- Act and think independently, uphold and defend core principles and values, and take unpopular positions without fear
- Listen actively, acknowledge the points of others, and give serious consideration to those views
- Give credit, praise, and thanks to those who deserve it
- Take responsibility, remain accountable, do jobs effectively, and honor commitments
- Say what is meant, provide all relevant information, and back up claims with facts
- Communicate openly, authentically, and accurately, provide advance notice whenever possible, and deliver bad or unpopular news as soon as possible
- Respond in a timely manner to legitimate requests seeking a reply, and try to say yes whenever possible
- Persevere, come up with creative solutions, and encourage others to do the same
- Trust others until given a reason not to
- Keep calm, especially in the most trying situations
- Learn new things, be inquisitive, and strive to improve
- Be generous with time, resources, and knowledge
- Be tolerant of others, including those with different backgrounds and views
- Be caring, empathetic, and concerned about the well-being of others
- Be positive, optimistic, and realistic
- Be ethical, honest, and fair
- Be trustworthy*
- Be loyal*
- Be helpful*
- Be friendly*
- Be courteous*
- Be kind*
- Be cheerful*
- Be brave*
- Do the right thing
- Do what is right — logically, financially, morally, ethically, and environmentally
- Do it the right way — honestly, accurately, correctly, and completely
- Do it right away — without procrastinating, making excuses, or avoiding what is unpleasant
*From the Scout Law
Editor’s Note: Article republished with permission of the author, with first publication on Medium.