Reverence and Temperance: Ancient Foundations of the Modern Workplace

1. Reverence and Temperance: Ancient Foundations of the Modern Workplace Space Telescope Institute 3/28/07 Richard R. Kilburg, Ph.D.

2. Reverence and Temperance • Virtue – “The power or operative influence inherent in a supernatural or divine being.” • “A particular moral excellence.” • “…certain moral qualities regarded as of special excellence or importance” – temperance, justice, courage, wisdom, faith, hope, and charity. • Oxford English Dictionary

3. Reverence and Temperance • Virtue – “Sources of good behavior.” • “A good person is one who feels like doing what is right.” • “Virtues are about emotions…you can’t learn about emotions in books….Emotions are the work of a lifetime.” • Paul Woodruff 2001

4. Reverence and Temperance • “Virtues are habits of feeling, and those are much harder to learn or to forget.” • “Virtues grow in us from being used…they are our strengths.” • “Communities depend on the strengths of their members.” • Paul Woodruff 2001

21. Reverence and Temperance • Reverence – “Deep or due respect felt or shown towards a person on account of his or her position or relationship…. Deep respect and veneration for some thing, place, or person regarded as having a sacred or exalted character….gestures of respect or veneration.” Oxford English Dictionary (1991)

22. Reverence and Temperance • “Reverence is the well developed capacity to have feelings of awe, respect, and shame when these are the right feelings to have.” • “Reverence begins in a deep understanding of human limitations;, from this grows the capacity to be in awe of whatever we believe lies outside of our control.” • Paul Woodruff 2001

24. Reverence and Temperance

28. Reverence and Temperance • When the human soul is irreverent, it is arrogant and shameless. It is unable to feel awe in the face of things higher than itself. • Irreverent souls are unable to feel respect for people it sees as lower than themselves – ordinary people, prisoners, the poor, the homeless, subordinates, children.

29. Reverence and Temperance • “To teach reverence you must find the seeds of reverence in each person and help them grow.” • Awaken Awe • Practice Respect • Encourage Appropriate Shame • Paul Woodruff 2001

30. Reverence and Temperance • How to be Reverent • Always point to Questions • When to feel awe, respect, and shame? • Why should you feel awe, respect, and shame? • Who should feel awe, respect, and shame? • Where should you feel awe, respect, and shame? • How should you feel awe, respect, and shame?

31. Reverence and Temperance • “If you desire peace in the world, do not pray that everyone share your beliefs. Pray instead that all may be reverent.” • Paul Woodruff 2001 • If you desire dignity, respect, and civility in your workplace, practice reverence throughout your day and encourage others to do so as well.

32. Reverence and Temperance • Temperance – “ The practice or habit of restraining oneself in provocation, desire, passion, etc….rational self-restraint (One of the Cardinal Virtues)….Self-restraint and moderation in action of any kind…especially self-control, restraint, or forbearance when provoked to anger or impatience.” • Oxford English Dictionary 1991

33. Reverence and Temperance • Temperance – the positive traits that protect us against excess • The strengths of temperance restrain, guide, and help express aspects of ourselves

34. Forgiveness and Mercy Humility Prudence Self- Regulation Hatred Arrogance Pursuit of short term pleasure while ignoring long term costs Destabilizing emotional extremes Reverence and TemperancePeterson and Seligman (2002)

40. Reverence and Temperance • Emotional Intelligence – The 21st Century search for a good theory and effective practices of temperance. • “The capacity to reason about emotions, and of emotions to enhance thinking.” • Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso, 2004

41. Reverence and Temperance Emotional Intelligence includes the abilities to: • Accurately perceive emotions • Access and generate emotions to assist in thoughts • Understand emotions and emotional knowledge • Reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth. Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso, 2004

45. Domains and Competencies of Emotional Intelligence(Boyatzis and McKee, 2005) • Personal Competencies – Determine how we manage ourselves • Self-Awareness • Emotional Self-Awareness – reading one’s own emotions and recognizing their impact; using “gut sense” to guide decisions

46. Domains and Competencies of Emotional Intelligence(Boyatzis and McKee, 2005) • Accurate self-assessment – knowing one’s strengths and limits • Self-confidence – having a sound sense of one’s self-worth and capabilities

47. Domains and Competencies of Emotional Intelligence(Boyatzis and McKee, 2005) 2. Self- Management • Emotional self-control – keeping disruptive emotions and impulses under control • Transparency – displaying honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness • Adaptability –Demonstrating flexibility in adapting to changing situations or overcoming obstacles

48. Domains and Competencies of Emotional Intelligence(Boyatzis and McKee, 2005) • Achievement – having the drive to improve performance to meet inner standards of excellence • Initiative – being ready to act and seize opportunities • Optimism – seeing the upside in events and situations

49. Domains and Competencies of Emotional Intelligence(Boyatzis and McKee, 2005) • Social Competencies – Determine how we manage relationships • Social Awareness • Empathy – sensing others emotions, understanding their perspectives, and taking active interest in their concerns

50. Domains and Competencies of Emotional Intelligence(Boyatzis and McKee, 2005) • Organizational awareness – reading the currents, decision networks, and politics at the organizational level • Service – recognizing and meeting follower, client, or customer needs