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A few days ago, I was required to take a "respectful workplace" seminar. Going into the seminar, I was expecting a lot of fluff, nothing to really learn. I consider myself reasonably respectful of others, and I didn't feel I had anything to learn. But, thankfully, I also approached it with an open mind in case I did have something to learn. My employer was paying me to take this seminar, and it was my obligation to learn what I could from it. As it turned out, I did learn quite a bit. It was a useful exercise, and I am a better man for the experience.
One thing of which I was reminded at the seminar was that when someone tells me something in confidence, that information remains the property of the person who told it to me, it is not mine to share. It's an area where I need to constantly remind myself. I don't think I'm a major gossip, but the fact that I expressed the opinion at the seminar that the information belonged to the sender and the recipient made me think, and rethink my position, and I realize that the facilitator was absolutely right: the information belongs to the sender and only to the sender, and should be treated as such.
But the big lesson for respectful workplaces, and respectful civilizations in general, still remains: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Not as they have done unto you, not how you think they deserve being done unto, not do unto others as your righteous indignation would dictate, but always, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, without exception.
And obeying this can be even more subtle, because sometimes it involves respecting someone else by not doing something with which you personally wouldn't have a problem, but rather respecting the other person's values as you would want your own values respected.
One simple command, the Golden Rule, if lived, if truly and fully lived, would solve so many of the world's problems: poverty, war, biggotry, and so much more. Whether you are a Christian or not, I urge you to heed these words of Christ, even as Christians would do well to heed the wisdom of people of other faiths. And indeed, most faiths teach something similar. It's getting along basics.
One thing of which I was reminded at the seminar was that when someone tells me something in confidence, that information remains the property of the person who told it to me, it is not mine to share. It's an area where I need to constantly remind myself. I don't think I'm a major gossip, but the fact that I expressed the opinion at the seminar that the information belonged to the sender and the recipient made me think, and rethink my position, and I realize that the facilitator was absolutely right: the information belongs to the sender and only to the sender, and should be treated as such.
But the big lesson for respectful workplaces, and respectful civilizations in general, still remains: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Not as they have done unto you, not how you think they deserve being done unto, not do unto others as your righteous indignation would dictate, but always, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, without exception.
And obeying this can be even more subtle, because sometimes it involves respecting someone else by not doing something with which you personally wouldn't have a problem, but rather respecting the other person's values as you would want your own values respected.
One simple command, the Golden Rule, if lived, if truly and fully lived, would solve so many of the world's problems: poverty, war, biggotry, and so much more. Whether you are a Christian or not, I urge you to heed these words of Christ, even as Christians would do well to heed the wisdom of people of other faiths. And indeed, most faiths teach something similar. It's getting along basics.
