Manners Matters

 I get asked a lot of questions on Quora about how to simply say hello to a stranger, or how to engage in small talk. Whether at a party, a business convention or the grocery-store line, the answer is generally the same. (I've recently been listening to the audiobook of "The Art of Mingling" by Jeanne Martinet; it's so good so far that's I've gone back to listening to "Downton Abbey" play in the background while painting my house, and have bought the book. Some of what I'll say next is from what I've learned from Ms. Martinet; all of it is simple etiquette.) A moment of silence while we scowl at our parents for not teaching us etiquette by example, but by yelling at us when we erred instead. GENERAL RULES A man always rises when a woman enters or leaves a room. Let me clarify: Not when every single woman enters or leaves,but his wife, girlfriend, sister, mother, manager, anyone in his particular group--or if he's in a waiting room and his...