How Fair Are You?

When I think about someone who is fair, I think of someone who is honest, upright, and honorable. There is a sense of level-headedness to a fair person. He or she acts in accordance with the rules or standards, and therefore engenders trust, because people know what to expect. People might not like the judgments of a fair person, but they respect them, because there is logic in however they made a determination. An important nuance is that fairness is contextual — what is fair in one situation may not be fair in another, and it takes a wise person to be able to discern the difference.

This week’s Challenge: This week, I will strive to understand the context — as well as the facts — before making a decision.

Avoiding being Self-Righteous (overuse): When someone goes too far in enforcing the rules or standards, they start to sound condescending. Someone who is acting in a self-righteous way not only espouses what they see as the moral or ethical choice, but also considers their position as the only correct choice. That is to say, they look down on others who do not agree with them. This often means context has been ignored and curiosity about others’ points of view has been shut down. If you feel that you are the enforcer of all rules (including ones that aren’t your responsibility), then you are most likely overusing the strength of being fair, and it’s time to relax a bit!

Commendable Trait: Fair

Underused: Biased

Overused: Self-Righteous

Strength: Integrity

Quadrant: Courage

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