I’d teach common sense. I’d teach practical knowledge and getting out of the classroom and into the real world is the most important thing anyone can do. I’d teach a lesson on “Fake It Until You Make It” and watch as people are thrown into the deep end and are forced to either sink or swim. I live with and work with people, in general, who *should* have a passion for learning and expanding themselves, bettering themselves. People who should welcome change with open arms and if something seems logical and right and worthwhile, to embrace it fully. I say *should* because for a great number of them, they are just like everyone else. They are change averse, they have worn a procedural rut into the ground and following it day in and day out is easy and simple and doesn’t require much energy beyond the basics.
I’ve found that time and time again I’m wishing that people would be open to classes like “Common Sense 101” and “Common Courtesy 101” especially in the workplace. There are certain things you do not do, certain behaviors you identify in yourself and then endeavor to change for the greater good. Sometimes it’s important to sacrifice a measure of pride, or a measure of willpower to make investments in other people so that you can come to depend on the relationship somewhere down the pike. It’s also vitally important to own when you’ve done something foolish, make amends and never do it again. In many regards a lot of this comes down to raw communication.
Perhaps the classes I should be teaching are “Communications for Information Technology Professionals 101”. 🙂
Common sense and common courtesy? Actually, quite uncommon in today's society. These two "old fashioned" traits left society at least a generation ago. Somewhere in the scheme of things it became something "unconventional" or "unnecessary. I'm not sure which. Common sense and common courtesy are things taught at home – not at school (at any level). Unfortunately the present mind set of society is "let somebody else teach it" and therefore we have experienced the demise of these two essential factions of living a good and decent life. Every single day this household comments about the lack of common sense and common courtesy in our society be it government, educational institutions, workplace or personal relationships. It not only has diminished, it is slowly disappearing from the makeup of the human factor. Thank God the animal kingdom still possesses forms of both.