In these situations, etiquette is vital for keeping your sense of humor and your self-esteem intact. There’s more to good etiquette than knowing which fork to use at dinner – it helps you survive social interactions at home, work, school, and everywhere Life is full of moments when you don’t know how to act or how to handle yourself in front of other people. But etiquette is not a behavior that you should just turn on and off. This stuffy French word that translates into “getting along with others” allows you to put people at ease, make them feel good about a situation, and even improve your reputation.