28 Jul Meet Cynthia Lett
Cynthia Lett is currently the only etiquette & protocol expert holding both the Certified Etiquette Professional (CEP) and Certified Protocol Professional (CPP) in the world. These are designations earned by examination through the International Society of Protocol & Etiquette Professionals. Since 1983, her expertise has been as a professional consultant in Business & Social Etiquette, Business & Social Entertaining, International Protocol and Executive Communications Skills and International Meeting Planning.
She has been a seminar speaker and coach around the world – teaching and advising on these subjects. She offers private and corporate consultation and seminars on the power skills necessary to compete in the international business arena. Clients include major universities, Fortune 500 companies, international associations and savvy professionals from all levels of the corporate ladder. She taught the Masters level course, “Business Protocol” for the George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs for seven years.
Ms. Lett is the principal of The Lett Group (www.lettgroup.com) and the founder and Executive Director of the International Society of Protocol & Etiquette Professionals (www.ispep.org) . She is the host of It’s APROPOS!- an Internet talk show on the Success Channel at www.successtalk.com. Her blogs are fromthedeskofcynthialett.com and etiquettepro.wordpress.com. Her new non-profit foundation, Etiquette in School Foundation has the mission of bringing etiquette training back to the classroom as part of the syllabus rather than as an after-school activity for Kindergarten through High School. The websitewww.etiquetteinschool.org will be active after the first of the year. Ms. Lett is a regular on-air contributor to Fox News Channel, Fox Business Channel, Retirement Living Channel and various radio talk shows nationwide. As a frequent contributor to trade and business publications she ranks as one of the most widely quoted etiquette and protocol experts in the United States of America.
Since 1983 and still- Ms. Lett is PRESIDENT & OWNER of Creative Planning International (www.creativeplanning.com) – a consulting firm specializing in producing meetings and events for corporations and associations internationally. In this capacity Ms. Lett has planned over 2,400 meetings of 5-4,000 participants for corporations and associations in 102 countries. In 1987 she produced a training program for other meeting planners in how to plan international meetings. She has been featured and quoted in publications such as The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek (US and Japan issues), The Age Education Magazine, Office.com, Prime Life, FSB: Corporate Gift-Giving 101, Meetings & Conventions, The Business Journal, SGMP NATCAP, Pioneer Living (A made for PBS special), Phone + Magazine, and not to forget Entrepreneur Magazine, The Harvard Business Review, Ohio Business Review, Training and Development Journal, CIO Magazine and others. During 1990, Ms. Lett was lauded by the Wall Street Journal after she planned and executed a groundbreaking 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. Some of Creative Planning International’s clients have included Wall Street Journal, A. T. & T., MCI Telecommunications Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, U.S.Department of State, McKinsey and Company, McDonalds International, Duracell International, Security Pacific among others.
For two years, Ms. Lett served as Director of Meeting Services for American Healthcare Institute responsible for over 1800 meetings each year. Thereafter, she worked for three years as Chief of Protocol and Manager, Corporate Events and Meetings at MCI Communications Corporation. For the past twenty three years, she has been a frequent speaker at various association conventions and local association meetings on the subjects of International Protocol and Business Etiquette.
Her first book was a collaboration with Brian Tracy (marketing guru) and Stephen A. Covey (business acumen guru) called Mission Possible. Her next books titled “Lett’s Talk! – Etiquette Dilemmas and How to Resolve Them” and “That’s So Annoying! – Everyone’s Pet Peeves about Everyone Else” will be out this coming Spring.
Ms. Lett holds a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) (Hospitality Law) degree from Antioch School of Law, Washington, D.C. and Bachelor degrees in Restaurant, Hotel, & Institutional Management (B.S) and Public Relations (B.A.) from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. She has also earned a certificate in Adult Learning Techniques from The George Washington University.
Professionally, Ms. Lett is an active member of the American Society for Training and Development; National Speakers Association; National Speakers Association- Washington, DC Chapter; Women Business Owners;; and past member of the Professional Convention Management Association; 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.
In September, 2007, Ms. Lett was honored by her alma-mater, Purdue University, Department of Hotel & Tourism Management by being chosen as a Distinguished Darden Professor.
Watch for our new projects:
On-line webinars covering various aspects of business acumen and business etiquette. Included will be Disability Etiquette, Procrastination, Networking Experts and The Etiquette of Religion®