Etiquette

The importance of dealing with rudeness elegantly 

Elegance is not a word that is widely used nowadays- or even popular. To many, elegance contrasts with the feminist ideals many women conform to today. We live in a society where traits such as kindness, tact and being feminine is associated with the woman of yesterday-the ideal housewife who was viewed as the subordinate within the family setting. It is associated with a weak woman without an opinion. This, however, is far from the truth.

Whether we are in the workplace, among friends or in the general public, being elegant is not limited to looks. Elegance is a quality that we always want people to associate us with. This can prove to be quite challenging when we find ourselves in awkward and challenging situations. It is easier to retaliate in kind when we feel disrespected or backed against the wall. However, it takes more strength and poise to react in the opposite way. Read on to see how to deal with rude people whilst maintaining composure and elegance.

Don’t be hasty to respond elegantly 

Sometimes when we feel we are being disrespected; we want to defend ourselves. We also want to respond in a way that gives the impression that we are not one to be walked over. This is understandable. However, it is essential that we never stoop lower than we already stand. Oftentimes, when we fail to respond as expected, we put the aggressor in a corner and they often end up feeling small.  This is not how to deal with situations elegantly.

Stay Calm

No response is better than a rude one.

Talk in turns

There is nothing more irritating and inelegant than speaking over another person. Not only are issues not solved this way, it often exacerbates problems and increases tension. Always speak once the other person has finished speaking as engaging in unconstructive arguments is never a classy thing to do.

Refrain from associating with argumentative people

These kinds of people have their own insecurities which they are taking out on you. It is best not to entertain such arguments and if you do, ensure that your responses are constructive otherwise you could simply end up wasting your time.