DINING WITH THE GOVERNOR GENERAL
Governor General Adrienne Clarkson celebrates and dines with Image International President Diane Craig. Our first two questions were promptly answered:

"Was I nervous? You bet," Diane says.

Does etiquette training pay off in situations like this? "Mais oui!"

The occasion? On December 1, Her Excellency presented Diane and 46 other outstanding Canadians with Meritorious Service Decorations in recognition of exceptional deeds or activities that brought honour to their communities or to Canada as a whole.

Some of the recipients were soldiers who demonstrated unusual valour. Among the heroes was an RCMP officer who saved several lives by landing his helicopter on the edge of a cliff to rescue several people; not once but three times. Another recipient evacuated refugees at airports all over the world.

And Diane? She was recognized for her courageous development of Sandrine's Gift, an international organ-donation awareness campaign that she launched after her own daughter, Sandrine, was a victim of a fatal school bus accident four years ago at the age of 11. (For more, visit Sandrine's Gift).

It was a splendid and serious occasion, and now Diane and the other recipients can place the coveted letters M.S.M after their names.

But still, an etiquette question arises: Because the Governor General's house rivals Buckingham ceremony, how did the etiquette expert Diane handle the affair? "Was I nervous?" Diane responds with characteristic smile, "You bet I was." However she also realized that her training in etiquette allowed her to relax, confident that she was acting appropriately, and, she adds, it also let her to make the most of the reception where she mingled with the dignitaries and other heroes.

We caught up with Diane after the affair and asked a few more questions.

What did you wear?
Diane: "A good quality business suit, nothing sparkly or flashy since it was a luncheon".

Whom did you sit with?
Diane: "I sat with the private secretary to the Governor General Ms. Barbara Uteck. As a guest, I invited Marie Pierre from my office. Because she attended our business etiquette seminar and dining skills programs, I knew she would be just fine. While I was taken to a different room before the ceremony, Marie Pierre had the opportunity to meet the other guests. After the ceremony, I realized she had applied all her skills, so many came to introduce themselves and told me that they had a lovely chat with her."

What was it like talking with these extraordinary Canadians?
Diane: "This was a wonderful event. And because of what some of these people did, you can actually feel quite small.[Here, Diane mentioned the helicopter pilot and refugee expert] It was quite sobering to hear about their stories, but because of what I teach-, I was able to feel comfortable and chat. Even though they have done great things, some people are not small-talk experts and feel very uncomfortable in social situations and even more so because a great part of the event is all about them. To make the most out of these events, you have to work the room. And it is work.

You have to go out of your way to find out about others, make them feel comfortable; the best attitude is to adapt the one of a host instead of the one of the guest. When you have a party, you want to make sure you say hello to everyone and make sure no one is left by themselves. After the ceremony and before lunch, there was a cocktail reception. Even though it was a luncheon, some women wore long gowns or sequin dresses. That was quite surprising since the invitation did call for business suit or uniforms and decorations."

We have to ask. Did people know everything about etiquette or could some of them use a bit of help?
Diane: There were eight people at our table and I could tell some were quite uncomfortable and not sure what fork to use, whether to accept wine or not, they just looked so ill at ease. But, I can tell you that pressure mounted when I was introduced by Ms. Uteck who then added that I was an etiquette consultant. I never like telling what I do because people then become so conscious of their table manners and this is when they start making even more mistakes. On the other hand, I noticed how confident Marie Pierre seemed even though she is only 22 years old and not someone who has had the opportunity to dine in such formal surroundings. Throughout the meal, I could not help but think how this could have been more pleasurable for many who attended if they knew for sure what they were doing was what they were supposed to do. Many did the right things, but without confirmation it can be just as bad. You think you are doing the right thing and you are but because you are not sure, it is just as uncomfortable.

Sounds like a memorable experience:
Diane: I was proud to be there and proud to be a Canadian.

The Governor-General's luncheon wasn't the only excitement for Diane. In mid November, Diane was presented with a Bronze Award by the Greater Otttawa Chamber of Commerce for 2003 Business Person of the Year. Phew!

WE LEARN FROM OUR CLIENTS, TOO

Here are a few of the great things clients have said about us. Better yet; they said them to us. It's another lesson: Never underestimate the power of positive feedback.

Dear Diane:
I would like to thank you for the time I spent with you last week. I found it extremely helpful. I have been reading all the information you gave me, it is a lot to absorb. I realize that I was totally unaware of many of the details you pointed out to me".

The colour swatches you gave me are so incredibly helpful and the lipstick colour you chose for me is perfect. I love it!

I went "shopping" on the weekend to try to look at clothes critically. I was able to evaluate some items easily, but unsure about others that I liked. My next step is to plan a day in Ottawa so that we could go shopping together. I believe this will pull everything together for me. I look forward to continue working with you. It feels good to know I am now on the right track.

Dianne Anderson
Toronto, Ontario

And this one

Dear Diane: Last year I took your One-day Business Etiquette Course at the Rideau Club. I just wanted to let you know how beneficial I found the course to be. It taught me how to properly network at a business function, what type of phone message to have on my voice mail, and to how to handle a business luncheon. Being a woman, I always found it awkward when inviting a male client to lunch. For example, how to pay for lunch without making the other person feel uncomfortable, when I should or should not be paying for lunch, ordering food and finally, proper table manners. Furthermore, if I have a memory lapse and forget some of these important details, I have your manual and C.D. as a reference guide.

In closing, it is all these details that make a difference in my business working as a real estate agent. Clients have commented on how they like to work with me, they do not know just exactly what it is, but I know; it is paying attention to all the small details that builds the entire picture. I would highly recommend your course to anyone who is thinking of raising their business image to a higher profile.

Christine Jekel
Real Estate Sales Representative
Commvesco Levinson-Viner Group
Ottawa, Ontario