Remembrance and The Golden Rule

Remembrance Day honours those who have served and continue to serve our country during war, conflict and peace.

Perhaps, in addition to remembering their sacrifice, we can consider The Golden Rule.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is at the very foundation of respect as well as reciprocity. Respect has little to do with agreement. You can disagree with someone yet respect them and their point of view. And, reciprocity speaks to equality between oneself and others.

On November 11, when we reflect upon our past and consider the present, perhaps we can be reminded of these 11 very human and humane traits and try to adopt some of them in our interactions with clients amongst others.

1. Listen: The old adage of having two ears and one mouth, and using them proportionally has always made sense.
2. Question: Inquiry reinforces listening and enables crystal-clear certainty about issues, needs and expectations.
3. Communicate: Regular updates – whether there has been advancement or not – helps manage expectations, and instills confidence and value.
4. Clarity: Being easily understood is a hallmark of clear communication and invites contributions to the process.
5. Humility: Acknowledging contributions of others amplifies results of the outcome.
6. Kindness: Being gracious shows all parties in their best light.
7. Discretion: Poise and confidentiality are paramount to earning and keeping trust.
8. Generosity: Offering something for nothing has its own rewards.
9. Equality: We are each entitled to our own thoughts, ideas and opinions whether or not others agree.
10. Fairness: Consider the perspectives of all parties without bias.
11. Patience: Learning to be still is a virtue nurtured over time.