In one of my previous jobs I inadvertently had a very positive effect on a colleague by not doing something. While chatting for a few minutes one day at work they made an unkind comment about a Director of the company. I didn’t agree with what they said or join in talking about the Director, I just didn’t respond and changed the topic of conversation.
After the brief chat I forgot about it and got on with my day. Months later on a works social night out the same colleague told me that this same conversation, that I had forgotten about, had a profound effect on them. My decision not to join in making comments caused my colleague to rethink how they talk about other people, it has encouraged them to be more kind and to participate less in negative gossip. Sometimes what you don’t do is as important as what you do.
At any time you can be seen by others as a role model, so we should try to live up to this in everything we do and don’t do in our lives.
The Fullfilment Project 