Business Etiquette/Addressing Mr. President

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Expert: - 1/2/2009


Question
QUESTION: Is it not improper to call the sitting President of the USA by MR. followed with the surname unless it is Mr. President.

ANSWER: Dear Mr. Terry:
You are correct. A sitting president is called Mr.President or President Bush.  He will become Mr.Bush as soon as he leaves office, never to be addressed as President Bush again.  Former presidents love to keep hearing their name with President in front of it after they leave office and the press doesn't know any better.  If you read the papers, you would think that Bill Clinton has been president for the past eight years as well as President Bush.  The first lady is also supposed to be called Mrs. First Lady but I have not heard or seen the press do that correctly either.

Thank you for your question.
Cynthia Lett

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I wrote to Peter Baker of The New York times the following: It is improper to call Obama by Mr. Obama. You have two choices:  Senator or President Elect. He wrote back: Thank you for taking the time to write and share your thoughts. New York Times style is to refer to presidents (and presidents-elect) with the Mr. honorific on second reference. Thus President Bush is Mr. Bush on second reference and President Clinton was Mr. Clinton and so forth. It's been that way for a long time and Times style is set by editors far above my pay grade. If you think they should change that, you may want to write to the editors. Thanks for the feedback. Happy holidays. Best, Peter
What are your commits regarding his reply?  

Answer
Dear Mr. Terry:
I think it is very nice that Peter Baker responded to your comments.  Isn't it interesting that organizations feel they can change protocol just because it sounds better to them. Rules are supposed to be followed when dealing with protocol issues.  The point is to give proper respect to a person's position - not sound good on paper.
My instinct is that the New York Times isn't going to listen to anyone about anything they do (they haven't up until now) so further discussion with them would prove a waste of time.
It is nice to know that you know the right way to do it.

Happy New Year!
All the best,
Cynthia Lett

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Cynthia W. Lett

Expertise

Author of "That's So Annoying - An Etiquette Expert On The World's Most Irritating Habits And What To Do About Them" . One of the few Certified Etiquette Professionals (CEP) and Certified Protocol Professionals(CPP) earned by examination through the International Society of Protocol & Etiquette Professionals (www.ispep.org). I will be happy to answer your questions about business or social etiquette, international customs or protocol issues.

Experience

Ms. Lett has trained over 100 etiquette professionals worldwide to teach the subject to professionals and children. She has worked in 102 countries and is expert in doing business in unfamiliar cultures. Ms. Lett is principal of The Lett Group since 1983. Professionally, Ms. Lett is the founder of and serves as Executive Director of the International Society of Protocol & Etiquette Professionals headquartered in Washington, DC.

Organizations
University Club of Washington, DC She is an active member of the National Speakers Association, American Society for Training and Development; Women Business Owners; Professional Convention Management Association; and past member of the American Society of Association Executives; Foundation for International Meetings (Board of Governors 1986-1987). She was elected into Who's Who of American Women; Who's Who of Advertising Executives; 2000 Notable American Women; Who's Who of the World's Women; Who's Who of U.S. Executives and Who's Who of the World.

Publications
Ms.Lett is the author of "That's So Annoying: An Etiquette Expert On The World's Most Irritating Habits And What To Do About Them" available wherever books are sold and at www.thatssoannoyingbook.com. She has been featured and quoted in publications such as Successful Meetings, Meetings and Conventions, Meeting News, Business Travel News, Washington Business Journal, Washington Post, New York Times, Regardies Magazine, Wall Street Journal, The Robb Report, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Harvard Business Review, Ohio Business Review, Training and Development Journal, CIO Magazine and others

Education/Credentials
Certified Protocol Professional Certified Etiquette Professional Certificate: Adult Learning Techniques - George Washington University Master-Legal Studies - Antioch School of Law BS - Restaurant, Hotel & Institutional Management - Purdue University BA - Public Relations / Interpersonal Communications - Purdue University

Awards and Honors
Distinguished Darden Professor - Purdue University

Past/Present Clients
During 1990, Ms. Lett planned a series of Business Exchange meetings in the Soviet Union for entrepreneurs from the United States who wished to learn about joint ventures with the Soviets in many different fields. She is featured in the PBS special – Pioneer Living – as the protocol expert. Ms. Lett is also the etiquette expert for the Fine Living Channel and currently featured in Survival Guide – Office Etiquette. She is also a frequent expert on etiquette issues for Fox Cable News.

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