Civility: Because It Matters

One of the simply brilliant ideas I heard while touring today's breakout sessions: a web site from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation that is "owned by the community."

BecauseItMatters.net is a community discussion about improving quality of life by increasing civic participation, civil discourse, and social capital. Stylish words, perhaps, for politeness, good manners, and making connections to the community, but the site reinforces behaviors at the core of a community. It creates a civil conversation around values that enable citizens to live lives that are happy, healthy and rewarding.

Read the compelling "Civility Stories" that the citizens of Venice and Gulf Coast submit to the site. And note the emphasis of "tell us your story", rather than imposing an organization's story on its citizens. More powerful and authentic.

And I love the ten keys to civility:
1. Respect others
2. Think positively
3. Pay attention
4. Make a difference
5. Speak kindly
6. Say thank
7. Accept others
8. Rediscover silence
9. Listen
10. Keep your cool