Etiquette Tips & Quips Juanita Ecker’s Blog

We recently went on a vacation to Bath, Maine, and stayed at a bed and breakfast. The owner of the bed and breakfast had this wonderful Italian sheep dog named Lupini (pictured). Every time I talked to the dog, I found myself lifting up the hair on the front of his face so that I [...]

By Juanita Ecker When you smile, the whole world smiles with you. When you don’t smile, however, every stranger on the street takes it upon themselves to tell you to cheer up. A woman I know, who, let it be said, is actually quite cheerful, is constantly fending off strangers who tell her to smile, [...]

By Juanita Ecker My husband and I were glued to the television set on Sunday, the last day of the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, GA. What an exciting game that was! When it was time for the “presenting of the green jacket” ceremony, three players were present:  the student amateur, Mr. Hideki Matsuyama; last [...]

By Juanita Ecker When I go through the checkout line at a major grocery store in Troy, New York, the cashier will hand me my money and say, “Have a nice day.” The gesture is meaningless. It’s simply an automatic reflex. The cashier doesn’t look me in the eye, smile, or convey any kind of [...]

By Juanita Ecker As an image consultant and corporate trainer I’m often asked what qualities are of the utmost importance for success. My answer? Confidence. Let’s face it—your resume can be chock-full of achievements and impressive skills, but if you don’t have the confidence to back it up, you are most likely undermining your career. [...]

By Juanita Ecker When the State of the Union aired a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help noticing the disrespectful attitude of the Republican attendees during President Obama’s speech. Most of them didn’t clap when he outlined his plans for our country, and their negative body language made them look like they were at a [...]