As we live, eat, work, grow and socialize together 24 hours a day, it does make sense we continue to reinforce the basic rules for how to treat one another respectfully. Under no pretense is this meant to be preaching, it is simply a reminder of our times. Thank you matters. You are welcome is appreciated. Please is polite. I understand does not mean you agree, it means you listened.
Civil nations have rules and expectations on how to interact through defined customs. How we greet each other, open conversations and end our discourse are all ways to show our civility. Agree to disagree, we can also always choose to end our interaction with respect.
Governing rules of how we are expected to interact with one another help us all live with some order. We have attempted to assign rules of social behavior based on principles of etiquette. Read a good Emily Post article lately?
We have golden rules that are taught in almost every religion. Treat others as you want to be treated yourself. We have rules surrounding global conflicts, we have rules of order for meetings and legal proceedings, we have rules we follow in business and school. We also have assumed rules for how we can politely and respectfully engage each other. We have even gone so far as to teach these principles in schools, churches and other institutions. Applying them is when it really counts!
Thank you. Please. You’re Welcome. Going beyond the rehearsed pleasantries, we also have defined ways of showing appreciation and gratitude. I understand. I appreciate your help. I am grateful. Very civil ways to engage with each other.
Recently, I was at a service counter and the person asked me, “How are you today?” I replied, “Great! How are you?” There was no response. Then he stopped and starred at me for a good 20 seconds. He said, “No one ever asks me how I am doing, so I am a little shocked.” He was a young teenager, probably working his first or second job. He had been properly trained to say the words. No one finished his lessons in civility, that polite expression that says I really cared about how you are doing today. Why? Every person he had asked never cared to respectfully ask him how he was doing.
As we look to speed up how we interact in real-time, access information in nanoseconds and connect with each other around the world, maybe we need to have some basic reviews of 21st century civility. Thank you. You’re Welcome. Please. Good-Bye. Hello. They are universal. How are you? Can I help you? I appreciate your understanding. They all seem to have use around the world. Maybe if we continue to focus on what we all know is respectful we can accomplish more — together.
As our society enters into greater opportunities to engage with each other, look for more examples of respectful human interaction. Share these examples. Teach others. Respond to the question, how are you doing today. Rudeness is ugly. We accomplish nothing when we are less than civil. We don’t teach anyone. We seem to not care. Being right, only matters to you. Being responsive, appreciative and polite matters to everyone. If we start with respect, maybe we can have a good social relationship with everyone. It’s worth a try.
Thanks for listening. I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
Jamie Glass, Outsourced CMO and President of Artful Thinkers, a strategic sales and marketing consulting company and Sales & Marketing Services Managing Director at CKS Advisors.
