Civility, courtesy, and manners are severely lacking in our world today. Here are five behaviors we can practice to lead change.

Consideration – Taking time to see others and take into account their needs and feelings is an invaluable relationship skill.  Consideration of others affirms their basic human value and shows respect.

Using Please and Thank You – Please is a way of saying, “I respect you,” and thank you says, “I’m grateful.” Respect and gratitude demonstrate humility and basic human connection.

Listening – It’s easy these days to tune out everyone around you, but doing so is rude. Pay attention to those in front of you. Give them your full attention and listen as if you will have to repeat back every word.

Respect – We are all valuable as human beings. Ultimately, no one is really fundamentally better than anyone else. So, when you humble yourself, acknowledge others, speak politely, and demonstrate gratitude regardless of peoples’ status, role, sex, gender, ethnicity, or any other differentiator, you show respect.

Kindness – Simple acts of goodwill like opening doors, letting others go first, using people’s names, and smiling can make a difference for people. These simple things can turn a bad day around for not only the receiver but for the giver as well.

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