Professionals came to my house this morning and salted their food before tasting – and I didn’t even serve breakfast.

Good manners also make good business sense. We all prefer to work with those who are polite, tactful and even compassionate. Conversely, if you use poor judgement about the clothing you wear, if you speak crudely, make serious grammatical errors, turn in sloppy work, or if you are awkward and tongue-tied in business related social gatherings, you will be less likely to be promoted than the self-assured man or woman whose behavior and work reflect well on the company. – From the Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette: Entirely Rewritten and Updated by Nancy Tuckerman and Nancy Dunnan, p. 459

Professionals who would consider it unsavory (and even sexual harassment) to ask their boss if they plan on having unprotected sex the next time their wife is ovulating somehow think that when they are speaking to a client who has a number of small children that such a question is appropriate.

“Are you done having children?” or “Are you going to have more?” are merely euphemisms for the same question.

If a client’s children are present, it does not matter if you have all of your glossy paperwork in place, your nails neatly manicured, and all the lastest gadgetry. Long, disapproving, impatient sighs served up with comments like “You really have your hands full” are the quickest way to lose respect of a client whose priority is their family.

What many professionals forget is that their clients are an extension of their workplace.

Such comments to clients are not only inappropriate, but unprofessional.

If a person’s priority is their family – and whose isn’t – it also follows that any services requested of the professional will support this priority. If you insult the goals and priorities of the client, you will lose your client.

The way to a parent’s heart is by showing kindness to their children.

Sweet morsels of compassion that will make a client invite you back and tell her friends about you include getting down on one knee and speaking to her children at their eye level. It means being considerate of her schedule for her household and of her time – prepare ahead of time.

It means offering a blessing instead of a put-down: “You are a great parent.” “I commend you for staying at home to care for your children.” If you do these things, you’ll have her eating out of your hand – and she may even overlook it when you have to scramble to produce the necessary paperwork.