“Constant uncertainty about our identities and our future seems at times our only certainty. Long-established values seem obsolete, but to agree on what the new ones should be seems a daunting task….in fact the notion of standards itself has become problematic.” P.M. Forni, Co-founder, Johns Hopkins Civility Project
Bullying, poor safety standards, swearing, workplace violence, illegal business practices, insufficient health benefits, overworking issues, marginalizing, inequity in pay structures, sexual harassment, discrimination, favoritism, lying, fraud, wrongful termination, lateness, disrespect for cultural difference, poor communication, employee theft, embezzlement, poor leadership, office politics, laziness, insubordination, falsifying documents, illicit workplace relationships, unprofessional conduct, inferior customer service…..these are just a few indications of the current, almost pandemic levels of incivility in America.
We are in the midst of a very serious civility crisis. Left unchecked, the outcomes of incivility spreads like a rampant virus and the impact is measurable and significant. Rudeness costs- time, money, energy, confidence, human assets, integrity, relationships, morale, morality, values, communication, common sense, productivity, and organizational profit. So why aren’t we doing something about it?
I for one am choosing civility- officially! I’ve been traveling and teaching and writing, reading, researching the topic for almost 12 years, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past dozen years, but, I want more. So I am now on a mission to recruit others to actively choose civility, and to encourage others to do so. I’m interested in how you think we can work together to make the world- starting with our homes, schools, workplaces and communities kinder places. One fantastic example of this is the Because it Matters initiative funded by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation in Venice, Florida. Take a look at their site and please send me your thoughts. www.becauseitmatters.com.
