Step 5. Attitude Checklist

“How you say what you say can matter more than what you say.”
 –Anon

Sometimes how you say matters more than what you say. Sometimes you can speak too loudly to be heard. Or your tone, look, or stance, can subvert your intended message. The more important the topic, the deeper and perhaps more raw the emotions. A shared re-centering or re-balancing mechanism may foster both more self-control and more understanding when there is, as there inevitably will be, loss of control. The mechanism could involve timed cool-down periods. Suggestions welcome.

To Do
To Be
To Appear
Listen
Thankful
Look-check
Empathize
Calm
Tone-check
Encourage
Confident
Stance-check
Not take things personally
Forgiving

Speak the truth as you see it at the cost of embarrassing yourself or others




 What would you add or subtract?

In the Odyssey, Odysseus has his sailors tie him to the mast so he can listen to the Song of the Sirens without throwing himself into the sea to his death.

The Thinking Citizen Checklist is like the rope.

We must learn to hold back our instinctive tribalistic urges and learn to listen to others and control ourselves.

Checklists should be customized. Some of us have more of a problem listening.

Others more of a problem with speaking up.