Justice and fairness is considered to be one of the most important quality that people seek in relationships and at work with employers, seniors and colleagues. What does it mean to be just and fairIJ It is treating two people similarly for the same effort and results. It means that you deal with people with no bias or prejudice to colour your outlook, opinions and decisions. There are no preconceived notions, likes and dislikes which influence and impact your thinking and finally, your behaviour. 

Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just ~ Victor Hugo

Why is it Important to be Fair

It is vital that as an individual you are able to weigh the pros and cons and make balanced and fair decisions. People who work or spend their time with you would soon start understanding, and tacitly appreciating, that you are a just and fair person. At work, this knowledge would leave them free of anxiety and provide support in improving their performance and productivity. When people see you as a just and fair person you are more likely to gain their trust and cooperation. This would make it easier to function as a cohesive group. The work environment would get transformed as people start feeling the charged morale based on a fair approach.    

How to be Just and Fair

It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

The first step towards being a fair individual is ‘to do unto others as you would have them do to you’. Often referred to as the “Golden Rule” this implies that we should treat others the way that we would like them to treat us. To top it up, this is irrespective of how others would have behaved with us which in some cases might not have been pleasant or to our liking.This is, of course, easier said than done and requires large amounts of generosity and gratitude.Again at work, though there might be some situations where it is difficult to treat everyone equally, it is still important that you try and do so in all cases. You need to see people as unique individuals who have potential for growth and have something valuable to contribute. When you can help your colleagues maximize their strengths, and provide guidance to work on their areas of improvement based on unbiased judgements, you also help them to grow as professionals and individuals.

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing – Groucho Marx

Your behaviour is usually noticed by those around you, and as an individual you set a standard for acceptable behaviour. It helps to be clear through your interactions. This leaves no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation. Honesty goes hand in hand with fairness and both are interrelated. Whether it is at the workplace or in any relationship, be honest with others. It isn”t always easy to be fair all the time, but when you make an attempt, it makes a world of a difference to the manner in which people around you start perceiving you. 

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. let us begin ~ Mother Teresa

(The writer is a social & corporate leader and former COO for the Uttarakhand government 108 emergency services)