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CIVILITY WORKS Would your patients and clients say you act with "class"? How you treat others is one of your best marketing tools. Learn simple ways to build a loyal following and increase referrals by being a kinder, more empathetic professional. Subscribe to Andrea's weekly Civility Works column CivilityWorks-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

#1 SAY THANK YOU Weekly Civility Tip from Andrea Reynolds Copyright Andrea Reynolds 2004 It sounds so elementary, but so few people seem to say it these days. If someone sends you a personal email, say thank you to them for taking the time to write to you. Let the sender know you appreciate their effort to contact you. Let me now say thank you for subscribing to these Civility Tips and also for your patience until there were enough subscribers to start this list.

 

#2 CLEAR YOUR SIDEWALKS Weekly Civility Tip from Andrea Reynolds Copyright Andrea Reynolds 2004 If you live in the snowy north keep your walks free of snow and ice so people without cars can walk more easily. Those who push a baby carriage or stroller or pull a loaded "bundle buggy" will bless you. If you had to drag groceries home 10 blocks through 8 inches of snow on the pavement you'd wish each of those homeowners would be more thoughtful.

 

Help reduce hatred and hostility - Subscribe to my weekly email column on civility, respect, empathy

 

Lately I've become frustrated with what's happening in our society and I can't stand back and do nothing. So I'm writing. Please subscribe to my column and read my philosophy on civility in our society:

Is Civility an Antidote to Bullying, Intimidation, Aggression, Hostility, Violence?

[ Girard, PA ] She was disappointed with personal attacks on opponents heard in recent political campaign messages. And she's disturbed that the gossiping, intimidation, bullying, vandalism, aggression and violence she has seen on the news and in communities are not only prevalent, but tolerated. So Andrea Reynolds is about to launch her one-woman Civility Campaign across North America. She will promote very simple, but seemingly forgotten concepts: respect, empathy and compassion (kindness) in an effort to counteract the mean-spiritedness she has both seen and experienced.

Reynolds' response to the skeptical: "I know. It sounds so simplistic and idealistic, but I believe civility is the first step toward reducing and eliminating violence. Think about this: why do people pick on others, intimidate, bully, cheat, steal, become violent, hurt others and destroy property? Because they feel inadequate, unloved, unwanted, unworthy, unheard, hurt, ripped off, etc., and they haven't developed the critical thinking skills to be able to identify other, more constructive behavior choices."

She then asks: "What if we treated those individuals (everyone) with kindness, understanding, and patience. Yes, that sounds New Age-y, but there are specific, practical things we can do and I'm happy to share some of the offbeat things I've done that have worked. I offer specific creative ideas for change that anyone can use; and I can talk about my own experiences challenging swindlers, bullies, and stalkers."

She adds: "In the time I have left on the planet I want to speak, write, teach, and do what I can to reduce domestic and "stranger" violence, senseless murders of pregnant wives, school shootings, and suicides resulting from bullying, by diminishing all the thousands of hurts that bring a person to act out his frustration and feelings of low self-worth."

Bio

Andrea has been interviewed as an expert on manners, morals, and civility by such media hosts as British journalist David Frost, the late Peter Gzowski on CBC radio and by USA Today, National Post, Financial Post, and Canadian Business. She has conducted seminars on Business and Executive Civility for such companies as Northern Telecom (NorTel) and privately groomed corporate CEOs on the finer points of civility in business. At one time she operated Author's Bed & Breakfast in downtown Toronto which incorporated many elements of civility to guests of many nations.

She used to be a Family Studies teacher in the most dangerous school in Toronto and was well liked and respected because she too came from a violent home and understood the students' predicaments. ("I turned out all right because I chose to find healthy behaviors.") Later she was a media guest expert on bad relationships (abuse, violence in relationships, etc.) on a number of Canadian programs on CBC radio and 4 programs on the Life Network.

She worked with Toronto police as a community volunteer and helped put a serial burglar in jail. Then because of her outspokenness and visibility on national TV she became the target of a stalker who had savagely beaten and raped two women and (police think) may have killed two other women in her neighborhood. She escaped... but had to leave everything behind after 25 years in Canada to start her life over here in the US.

 

THIS YEAR'S CIVILITY COLUMN  (a little more sophisticated than last year):

1. When closing down your business (Jan. 3)

2. Reversing the trend of incivility (Jan. 10)

3. Negotiation, not lawsuits (Jan. 17)

Here are my first two Civility Tips: