In an age where incivility feels normal, George Washington’s teenage rules offer a surprising guide to workplace and public decorum.
Some years ago, followers of Common Sense Civics and Citizenship studied George Washington’s “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation” (Applewood Books, 1988). We learned about the rules of life that George Washington adopted for himself at the young age of fourteen. He has a lot to teach us in this day and age, where uncivil behavior has almost become a “given.” Let’s do a refresh of one timeless lesson from Washington’s book.
One Timeless Rule: Don’t Argue with Your Superiors
Rule #40 says, “Strive not with your superiors in argument, but always submit your judgment to others with modesty.” The question I ask you (and me) is this: Are we teachable people? If the boss corrects us or asks us to redo something, do we think it is not their place to do so?
In life, we may not like what authority tells us to do or even how they lead us. We possibly know more than they do. George Washington had a point here—don’t argue. Give your response gently and succinctly. Then go about the business of learning from it, and, if warranted, quietly seek a better employment opportunity somewhere else. That is what one of my friends is doing. She is seeking a better opportunity, albeit with lower pay, but with better leadership at the top.
How to Give Corrections with Dignity and Impact
Rule #45 looks at this issue from the other side. It’s when you or I are doing the correcting. Stick with me here for a moment. “Being to advise or reprehend any one, consider whether it ought to be in public or private, presently or at some other time, in what terms to do it; and in reproving, show no signs of cholera, but do it with all sweetness and mildness.” Translation: If we are the ones in charge, we ought not to haul off and say whatever we want in front of whomever, and whenever we feel like.
Instead, consider how to make the correction using our best decorum. Humiliating people never wins hearts and minds. Has anger ever helped us raise the bar and reach a higher level with those whom we lead? Eventually, such tactics are exposed. Authority carries a heavy burden of responsibility. Holding one’s temper is one of those responsibilities.
Leading by Example: Why Your Conduct Matters More Than Words
Young George wraps up this section by continuing to remind himself of proper decorum with humility. Rule #48: “Wherein you reprove another be unblameable yourself, for example is more prevalent than precepts.” I am reminded that each of us is leading someone. People watch our lives. Remember, “Actions speak louder than words.” That’s another way of saying “Example is more prevalent than precepts.”
While Washington’s wise words speak volumes, it is our own actions that write the library of our lives. Actions are how people remember us. They are our epitaph when our time on earth is completed. The good news is that the library of our lives adds new books with each passing year. We can always add new volumes to it!
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
Join the conversation! https://www.facebook.com/commonsensecivics
