Top Etiquette Expert: The Signals You're Sending That Are Costing You
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“Etiquette, and the concept behind it, is accessible, and it's for everyone.” – Elaine Swann
In this episode of Awf The Record, Elaine joins Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi for a crash course in modern etiquette, from fine dining, networking, Zoom meetings, and corporate happy hours to dating, ghosting, apologies, compliments, and navigating luxury spaces without feeling like you do not belong. She breaks down what the rich actually do differently, why confidence is often quieter than we think, and how the habits we overlook, like oversharing, arguing to prove a point, or making people wait, may be quietly sabotaging us.
KEY POINTS
00:00 - Cold open: Elaine Swann previews the etiquette mistakes quietly sabotaging you
01:38 - Introduction to Elaine Swann and the crash course in modern etiquette
02:38 - Etiquette is about how you show up and how you make people feel
09:22 - The handshake mistake people still make in professional settings
11:37 - Why we need to bring back greeting people and being neighborly
14:14 - How eye contact, posture, body language, and voice signal confidence
18:00 - Why hosts should start on time and honor the people who are present
22:03 - What the rich and famous actually do differently with luxury etiquette
27:55 - Fine dining rules that help you feel more confident at the table
32:58 - Relationship etiquette and the “shower rule”
38:23 - The proper way to accept an apology and receive a compliment
40:54 - Is etiquette rooted in white supremacy or used to police people of color?
44:42 - How to navigate alcohol and relationship-building in corporate spaces
47:28 - Go Off or Log Off: Elaine rules on modern etiquette dilemmas
QUOTES
“Etiquette is being aware of how you present yourself to other people, and it is also, it also has to do with how you make others feel.” – Elaine Swann
“Every single thing that comes out of your mouth, and every single thing you do becomes some part of somebody's history.” – Elaine Swann
“Honor the people who are present.” – Elaine Swann
“In relationships, you cannot change people. What you have to do is sometimes shift and turn that nozzle the other way.” – Elaine Swann
GUEST RESOURCES
Elaine Swann
Website | https://www.elaineswann.com/
IG | https://www.instagram.com/elaineswann/
RESOURCES:
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Mona Kosar Abdi
IG | https://www.instagram.com/monakabdi
Jeannette Reyes
IG | https://www.instagram.com/msnewslady
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