Business is about people. There is no shortage of competent and reliable people in the business world and manners can make the difference. Etiquette is the set of conventional rules of personal behavior in polite society. Manners are described as either good manners or as bad manners to indicate to a person whether or not his or her behavior is acceptable to the cultural group. These concepts are vital in life and in business. As times change, so do social norms for personal and professional behavior, but that doesn't mean the basics don’t matter. Performance and quality are important but not exclusively.

With so many people working from home, privacy has taken on an added dimension: the privacy of information from the ordinary, everyday intrusion by family or colleagues. There is, for instance, the loss of privacy when your colleagues overhear you arguing with your family, or see what you read on the bookshelves behind you. Or the loss of privacy when your family can see what’s on your computer or how you handled your calls. Working from home or having a home based business requires a strategy. You have the obligation to protect your private life and at the same time protect your company information.

A positive attitude is something that goes deeper and has an effect beyond surface cheer. Try to connect with people who like their job, have new ideas, and are interested in lots of other things besides work. It’ll make your whole outlook better.