Treating People Well
The Extraordinary Power of Civility at Work and in Life

A guide to personal and professional empowerment through civility and social skills by two White House Social Secretaries who offer an important fundamental message—everyone is important and everyone deserves to be treated well.Part etiquette, part leadership, part personal empowerment, Treating People Well is a guide to developing social skills in order to build more successful relationships in life and at work. Manners and etiquette are more relevant than ever in today’s technology burdened, politically contentious world, that has left many people feeling disconnected and uncomfortable in their interactions with others. Written by two former White House Social Secretaries, Treating People Well provides the tools we need to live each day more positively and forge connections based on trust and mutual respect. Packed with intriguing behind-the-scenes anecdotes and sensible, easy-to-follow advice, Treating People Well explains how to develop confidence, be consistent, use humor, listen deliberately, radiate calm, resolve conflicts quickly, be honest but never cruel, cultivate loyalty, own your mistakes, work with difficult people, and attend to details. Lea Berman and Jeremy Bernard worked for very different administrations (Lea for George and Laura Bush and Jeremy, for the Obamas), but their White House experience was strikingly similar. They realized that social skills, such as charm, humor, and grace are teachable life lessons and can make you an invaluable member of any team. Lea and Jeremy honed skills over years of working in the most charged workplace possible. If their strategies were effective at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, they’ll be effective anywhere.