Why I Struggled with an Office Etiquette Quiz (and Why You Might Too)

The questions weren’t difficult because they were obscure. They were difficult because the answer choices were nuanced. Familiar situations. Competing priorities. No obvious “right” response. When I finished, I had answered six out of ten correctly.  And I had to think carefully about nearly every one.

The score didn’t bother me. The hesitation interested me.

What the quiz captured—intentionally or not—is how much business etiquette has evolved. These weren’t questions about manners in the traditional sense. They were questions about judgment. Context. Awareness and Presence. All leadership attributes.

“It Depends”

In many of the quiz question scenarios, the most honest response wasn’t a clear yes or no. It was, “It depends.”

• It depends on the situation.
• It depends on the people involved.
• It depends on the stakes, the culture, and the signals being sent.

That’s not indecision. That’s discernment.

In my coaching work, I see this same dynamic play out every day. Leaders aren’t usually struggling because they don’t know the rules. They struggle because the rules don’t account for context—and context is where leadership lives.

The Etiquette Quiz sparked more debate than agreement for a reason. When workplace expectations shift faster than habits, “correct” answers become less useful than thoughtful questions.

That’s what this post, and the ones that follow are about.

I recommend taking the quiz yourself. (Use the blue button below). Not to ace it, but to notice where you pause. Those moments of hesitation are often where insight begins.

In the posts ahead, I’ll explore a few of the themes the quiz surfaced

• Phones in meetings
• Cameras on or off
• Intent versus impact
• Germophobia

Not to declare what’s right or wrong, but to examine what your decision depends on.

Bottom Line

Office etiquette is no longer about manners.  It’s about awareness, judgment, and presence.