Things You Need to Know

Business Etiquette

A Tissues Issue

June 18, 2007

Every once in a while, I encounter someone or something that throws even me. Such was the circumstance in which I found myself one evening last week. After a long day of presenting and flying from one city to another, I stopped by the bar in a lovely hotel in Washington, D.C. I ordered a salad and glass of wine and then quickly became lost in the day’s newspaper. All of the sudden, the young man sitting next to me pinched his nose with his thumb and forefinger and blew his nose into his hand . . . not once, but twice.

Can you say, “Major yuck!?!?!?!?!?!”

So let’s address a little sneezing etiquette. If you find you’re about to sneeze or cough, first cover your nose and mouth with some form of tissue. After the cough or sneeze, quickly toss out the tissue and wash your hands. As an alternative, you may opt to use an eco-friendly handkerchief. If you use the latter, however, it is especially important to wash your hands frequently, because once germs are deposited on the hanky, they will continue to blossom until it is laundered.

Sneezing or coughing into one’s hand can significantly contribute to the spread of illness and disease. Once germs are coughed or sneezed onto a hand, every surface that hand then touches (door knobs, telephones, computer keys) will likely acquire some of the germs. In turn, anyone else may acquire those germs.