Management Message idea: You can use in whole or as an idea starter – It’s time to change the tone

In July, we celebrate this country’s independence and the birth of what was to become the United States.

In July 2020, sadly, we don’t feel so united.

We have had extreme, collective disappointments, tragedy, and stresses in the last few years. We have also had successes, change for the better, and some hopeful signs for the future.

Everywhere we turn, people are angry, and all too anxious to point fingers. Anger is everywhere from supermarkets to living rooms to the street. For every success one person points to, another claims it was corrupt. For every corruption, others claim it was a success.

The sad thing is that some points of everyone’s opinion are valid. But anger makes it very difficult to focus on solutions and agreement.

In this era, perhaps we can never agree, but we can tone down the rhetoric. That’s important because no matter how angry we are, there are things worth saving in our nation.

Inflammatory, sweeping accusations against one person, groups of people, or every person don’t help the general tone. It doesn’t help to accuse everyone, but yourself, of evil intentions. Just like you, most people don’t think their intentions are evil at all. We might remember that.

Let’s avoid name-calling to insult those with whom we disagree.

Turn off, log off, conversations that have become vicious. Don’t be part of the problem.

Take a moment to hear others.

Let others speak.

When you speak, try to speak with charity.

This month, take time to remember that, right or wrong, idealists founded this country in hope of building something better than existed previously. You can argue they didn’t succeed, as many have, but at least they tried to build, not destroy.

Let’s be joyful builders. Let us thrive together aware of our disagreements, but in unity to seek solutions.