Polished etiquette and decorum are critical to leadership today

Members of Parliament in a fistfight after Speaker Moses Wetangula ruled on the Majority representation in the National Assembly. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

A debate has been raging over the conduct of senior leaders in various public spaces. None other than President William Ruto pronounced himself on this matter, calling on leaders to demonstrate more polished etiquette while dining, so as to avoid personal and public embarrassment. The President, therefore, called on senior leaders to undergo training to polish their etiquette.

Etiquette is generally defined as the conventional rules of personal behaviour in a polite society. It is about being well-mannered, courteous, and showing respect for each other. The Oxford dictionary further distinguishes between etiquette and manners, with etiquette defined as the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group. Manners, however, refer to the outward bearing or way of behaving towards others.