“Everyone is born into the world as a person, and everyone leaves the world as a person.”
-Dalai Lama.
When we look at people and interact with them, Dalai Lama said, we have the tendency to see differences (age, race, ethnicity, religion, wealth, rank or status — and any number of things) rather than the simple fact that we are all just people. This creates barriers between people, making it difficult for us to trust each other and collaborate.
Treat people as people, with respect. Yes, a simple message, but how often is this carried out even in our work organizations?
Just think about your day at work. You might hear colleagues saying hurtful things to each other or maybe gossiping about others behind their backs. These are very common problems, and sadly, ones I hear about much too frequently.
So what can be done? Have a positive attitude toward others. Let’s try to praise more frequently than criticize. Treat people with courtesy, politeness, and kindness. Perhaps if we treat people with respect, we could make a difference in the quality of the lives of those around us, and our own life as well.
Regardless of what you believe in, all people are just people and are deserving of our respect. It’s our job to bring respect and civility back.
