Meet Elizabeth - "I Did It - So Can You!"

When I was a university fundraising director and a nonprofit development manager, I hosted hundreds of business dinners and cocktail hours. Over the years, I came to the disturbing realization that many guests feel awkward at these events, because they were never taught people skills.

Last year, I changed my career and enrolled at the Protocol School of Washington. I wanted to learn the art and science of social connection, so I could teach young adults and business professionals. The ability to connect with others and make them feel at ease — one of the most crucial skills in today’s workplace — is not formally taught in schools. It can start with something as simple as how you enter a room. Standing tall and making eye contact shows your brand as a person, and how you do business. Same thing goes for how gracefully you enter and exit conversations, how confidently you introduce yourself and how you conduct business over a meal. Years later, clients won’t remember what was said at a business lunch, but they will remember how you carried yourself and whether they liked you.

There’s certain people who can walk into a room and make everyone feel good. When you meet them, they leave an impression that makes you say, “Gosh, I really want to get to know them more.” That’s what I’m passionate about — teaching others how to make that connection. I call it “leading with grace.”

Elizabeth Clifton is a 2015 Graduate of Train to be a Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol Consultant. She can be reached at elizabethclifton@me.com