Showing off our Savoir Faire

We all (at times) wish we had that special flair, that look that entices or that throaty laugh. As well as that may turn a head or two, it does not always do well in the work place. No there we have to have something even better. Savoir Faire! You know, the ability to say or do the right or graceful thing. Well it may be a french term but it is a southern lady tradition. And being a Texan I know that we may talk horse sense but we do use our southern charms.

You can also use that art to help you out at work. Or anywhere else. Dealing with the other car pool moms for bus duty, negotiating a good deal when we need the house re-roofed or at church while organizing that fifth Sunday luncheon. Our lives as wives and moms is a business. It is our most precious business, raising our family and caring for our homes. And this can all be accomplished with finesse. Then there are so many of us wearing duel hats (often with a feather or two in them) that also work outside of the home. Now these women really do have to make her very own Savoir Faire work for her.

If you also wish to have life run just a bit smoother then you may want to read Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire by Mireille Guiliano. Yes, you remember her from French Women Don't Get Fat. In Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire, Mireille draws on her experiences to give women the practical advice they need to make work part of a well-balanced life. Mireille gives us lively lessons, stories, and helpful hints. And she teaches us how to identify our own passions and talents, improve communication skills, balance work and life. I know that these are skills we can all use both in the workplace and at home too.

Here are some of my favorite notes from Mireille that we can use both in business and at home.

• Today if you want to stand out in business, write thank you notes. People remember.
• Know thyself. What ever it is, you need to recognize it and exploit it. Be the person you are. Work with what you have.
• The harsh reality is that women in the workplace are judged on their looks a lot more than men.
  
• Time priority management is a key to success and happiness.
• It's imperative to make time each day to let go of judgmental thinking and live in the moment.
• Sleep is the most neglected state of being in American life. We think we can cut corners, push ourselves to the limit, but we're only fooling ourselves.
• Being comfortable with ourselves is a better indicator of "success" than the handbag we carry, but that bag or our ability to own it is often tied to our self-actualization and identity.
• Life is not a rehearsal, so whatever you choose to do, it is good if your heart is in it. (My favorite quote.)