The plane was packed and just as I was starting to feel as if I had lucked out and scored a vacant seat next to mine, he showed up. Gucci leather bag, and matching loafers (no socks of course), casually disheveled. He settled in with NY Times and large hard copy book about a baseball legend. Then it began. He angled himself so that his body actually extended into my seat with his wide open newspaper clearly crossing the unspoken border of my purchased flight space. Maybe, I thought, this is just a momentary lapse that will soon be rectified. But, no. As the minutes went on and my discomfort grew, I plotted ways to regain my territory without seeming rude, of course. Just before landing, when he dozed a bit, I did manage to get my armrest back. Victory…sort of.

This incident reminded me about why etiquette is important. We affect people around us with our behavior every day, sometimes without even realizing it. We have an opportunity to enhance the lives of friends, co-workers and strangers simply by comporting ourselves in a positive and respectful way. Behaviors such as, opening doors, saying “excuse me”, and not cutting ahead of someone in line all have a double benefit. They show respect and they also publicly display our character. Business etiquette extends far beyond the office and is an extension of our brand and the brand of the company that we represent. I am not sure who the gentleman sitting next to me worked for, but I sure do have an impression about him and his company.