“In point of fact, we are all born rude. No infant ever appeared yet with the grace to understand how inconsiderate it is to disturb others in the middle of the night,” according to Judith Martin, also known as Miss Manners.

Most of us were brought up with some semblance of good manners. It seems all too often that manners are a forgotten art. Have you ever given any thought about proper meeting etiquette?

Some things are so simple and so easily forgotten. Greet people at the meeting, introduce yourself and don’t rely on your nametag. Smile as if you mean it; do this often enough and you will.

Be on time. And just as you are prompted to do in the movies, silence your cell phone. Either turn it off or set it on vibrate. Pay attention to the presenters. Multi-tasking not only defeats the purpose of a conference, it is downright rude.

Snacks and beverages are often served during a meeting. Clean up after yourself. If you have to slip out of the meeting for any reason, do so unobtrusively. But avoid it if you can.

Courtesy costs nothing and often defuses a potentially unpleasant situation. The manners your mother instilled in you can be the foundation to a professional, pleasant attitude.