One Minute Manners: Quick Solutions to the Most Awkward Situations You'll Ever Face at Work

by Ann Marie Sabath

What makes the difference between an ordinary professional and an extraordinary one? A mastery of business manners. That’s why Ann Marie Sabath’s pocket-sized guide to business etiquette emergencies is indispensable for new hires and college graduates just starting out, as well as a valuable tool for career veterans looking to add finesse to their workplace repertoire.

Unlike typical business etiquette manuals which run over with irrelevant advice, One Minute Manners is the source for quick solutions to the most awkward situations any professional will ever face at work—as taught by Sabath during her twenty years of domestic and international etiquette consulting for Fortune 500 companies.

In her trademark, easy-to-understand style, Sabath assists professionals in overcoming awkward situations such


A bore has latched on to you at a company event. How do you tactfully break away?

You’ve mistakenly forwarded a confidential message to the wrong person. Now what?

You show up for a client meeting only to realize that you’re dressed too casually. What do you do?

You want to introduce a client; however, his name has escaped you. What do you do to get the person to say his name?


Covering everything from how to deal with the fallout of a hasty e-mail to discreetly letting a server know you are picking up the bill for everyone at the table, One Minute Manners minimizes business awkwardness and maximizes your chances for professional success.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a lot of the situations in this book will never apply to me since I won't be entertaining Japanese clients or eating my fromage in the socially acceptable order, the parts about following up with employers, introduce people without knowing their names and disengaging oneself from a bore are sure to come in handy.

This gets four stars just because each little lesson takes about twenty seconds to read. yay!

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is truly a no-frills business etiquette book, written by one of the pioneers of corporate etiquette training. Some of the situations covered are truly gasp-worthy, making me glad that, as much of a social oaf as I am, at least I never did *that*!

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outdated, sexist, ridiculous, and weird.

[Denise - No Longer on Goodreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book pretty much delivered exactly what I expected. There were some useful tidbits I took away from it (mostly items pertaining to office related etiquette and attending seminars, etc.), but since I do not do a lot of traveling for business or a lot of meeting with clients, those parts, while interesting, were not relevant to my needs. The book also contains a lot of common sense reminders regarding etiquette, which would certainly come in handy for people who need a refresher!

I will add that it's also a very quick read, and easy to read in short bursts if you're so inclined.

[Rahadyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a useful book for the workplace -- and for any large organization that includes people of different experiences and cultures (whether ethnic, religious or dress code). Worth reading and rereading. It would also be a great gift for anyone starting his or her work life.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Be straight-forward, professional, and polite. That pretty much summarizes the book. Now putting it into practice is a different story..

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is great for a short read and quick tips. I believe some information is outdated and certainly a lot of it will not apply to my situations. However it was a decent book.