What does common courtesy mean? Common courtesy is the everyday practice of showing respect, kindness, and consideration for others. It's waiting your turn, respecting someone's personal space, saying thank you, and treating people with patience, even when there's nothing to gain from it.
These small gestures might seem insignificant, but they communicate something important: we recognize that other people matter.
Think about the way people behave in an airport, in a crowded line, or during an everyday interaction with a stranger. Do we make room for others? Are we mindful of the people around us? Do we treat everyone with the same level of respect, regardless of who they are or what they can do for us?
At MIBE, we believe these everyday moments reveal something bigger about who we are and how we lead. Heart leadership doesn't begin with a title or a position of authority. It begins with how we treat people.
And sometimes, the simplest way to understand that is to look at the common courtesies we too often take for granted.
Examples of Common Courtesy
Wait Your Turn - There seems to be a trend once a plane has arrived at the gate for people in the back of the plane to get up immediately after the fasten seat belt sign is turned off and rush as far forward as possible to get off a few minutes sooner. It’s one thing when you’ve got a connecting flight to catch, it’s another when you are just impatient and pushing your way past other passengers as if your time is more important than theirs. Common courtesy is to wait patiently until it’s your turn whether you’re in a waiting room, in a line, or in traffic. Bonus points when you open a door for someone and allow them to go ahead of you!
Take a Step Back - When retrieving your checked bags, the respectful thing to do is to allow a little bit of room between you and the baggage carousel. There is no need to box out fellow passengers in anticipation of a fight for your bag. If everyone just takes a step or two back, it makes it much easier for each person to step up and grab their bag when it comes out. When you take a step back in life, you get a better perspective of your surroundings and can anticipate what is coming your way.
Watch Your Language - Using “please” and “thank you” seems so simple, yet it can go a long way when interacting with airport employees. Whether ordering food, going through security, or interacting with a customer service agent, we control how we treat them. I know traveling can be stressful, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to take their frustration out on the people who don’t have control over the situation. Most employees are doing their best and a bit of positivity and kindness not only is the right thing to do, but it’s also more likely to get you what you want. I know personally I want to do more for the people who approach issues with patience and understanding than those who come with frustration and anger.
As humans occupying this planet together, I believe we all deserve a certain level of respect and that should come with the ability to show common courtesy to one another. Regardless of what is going on in our world, we should have the decency to bring kindness to others whether they are longtime friends or strangers crossing our paths. We can do this with more patience and waiting, less pushing and hurrying. More room and margin, less crowding and narrow focus. And with more “please’s” and “thank you’s” and less demands and threats. If we commit to doing this daily, it improves how we show up as leaders for those around us.
Leadership Starts With How We Treat People
Common courtesy may seem like a small thing, but the way we treat others shapes the culture we create around us. At MIBE, we believe better leadership starts with looking inward, leading with heart, and recognizing the impact our everyday actions have on the people around us.
If you're ready to take that work further, join us at the MIBE Summit, where leaders come together to challenge perspectives, build meaningful connections, and explore what it truly means to lead with heart.
Explore the MIBE Summit and take the next step in your leadership journey.