How can we ensure that respect and dignity are retained and even prioritized within our relational and mental frameworks and structures, flat or hierarchical?
A servant-leader approach is helpful. But in my experience typical servants wouldn’t be so bold as to speak their mind to their masters on interpersonal matters. What if we inculcated the habit of saying to one another in so many words, “You’re so awesome, there’s hardly anything good about me that you are already don’t possess and have perfected.” I get it. It sounds ridiculous and radical!
In other words, put others above yourself, assume that they actually know better and have a distinct quality that you can only dream of. Then observe how your world changes. Contrary to popular belief (or go-to practices) and denigrating behavior—backbiting, gossip, wishing others in your way were dead or at least just gone from your life—this, the other-better assumption, actually works (sustainable) in the long run. It might seem difficult at first, especially since most of us tend to be puffed up or full of ourselves (speaking for myself here), even proud of ourselves when we are humble. Go figure.
But go ahead and prick that bubble, before someone else does. And then you are free to breathe new life into others at home and work. The underlying worldview here is that the world was made in such a way that we each might find our respective place in it with help and radical interdependence upon others and creation at large. The approach works in both vertical categorical and horizontal fuzzy environments.
Friday activity: find someone you don’t like or keep avoiding at work. Ask them out to lunch or coffee, or just hang out. Listen. Get to know them and look for the good.
Alternatively, if you’re eating lunch alone…
Imagine we lived in a world where we did not have to think about others first in order to do anything good for them. [okay… take your time here and enjoy :)] Then we could be at the receiving end all day and only need to say, “How thoughtless of you!!”
Or not.
