Sit or Stand?

Did you know that both men and women should rise when others join the table?

Under traditional social etiquette rules, a man was expected to rise for a woman when she approached or left a table. In business settings today, both men and women should rise when anyone joins the table. This silent signal is used to communicate respect at two times: once to greet a person when he or she arrives, and again to say goodbye when he or she departs.

The age-old guideline that only men should rise when women approach or leave the table is known as social etiquette and may still be practiced in some social settings. To know what actions are appropriate for your social encounter, you must consider where you are and who you are meeting. Traditional, gender-based social etiquette rules are constantly shifting to support the dynamics of our changing culture. Are you equipped?