Don't Make These Etiquette Blunders! How to Navigate 'Awkward Moments' | Alison Cheperdak

From Problematic Women by The Daily Signal

March 14, 2026 · 37 min

About this episode

Alison Cheperdak discusses practical tools for navigating awkward social situations and the importance of etiquette in everyday life.

Knowing which fork to use or when to put your napkin on your lap at a formal dinner is important, but etiquette extends far beyond galas and black-tie weddings, according to Alison Cheperdak. Etiquette is “ultimately about kindness and respect and integrity and leading a life with compassion where you see the dignity in every human person, including yourself,” Cheperdak, the founder of Elevate Etiquette, says. An important part of practicing etiquette is slowing down enough to listen to the person in front of you and ask engaging questions, she explains. We’ve all been there — standing in the break room at work trying to think of something to say to the coworker you don’t know well, or awkwardly trying to excuse yourself from a stale conversation at a party. These are the situations Cheperdak provides practical tools for navigating in her new book, “Was It Something I Said?: Everyday Etiquette to Avoid Awkward Moments in Relationships, Work and Life.” Cheperdak joins “Problematic Women” to share her favorite tools for navigating some of life’s most common and awkward social settings. Plus, she explains how she is using her etiquette knowledge to train White House interns and what…

People in this episode

Host: Virginia Allen

Guest: Alison Cheperdak

Topics covered

etiquette
social skills
communication
professionalism

Keywords

awkward moments
formal dinner
kindness
respect
compassion

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Was It Something I Said?

Books & works: Was It Something I Said?, Problematic Women, Was It, Was It Something