Choosing Civility

Most people would agree that thoughtful behavior and common decency are in short supply, or simply forgotten in hurried lives of emails, cellphones, and multi-tasking. In Choosing Civility, P. M. Forni identifies the twenty-five rules that are most essential in connecting effectively and happily with others. In clear, witty, and, well...civilized language, Forni covers topics that include: * Think Twice Before Asking Favors * Give Constructive Criticism * Refrain from Idle Complaints * Respect Others' Opinions * Don't Shift Responsibility and Blame * Care for Your Guests * Accept and Give Praise Finally, Forni provides examples of how to put each rule into practice and so make life-and the lives of others-more enjoyable, companionable, and rewarding. Choosing Civility is a simple, practical, perfectly measured, and quietly magical handbook on the lost art of civility and compassion. “Insightful meditation on how changing the way we think can improve our daily lives. ... A deft exploration that urges us to think before speaking.” —Kirkus, Starred Review

The acclaimed author of The Choosing Civility returns to the subject of common decency and thoughtful behavior. Many of us find ourselves confronted with rudeness every day and don't know how to respond. From the intrusive cell-phone user who holds loud conversations in public to the hostile highway driver who cuts one off with a quick swerve of his car, politeness seems to be on a downward spiral, surprising us at every turn. P.M. Forni, the author of Choosing Civility, has the answer. He knows that rudeness begets rudeness and, in The Civility Solution, shows us what to do when confronted with bad behavior by being assertive as well as civil. In more than one hundred different situations, he shows us how to break the rudeness cycle by responding to a variety of confrontations from bullying to rude internet behavior or the hurtful words of an insensitive family member. How would you respond to the following? ...A salesperson ignores your requests ...A fellow driver gives you the infamous "finger" ...Your child's playmate misbehaves ...Your boss publicly reprimands you P. M. Forni has solutions for all of these and many more. In yet another simple and practical handbook, P. M. Forni presents logical solutions that reinforce good behavior and make our world a more civil place.

How do we turn off the noise of daily life, turn on our brains, and begin to engage in that fundamental human activity known as thinking again? P.M. Forni, America's civility expert has given some thought to how we can successfully think our way through a greatly distracting world and live a better life. In The Thinking Life, he looks at the importance of thinking: how we do it, why we don't do it enough and why we need to do more of it. In twelve short chapters, he gives readers a remedy for the Age of Distraction, an age fuelled by social networking overload, compulsive texting and an omnipresent stream of cellphone calls. He shows how to put aside time each day to improve: - Attention - Introspection - Self-control - Positive thinking - Proactive thinking - Decision making - Creative thinking - Problem solving Just as Forni did with civility, he puts the importance of good thinking front and center in a book as lucid and profound as his earlier works. "The most provocative and useful book I've read in years." -Robert Sutton, New York Times bestselling author of The No Asshole Rule

In a world torn apart by religious extremism on the one side and a strident secularism on the other, no question is more urgent than how we live with our deepest differences—especially our religious and ideological differences. The Case for Civility is a proposal for restoring civility in America as a way to foster civility around the world. Influential Christian writer and speaker Os Guinness makes a passionate plea to put an end to the polarization of American politics and culture that—rather than creating a public space for real debate—threatens to reverse the very principles our founders set into motion and that have long preserved liberty, diversity, and unity in this country. Guinness takes on the contemporary threat of the excesses of the Religious Right and the secular Left, arguing that we must find a middle ground between privileging one religion over another and attempting to make all public expression of faith illegal. If we do not do this, Guinness contends, Western civilization as we know it will die. Always provocative and deeply insightful, Guinness puts forth a vision of a new, practical "civil and cosmopolitan public square" that speaks not only to America's immediate concerns but to the long-term interests of the republic and the world.

"The most useful, well-written, and emotionally compelling business book I have read in years. I couldn't put it down." -- Robert I. Sutton, Stanford Professor and author of The No Asshole Rule "A must-read for every leader in their field." -- Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of To Sell is Human Incivility is silently chipping away at people, organizations, and our economy. Slights, insensitivities, and rude behaviors can cut deeply. Moreover, incivility hijacks focus. Even if people want to perform well, they can't. Customers too are less likely to buy from a company with an employee who is perceived as rude. Ultimately, incivility cuts the bottom line. In Mastering Civility, Christine Porath shows how people can enhance their influence and effectiveness with civility. Combining scientific research with fascinating evidence from popular culture and fields such as neuroscience, medicine, and psychology, this book provides managers and employers with a much-needed wake-up call, while also reminding them of what they can do right now to improve the quality of their workplaces.

In Civility at Work, Lew Bayer describes the business case for civility and explains how organizations can increase employee retention, performance, and overall revenue by creating a workplace culture of human kindness and civility. In case you were not aware, research focusing on both Canadian and U.S. companies shows that a whopping 98% of people polled have experienced uncivil behavior on the job. And, according to the fourth annual study on Civility in America: A Nationwide Survey, conducted by global public relations firm Weber Shandwick and public affairs firm Powell Tate in partnership with KRC Research, civility in America continues to erode. This year’s study found that 70% of the Americans believe incivility has reached crisis proportions. Alarmingly, 81% of the Americans think that incivility is leading to an increase in violence at work. Notably, 80% of the people are dissatisfied with their jobs. Increasingly, people are choosing employers who understand that civility is good business. In Civility at Work, Lew Bayer describes the business case for civility and explains how organizations can increase employee retention, performance, and overall revenue by creating a workplace culture of human kindness and civility.

Americans are clamoring about the growing incivility they see in public life and in their interpersonal relationships. Incivility--the lack of regard for others--is an increasing issue on college campuses, reflecting deep societal problems and expressing itself in sometimes unique ways. Kent Weeks explores this timely issue by presenting real-life experiences of four college freshmen at a large university and provides information to stimulate thoughtful discussion of civility dilemmas.