Friends and blog followers, please welcome Deborah King, President and Founder of Final Touch to the blog. Deborah has made it a personal mission to increase awareness of the importance of civility in our communities and in our every day lives. Read in Deborah’s own words about the importance of civility, something I hope is one of your ‘style constants.’
Civility in Action
Civility is demonstrated in small daily acts of kindness, done without fanfare, that create the fabric of a healthy society. Civility in action is experienced when a person places their trash in a garage can, drives without being distracted by texting or talking on their cell phone, fully listens to every person they are in conversation with, speaks well of others, avoids asking personal questions, responds to phone calls, emails and RSVPS, is on time for meetings and events, is kind to animals, avoids constant complaining, thinks before they speak, respects the opinion of others – especially when they differ from your own, expresses gratitude to others, and is quick to apologize when they have wronged another person.
Civility Simply Stated
Acts of civility happen when we treat others with care and consideration.
Think First of the Other Person
Civility deals with how we view and treat others. It requires us to look beyond our own interests and look to the interests and well being of others. Dr. P.M. Forni, author of Choosing Civility – The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct, describes civility as a code of behavior that is based on respect, restraint, and responsibility. These are values that cross all socio-economic and cultural lines. For too long our society has laid aside personal restraint in how we choose to dress, speak and behave. If it felt good to me, that was all that mattered. This thought process is certain to end in rude behavior that disrespects others in favor of personal good.
Hold Captive Your Thoughts
Daily acts of civility begin before you even get out of bed. In order to act in a civil manner, you must embrace thoughts of goodwill toward others. You must believe that your actions, no matter how small, make a difference in the world. Your life is ultimately linked with others.
The Benefits of Civility
A civil person enjoys many benefits. They find it easier to create and maintain relationships, enjoy greater satisfaction in the daily tasks of life, enjoy greater success in their career, and better overall health. Studies reveal that the stress caused by acts of incivility in the workplace cost US corporations $300 billion dollars per year. It pays to be civil!
Increasing Your Own Civility
How can you increase your own civility? Raise your awareness of those around you and think about everything you do and say and how it may impact them. As we know, we cannot change other people; we can only change our own behavior. My daughter often comments how being kind takes such little effort, and yet, produces a significant difference in making the world a better place. I could not agree more!
“Respect is not something you demand from others; respect is something you model for others.” Deborah King