You reap what you sow

“What kind of humans are we?” is the most crucial question  facing our country today. People from across the world, especially Sri  Lankan expatriates, come here to party. I had an acquaintance who told  me that Singaporeans, because of the rigidity and discipline in their  country, come to Sri Lanka and its resorts to party. But that is not  life. This nation has serious problems to resolve.   
What kind of people are we? I address this question to all  government, business, religious and education leaders…. and yes to every  parent.   
“Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” This  is known universally, as the Golden Rule which must be at the core of all  human behaviour and action. I am talking about what kind of people or  human beings we are. What kind of human beings are our parents, schools,  universities, professional bodies and religious leaders producing? What  is the moral law that governs the behaviour of every one of us in our  classrooms, boardrooms and workplaces? Are we teaching the principle  that must guide every one of us - “Do unto others what you want done  unto you”?   
The only test that matters in leadership is leadership by  example. What example are the leaders in our companies, public  institutions, parliament, schools, universities, homes and religious  institutions setting?   
The Human Resources Manager in one of our most admired  companies sent me a message on Friday: “I will talk to you on Monday.”  She never did. There are so many like her in ordinary positions and in  positions of leadership for whom I have the only message: Do unto others  what you want done unto you. Keeping your word defines who you are as a  person. Always keep a promise. This is the essence of business and  corporate governance.   
Return every phone call. Reply to every email or text  message. This is what you want done to you. Do we only respond to people  we want to? Do we only love or like people who love or like us in  return? Don’t avoid people you disagree with or don’t like. Do you want  to be avoided? Don’t judge a person based on innuendo and rumour. Give  every person a hearing. It is the right thing to do. It is what you want  done to you. What you sow you WILL reap. No one escapes.   
Great German Philosopher Emmanuel Kant observed: “Two  things strike me with awe; the starry heavens above and the moral law  within.” No one escapes the moral law. No one takes their millions or  billions with them when they leave this earth. If every one of us can  think of one human being we have harmed, we must reconcile with this  person. We must do the right thing and do unto others what we want done  to us.   
A wise man once said: “If you want to see where a nation is  going, take a look at its people.” Just look at the streets of a city  like Colombo. It is the law of the jungle. I know it is heaven compared  to the streets of Chennai or Calcutta. Look at the behaviour of almost  every driver. Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country. So is Thailand. But look  at the courtesy and respect that Bangkok drivers show each other. On our  streets, we must begin today, doing what we want done to us.   
In the hospitality industry and in government offices, I  have seen so many employees talk to each other with no or little  respect. In Sri Lanka, do we treat foreigners with more respect than we  treat our own people? Do we really respect each other?   
Let us examine and resolve today to do unto others what we  want done to us. More than being a rational animal, man is a  rationalising animal, rationalising all his or her behaviour, a famous  psychiatrist once told us. Leadership in our public institutions, our  homes and our businesses must be by example.   We can do better. We must do better as a person and as a  nation. Only then will Sri Lanka as a nation regain it’s proper place in  the global community and in the ratings of Fitch, Standard and Poors  and Moodys.