Lukaszewski’s Civility and Decency Manifesto

the path to decency

The Lukaszewski Group logoBy James E. Lukaszewski,
ABC, Fellow IABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, BEPS Emeritus

  1. When your words, deeds or actions turn to vilification, stop.
  2. When you use sarcasm to ridicule and damage, demean, dismiss, diminish or humiliate, stop.
  3. When your words are arrogant, causing needless but intentional pain and suffering, stop.
  4. When your words clearly express anger and irritation, stop.
  5. When your words, deeds or actions are demanding and bullying, stop.
  6. When your words are just plain mean, stop.
  7. When your words insult, stop.
  8. When your words become corrosive and disrespectful, stop
  9. When your words become disparaging and tone deaf, stop.
  10. When you speak and behave without empathy, stop, reconsider.
  11. When your words mindlessly injure, stop.
  12. When your words, deeds or actions intentionally injure, stop.
  13. When your words spread accusations and suspicion, stop.
  14. When your words exhibit overbearing and overzealousness, stop.
  15. When what you propose is negative, punitive, defensive and harmfully restrictive on others, stop, choose another pathway.
  16. When your words exceed the boundaries of decency, civility and integrity, just simply stop. Choose another path.

The true test of civility is a commitment to verbal and written communication that are predominantly positive and declarative and behaviors that are simple, sensitive, sensible, constructive, positive, helpful, empathetic and benefit the recipient out of proportion positively to the sender. Any other pathways lead only to trouble, prolong problems and delay mitigation and resolution. Empathy means positive deeds that speak louder and more constructively than words.

There are so many pathways to civility, decency, and integrity, pick as many as you can.

Jim LukaszewskiABOUT THE AUTHOR:

James (Jim) E. Lukaszewski (Loo-ka-SHEV-skee) is one of America’s most visible corporate go-to people for senior executives when there is trouble in the room or on the horizon. As America’s Crisis Guru®, Lukaszewski is known for his ability to help executives look at problems from a variety of sensible, constructive, and principled perspectives. He is known for taking a business approach rather than traditional PR strategies by teaching clients to take highly focused, ethically appropriate action.

Lukaszewski has written 14 books and hundreds of articles and monographs. His newest book, The Decency Code, The Leaders Path to Integrity and Trust was published by McGraw Hill in March 2020.

Jim served as a PIO during his service in Minnesota State government from 1974 through 1978. He was an assistant press secretary for former Governor Wendell Anderson and as deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Economic Development.

From 1988 through 2009 he served as a civilian advisor to USMC Public Affairs. In that capacity, he also participated in the BGSOC for seven years, at one point having coached every active duty USMC General. He has lectured and done seminars for all branches of the US military. He speaks frequently to a variety of PIO organizations around the United States.