CATCH THE SPIRIT COMMUNIQUÉ The Official Newsletter of International Association of Protocol Consultants® and Officers (IAPC)
JANUARY 2010 Inaugural Issue
WELCOME ALL AMBASSADORS OF CIVILITY!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! We look forward to a new decade and sharing information that we hope will inspire and educate our members. It is our way of expressing a deep appreciation for your interest and support in joining our association.
The quarterly communiqué is refreshing and unique. It will include regular features such as Favorite Quote and IAPC Principles and Standards, as well as incorporate current articles on the Hot Topics of international protocol, etiquette, and civility.
Thank you again for this connection.
I wish you peace and happiness, Alinda Lewris IAPC Founder & Executive Director
FAVORITE QUOTE
Manners are the happy way of doing things. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
IAPC paraphrase:Civility is the 'only' way of doing things ... correctly!
The full paragraph is: There is always a best way of doing everything, if it be to boil an egg. Manners are the happy way of doing things; each once a stroke of genius or of love -- now repeated and hardened into usage. They form at last a rich varnish, with which the routine of life is washed, and its details adorned. If they are superficial, so are the dewdrops, which give such depth to the morning meadows. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
CATCH THE CHARITABLE SPIRIT!
IAPC is proud to sponsor the "Make Incivility Taboo" Campaign in an effort to encourage "choosing civility" through community service -- internationally. For example, IAPC executives have supported such charitable endeavors as:
MISSION: Building leaders of tomorrow by serving people with disabilities today.
In July 2008, IAPC was invited to meet the director to discuss courteous vocabulary to use when speaking to persons with disabilities on the eve of the Journey of Hope's 4000 mile cross-country bicycle trek beginning in San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington and ending together with all teams in Washington DC sixty-seven days later (August 2008). The event raised funds and awareness for people with disabilities. Simply put, the Journey of Hope was a ride with a purpose.
Let IAPC know what community charity YOU support and how it promotes civility. We will be pleased to showcase IAPC Ambassadors of Civility on the Web site who are actively volunteering. Please submit your activity via email, with subject line: Make Incivility Taboo. If selected, IAPC will provide a courtesy reference link to your charity's features.
PROMISES TO KEEP
Do you long to invest in things that matter? Add these two to your New Year's Resolutions because in today's fast-paced world most professional knowledge becomes obsolete almost as soon as acquired, EXCEPT your civility and demeanor. A 2005 Carnegie Foundation study on the subject concludes that success is 15% technical skills and 85% people skills. The most important people skills are your automatic good manners.
Resolution #1. As an IAPC Ambassador, even if you typically spend more time interacting with things rather than people, decide now to incorporate daily civility and kindness. Pick one of the easy demonstrations from our Good Manners list below, test it as your mission for today, and watch others admiring and emulating (consciously and unconsciously) your high standards.
Good Manners: 1. Smile at others. 2. Make eye contact & nod to those walking toward you. 3. Hold open doors for others. 4. Invite cars in ahead of yours on the road. 5. Say Please, Excuse me, Thank-you, and You're welcome to everyone, but especially your family members instead of taking their goodwill for granted.
Resolution #2. Good manners lend increased social confidence, which in turn refines personal and professional visibility and influence. We invite you to share the IAPC web address: www.ChoosingCivility.org with your friends and professional colleagues. We are an all volunteer, all inclusive, nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational and professional organization. Membership is FREE. Ambassadors of Civility receive our quarterly newsletter and qualify for discounts and benefits.
IAPC PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS
A recent questioner insisted that it was proper to cup a red wine glass to warm it and increase the bouquet, just as one would brandy in a snifter. Assuming that one's glass is not stemless (leaving no option but to grasp it with a full hand), is this ever advisable?
"No" says oenophile Dave McIntyre (dmwineline.com). In an April 2008 archived article on his website titled, Nuvo Wine Thermometer, he wrote, "Is it necessary to know the exact serving temperature of your wine? No. But it is true that many whites are served too cold (fridge temp) and many reds served too hot (room temp). " He suggests consulting www.nuvovino.com/application/index.asp for a handy chart, which advises a range of 56-66 degrees Fahrenheit (13-19 Celsius) for red wine - considerably less than hand temperature. As the founder of Nuvo Vino writes, "It's all about maximizing enjoyment of the wine. Remember the efforts of the winemaker. Their talents are wasted when a wine is consumed too hot or cold."
Speaking of maximizing enjoyment, Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema, in a November 2009 Ask Tom column, said that there must be room in the bowl to swirl and then smell the wine before sipping. Ambassadors of Civility twist their wrists (to rotate the wine bottle), and tilt the bottleneck up toward the end of pouring (so that drips do not fall on the table), and fill a wine glass no more than two-thirds full.
Not filling to the top of the glass also helps during toasting. Service Etiquette, Fifth Edition states, "Toast-givers in multi-national settings lift the glass or cup formally with both hands approximately chest high - the right hand holding the stem, bowl, or handle and the left hand with fingers flat to support the bottom. Always employ this international method, as it is appropriate anywhere and will be automatic to you when needed. Keep your toasts short, simple, and sincere with the spotlight on the honoree, not yourself."
The following is the International Association of Protocol Consultants® / Officers (IAPC) Standard:
Wine Glass Etiquette
Wine goblets should always be held by the stem to keep fingerprints off the bowl and to avoid affecting the temperature of the contents. Glasses should be filled no more than two-thirds full. To enhance your global leadership qualities, hold the glass with your right hand and support the base with your left during toasts. Drop your left hand to drink.
n.b. When there is conflicting guidance in popular protocol and etiquette books, IAPC conducts independent research in international publications dealing with manners and traditions, consults with industry experts, and performs peer reviews. We have reliable processes that allow us to develop universally accepted global criteria.
IN THE LIBRARY: A key IAPC Desk-Side Reference
The BIG SECRET for protocol practitioners is that all etiquette is derived from government and military protocol. A new encyclopedic resource is Service Etiquette, Fifth Edition. Universally applicable, it is a highly readable, multicultural courtesy and planning manual that provides both entry-level and experienced professionals with a wealth of hands-on detail and vital skill sets. Corporate executives, decision makers, and managers in particular will appreciate the useful insights for refining social and business models for a diverse selection of both domestic and international constituencies. But regardless of vocation or career length, Service Etiquette, Fifth Edition provides useful strategies. For example, everyone must be prepared to face increased international media coverage at public (and private) social functions, the possibility of more frequent press conferences, and accountability to a populace increasingly armed with small personal devices that will record and transmit around the planet your every social misstep. From family dining rooms to international arenas, from host and guest duties to finessing high-profile visits, this practical, concise how to book will help instill new levels of competence in worldwide protocol, etiquette, and civility.
Autographed copies of Service Etiquette, Fifth Edition: IAPC is proud that two of our leading members have written this wonderful resource. If Ambassadors of Civility purchase the book from www.ChoosingCivility.org your copy will be autographed by the authors to you (or another person of your choosing).
HOT TOPICS: Two Tidbits from Washington DC
1) Letter from Chef de Cuisine Jacques Haeringer
In celebration of the newly released movie Julie and Julia, Alinda Lewris asked permission to publish the following excerpt from a letter she recently received from her friend, Jacques, one of America's most respected and innovative culinary personalities. Continuing in his father's footsteps, Jacques specializes in reinterpreting Alsatian and French cuisine for American palates, winning numerous awards such as the coveted AAA four Diamonds. Ambassadors of Civility interested in obtaining an autographed copy of Jacques' books may order them fromwww.ChoosingCivility.org
Greetings,
I'm very happy to see that the movie Julie and Julia has sparked a renewed interest not only in the late, great Julia Child but also in classic French cooking. Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, is on the bestseller list forty-nine years after it came out. I recommend the movie and her book (of course, the accomplished home chef should have Julia's and my cookbooks in their collection). Both a and I had the pleasure of meeting Julia Child on a number of occasions and I think Meryl Streep does an excellent job of capturing Julia's unique joie d'vie in the film.
My favorite memory of Julia is the evening I met her at the Press Club in Washington DC. I was attending a dinner for the release of my first book and Julia was to give a speech during the meal. A minute into her speech Julia's dentures began slipping, forcing her to stop every few sentences to stick them back up. Finally, after a few minutes, Julia stopped and shouted, "Is there a dentist in the house?" The room was in stitches and Julia was laughing along with us.
Bringing French classics to America is what made Julia famous, then and now. Many of the archetypal French dishes that Julia introduced to Americans have been staples at L'Auberge Chez François since we first opened: bouillabaisse, onion soup, skate fish in brown butter, chateaubriand, rack of lamb, and many others. Cuisine trends come and go, but there is a reason that certain foods have withstood the test of time; they're simply delicious.
Love begins in the kitchen, Jacques Haeringer Chef de Cuisine L'Auberge Chez François www.chefjacques.com
2) Article excerpt by IAPC Founder & Executive Director
CIVILITY IS NOT DEAD! by Alinda Lewris
Despite all the recent publicity broadcasting acts of incivility by music stars, sports stars, and political figures, I still firmly believe that most of us are respectful, kind people who strive to lead good, moral lives.
Obviously the images of civility from previous centuries such as the romantic myth of the swashbuckler Sir Walter Raleigh gallantly laying his cloak over a mud puddle so that English Queen Elizabeth I wouldn't soil her shoes as she stepped over it, have long since changed. But today we do have many real world examples of civility in action.
Singer Taylor Swift reacted to Kanye West's interruption during her recent award acceptance speech by graciously thanking the fans and not responding to his outburst. One of the most honored athletes in history, Lance Armstrong, continued to be a leader and activist on behalf of other cancer survivors even while fighting his own battle to overcome testicular cancer. And on the international political stage, former United States President Bush honored the tradition of other cultures by walking hand in hand with visiting Saudi Arabian Prince Abdullah in friendship, even though many Americans were surprised by this close physical contact between adult males.
In a recent analysis published in The Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal, researchers found that in some countries, more than 99 percent of people consent to organ donation. The Red Cross / The Red Crescent collects over 6 million blood donations each year. The United States' leading youth mentoring organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters currently operates in all 50 states and in 12 other countries. These are acts of generous behavior that show consideration to strangers and enhance the quality of life for all mankind. On a more substantive universal level, they are also acts of civility.
CIVILITY, in fact, IS VERY MUCH ALIVE even when it takes publicized uncivil outbursts or a natural disaster to remind us that we can "rise above" unkind acts or remarks. "Civility" derives from the Latin civilis meaning relating to citizens. We, as citizens of the world, must embrace Civility, implement Civility, and teach Civility to future generations.
REPRESENTATIONAL DESIGN
Represent yourself, your family, your business or agency, and even your country to the very best of your ability when you entertain at table. It is an act of generous kindness.
Tablescapes. Display centerpieces of local flora and perhaps landmark miniatures. Something as simple as a postcard can emphasis your theme. See picture below of a holiday card used on a Christian Pastor's table.
Menus. Showcase local produce and wines. United States President Barack Obama did just that at his first state dinner last year, where White House garden vegetables and American wines were featured. See his menu and table pictures on the web at sites such as http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/24/state-dinner-menu-and-pla_n_369491.html
Party Favors. Consider providing small take-away gifts with something appropriate to the event. English crackers are excellent examples at Christmas dinners -- each guest receives a festive cylinder filled with trinkets that promote conversation and revelry.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Registration is now open for IAPC 2010 one-day seminars: Civility, Country-Specific Do's and Taboos, and International Protocol in Washington DC. Our higher level learning / executive education programs are open to all, but Ambassadors of Civility are eligible for discounts.
The programs also support IAPC Service Marks (Certified Protocol Consultant®, CPC®, and Certified Protocol Officer®, CPO®) which are filed and registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. IAPC appellations are designed to raise public perception and standards in our highly specialized industry. Serious protocol professionals attain one or the other as a strategic goal to assure the world that they have attained an advanced level of knowledge, education, and experience. The designation also helps advance an individual's success with a professional network of international contacts, experts, and resources.
About IAPC
The International Association of Protocol Consultants® and Officers (IAPC) is organized, within the meaning of Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as an educational and professional nonprofit corporation to promote the welfare of its Members; to advance the efficient and skillful discharge by its Members of the duties of their occupation; to advance and safeguard their economic interest and generally to encourage and promote better social conditions for its Members through cooperative enterprises and do such other things as may be permitted by law.
IAPC | Civility, Country-Specific Do's and Taboos, and International Protocol | Washington DC
International Association of Protocol Consultants®, Certified Protocol Consultant®, CPC®, Certified Protocol Officer®, and CPO® are Service Marks filed and registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
