Manners Maketh Man

Manners Maketh Man/Woman. William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England (1324–1404), sometime after 1350 adopted this phrase as his personal motto and added it to his coat of arms: manners makyth man. It is also the motto of the institutions he founded at Winchester College and New College at Oxford. The phrase was famously used by Harry Hart (Colin Firth) In Kingsman: The Secret Service, and implied that there is a deeper code of honor and behavior that should guide one’s actions.

I thought about this phrase after reading a July 19, 2025 Vox article by Alex Abad-Santos: The real reason everyone’s so mad over the Gen Z stare. While it is a recounting of typical and exhausting inter-generational gripes, it does touch upon an interesting concept, self-objectification. Tara Well, a professor at Barnard College, explains it as a psychological phenomenon “where people see themselves as an object or solely by their physical appearances, and begin to see other people as objects and images.” She posits that endless scrolling on social media causes us to lose our connection with others at a basic human level, and just see people as an image or concept. They stare at you blankly because you are no more than an Insta post, and no one says please and thank you to an app.

For the first time in history, there are five generations working together in the modern workforce: Silent Generation (1925 to 1945), Boomers (1946 to 1964), Gen X (1965 to 1980), Millennials (1981 to 2000), and Gen Z (2001 to 2020). Each of these generations has a vastly different formative experience, and their views on “appropriate” behavior vary greatly. While no single generation will ever corner the market on appropriateness, the modern workplace does create a baseline for normative behaviors, and that sets the bar for success.

Generations aside, professional etiquette is never going away and enculturation is necessary for those entering the workplace. But it must also be fostered by those who lead and reinforced by every cohort. At its foundation, treating everyone with respect, being punctual, and communicating effectively are non-negotiable. Active listening, allowing others to share their ideas without interruption or judgement, and providing constructive feedback creates higher levels of psychological safety. Respect, kindness, and courtesy build trust and strong relationships.

Manners maketh man implies that your manners, character, and conduct define who you are. Politeness, civility, and deportment are essential qualities that shape your identity and how you are perceived by others. They are what distinguish you, for better or for worse.