What is Civility?

What is Civility?

What is Civility? How can I be more civil in thought, word, and deed? Civility begins with ME.

Together, let's Celebrate May - GLOBAL Civility Awareness Month!

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May is International Civility Awareness Month

May is International Civility Awareness month. Civility is critical to a well-functioning family, workplace, school, community, state, nation, and world. When it is missing in one arena of our lives, the other arenas of our life can be off kilter. It isn't always easy to deal with others tactlessness, rudeness, cluelessness, and boorishness. However, it is how you respond to such incidents, and how you behave in general that are key to creating more civility in the world we share.

Civility encompasses many aspects of positive social behavior:

 








(You may copy the picture for your use, though as it is copyrighted, please do site the source.)

Each one of us can make a positive difference in someones life. A tweak here, a tweak there... Each moment you have an opportunity to choose how to respond, to think, to be. What choices will you make in your next interaction?

Defining Civility

I am often asked how to define "civility." Here is a pictorial of the various concepts. Each of the terms are important on their own, and comprise "civility" as a whole. Following are some suggestions of how to make "civility" more actionable in your life.

• Educators, Share this with your students asking them to draw or to find photos representing each of these concepts. Teens can describe situations they have faced where civility was or wasn't demonstrated.
• HR/Employers/Managers, Discuss these concepts with your employees and ask them to share situations they have faced with peers or customers that showcase these components, or to describe situations where these concepts were lacking and what they did to resolve concerns.
• Individuals, Ask yourself where you demonstrate these concepts in your daily family, community, and work life. Do you demonstrate all? Are there opportunities to do better?
• Parents, Share these with your children and discuss ways that as a family, you can demonstrate civility. What is each family member's responsibility within the family, when out and about, and at school. Make it a dinner game. Each of the terms can be placed in a bowl, one drawn at dinner, and discussed at that meal.
• Grandparents/Aunts/Uncles, Share this with the young people in your family, and discuss the experiences you have had, as well as their experiences with civility. What has or hasn't changed since you were their age?

(You may copy the picture for your use, though as it is copyrighted, please do site the source.)