies first: The ‘ladies first’ rule does not apply to elevators. The person closest to the door gets off first.
5. Shaking hands: Shaking hands is a lady’s prerogative. She has to offer her hand first and not the man. If you are a woman, hold your bag, keys, drink, etc. in your left hand to keep your right hand free to shake hands in an event.
With inputs from etiquette expert Supriya Dogra of Lifelong Learning