Bow Out

Do you know how polite were the ordinary people in Beijing 110 years ago? I happened to see a video clip shot in 1908 in Peking and noted the social bowing gesture. While the people appeared in the clip should be all dead by now, the bowing culture is still practised by the Japanese and I bow often in Japan to show my appreciation of their services.

If you are a fan of a well-known British band, you must be impressed with the band's trademark bow from the waist every time they finished performing a number on stage in the 1960s. No matter how wild the famed band's performance was on stage, the group's bowing could not be bad. Good manners accumulating positive influence would be paid for and should be everyone's second nature.

There are however others who habitually behave uncivilly, hurting other's feelings, causing distresses regardless, believing what they do is fully justified. While they may or may not be right, their rude behaviour cannot be good. If a person is non-reflexive, has no tact, and is undisciplined, how could the person get along with other non-like-minded persons?

Further, if a person in a position of power or authority is accused of having no integrity or moral leadership, the person had better reappraise his or her capacity and support. In a teamwork context, a person's ability to manage oneself and to influence others can be more important than one's capacity to make decisions, and one's technical knowledge and experience. If support is waning, the right thing to do, in my view, is to bow out, decisively and timely!

#BowOut