#EtiquetteWithEti: Why you should greet people even if you don’t like them

Is it necessary to always greet people even if you don’t like them?

The answer is Yes! Because, when you act in a civilised manner, you do it for yourself.

Greeting others exudes self-confidence! It shows courage and this is irrespective of age, gender or status.

When you walk into a group of people, saying “hello” and acknowledging even the “least” person in the group is simply charismatic.

You should greet everyone you come in contact with. A greeting could be a friendly wave, a nod, a “hello”, a smile, a “good morning” etc.

In informal situations, a “Hello” is a polite and acceptable form of greeting, but in formal situations, a “Good morning” accompanied by the person’s name, addressed with their social titles, eg. “Good morning Mr. Kunle” is an acceptable form of greeting.

Before you ask a random person for a favour, greet them.

Before you pay the cashier, say hello to them.

Before you place an order at a restaurant, greet the wait staff. Most times, they’ll greet you first. Endeavour to respond to the greeting before proceeding with your order.

Acknowledging people shows respect and “respect is reciprocal”. To this effect, a younger person or a subject should always acknowledge the presence of it’s superior by endeavouring to greet them first.

On the other hand, two wrongs don’t make a right. If someone failed to greet you, irrespective of age or status, there could be uncountable reasons why they did, and it might not have been intentional as we’re most times emotionally overwhelmed. So, if this happens, be the mature person and greet them.

Let’s be kind! Let’s show love!

Keep it classy always.