THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MANNERS
It is said that good manners are an expression of inner character. This means that how we choose to interact with the people around us could provide a glimpse of who we are as a person and the main factors that make up our character. Generally, people with good manners display positive characteristics such as kindness, gentleness and patience. They typically have a cordial demeanour and they are courteous in their approach to others. On the other hand, bad manners are characterised by rudeness, unkindness and impatience, and people who display these characteristics may find it difficult to develop healthy relationships with those around them.
So how do we display good manners as an expression of a positive inner character? Allow me to demonstrate.
Recently I visited a printing shop to have some work printed. As I waited for my turn in line, my attention was drawn to a customer service representative who was kind, gentle and patient with her customers. Let us call her Ellen. Ellen took her time to help each customer with their request, and worked efficiently without seeming to rush her customers through. By simply observing this person, it was clear that her motives were to give the best individual customer service to everyone within her proximity.
There were four customers ahead of me, and when it was my turn to be helped, I was delighted to be directed to Ellen. Her cordial demeanour created a beautiful and warm atmosphere, and I immediately found it easy to work with her. After pulling up the image of the work I needed printed, she took the time to help me see what my final product would look like. At some point in our interaction, we realised that a few more tweaks were needed to match my printing preferences. Ellen patiently made the required changes and communicated the new available options to me. The manner in which she handled our interaction gave me the confidence to entrust her with my product when I needed to leave it for a few days to be processed.
After a few days, Ellen called me to let me know that my images were ready for pick-up. Even over the phone, I couldn’t help but notice that she was equally as courteous and polite as she had been in person. This demeanour was consistent when I went to collect my image in the middle of what was unmistakably a busy day.
As I reflected on the pleasant interactions with this young lady I realised that Ellen displayed the characteristics of good manners during her interactions with me, other customers, and her fellow work colleagues. Although she was adept at her job, the way in which she presented herself is what highlighted the value that she brings. Her overall humility, understanding and patience towards each customer made her stand out as the kind of person we all wish to encounter or emulate when we think of good manners.
By displaying the characteristics that were reflected in my interactions with Ellen we can embody what it means to have good manners and have pleasant interactions with everyone we come across. Let us all strive to cultivate and display good manners wherever we go, and leave an impression as positive as the one Ellen left with me.
