Mind your manners

The power of etiquette is how you make other people feel Etiquette Institute puts the polish on professional and personal lives

By Joanne McDonald For NewsNow

Nuwan Sirimanne makes a very good first impression.

He’s polite, engaging, perceptive and gracious. You might say he has a positive affective presence that makes people feel comfortable and puts them at ease.

Growing up, the phrase ‘mind your manners’ was the golden rule, but more than a well-worn adage, good etiquette is a basic tenet for personal and professional success, says Sirimanne, founder and coach of the Etiquette Matters Institute of Etiquette, a boutique etiquette and protocol consulting firm based in West Lincoln.

“Etiquette is a life skill. It is not about complicated rules or simply knowing which fork to use. It’s not about your social class, profession, ethnicity or gender, or how rich or well-educated you are. It is about communicating confidently, respectfully and effectively with other people no matter what the context.”

Whether it’s navigating the school playground or building a strong career,

The power of etiquette is how you make other people feel, says Nuwan Sirimanne, founder and coach of the Etiquette Matters Institute proper etiquette communicates what kind of person we are to other people.

“It’s all about understanding kindness, respect and consideration of others.”

In a nutshell, the power of etiquette is how you make other people feel.

And in today’s instant, digital world, it matters more than ever. “There’s a huge need for it in modern life. That is what we are needing right now in the workplace, in our schools and our relationships.”

Sirimanne has had a lifetime of preparation that started at his grandmother’s knee. “Growing up my grandmother Roslyn was a huge inspiration for me. She was a great believer in doing the right thing and following rules.”

When he was 14, she gave him a book on etiquette sparking his initial interest. He read more books and was asked to teach his younger siblings and cousins the art of setting a table and graceful dining. “It all started from there.”

Call it the neuroscience of oxytocin, “it’s my oxygen. It’s in my DNA,” says Sirimanne of his passion to teach and empower people to make a positive impact.

Widely-travelled, Siri- manne gained exposure from prestigious luxury hotel/hospitality companies in Sri Lanka, Maldives and Dubai, including Burj Al Arab, Dubai (the world’s only 7-Star hotel) and Atlantis, The Palm-Dubai (5 Star iconic hotel with 1539 rooms). His first job was at a five-star luxury lake resort in Sri Lanka where the presidential suite rate was $24,000 a night. He is a graduate in hotel and hospitality management; holds a Masters in Business Administration; a Master Trainer Certificate from The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management

(EAHM) in Dubai; and a WSET Level 2 certificate in wines and spirits.

“My passion is to have people experience a well lived life by embracing good values and practice them where everybody wins. That’s the world we want to create and commit to develop.”

“First impressions matter at any age. When we teach our children to behave courteously and attentively toward others, we equip them with valuable tools that help them thrive in any social scenario.”

Etiquette Matters offers training for adults and children via private consultations, group courses, workshops and seminars through corporations, hotels, clubs, associations, and schools, colleges and universities. Programs cover business etiquette/protocol, children and teen etiquette, art of dining and more.

Sirimanne plans to conduct some free workshops for the community.

For more information see: www.etiquettematters.ca email: etiquettemattersca@gmail.com