Quality and Innovation

(Image Credit: Doug Buckley of http://hyperactive.to)

This isn’t specifically quality or innovation related, but it came out of my mouth over coffee this morning in answer to the question “What do you think is the best approach to maintaining healthy relationships?” I wanted to record it because it does influence my personal quality of life – and I realized it could also be the key to identifying and cultivating new types of innovative relationships. (What does that mean? Not sure yet. Just feels like it could happen.)

Principle #1: Treat every person and situation with kindness, consideration and compassion. Always. No matter what.

Principle #2: Be true to your own authenticity even (especially?) when it’s unorthodox, socially unacceptable, or doesn’t quite make sense. (You know if it feels right… so just focus on that. And note that feeling good and feeling right are two entirely different feelings, ones that require true discrimination within your emotional self.)

Principle #3: Aim to embody Principle #2 within the terms of Principle #1. Sometimes when you’re living to the limits of your own authenticity, you’re going to hurt people. And others doing the same could, similarly, hurt you. When channels of communication are open and free, and everyone knows that everyone else’s intent is to act with kindness, compassion, and consideration, the result is an environment of deep trust where new modes of relating can root and grow.