Laws of Character and Personality

"One of the most valuable personal traits is the ability to get along with all kinds of people." The words written in 1944 in a small publication entitled The Unwritten Laws of Engineering (1944) by W.J. King. The book was first published as three articles in Mechanical Engineering and structured as a series of laws and points that would be useful to the new and experienced engineer.

One such list defines the " . . . prime requisite of personality in any type of industrial organization." The simple approach to character and personality is a combination of good-natured friendliness and observance of the "Golden Rule." The specific elements are as follows:

1. Cultivate the tendency to appreciate the good qualities, rather than the shortcomings, of each individual.
2. Do not give vent to impatience and annoyance on slight provocation.
3. Form the habit of considering the feelings and interests of others.
4. Do not become unduly preoccupied with your own selfish interests.
5. Make it a rule to help the other person whenever an opportunity arises.
6. Do not harbor grudges after disagreements involving honest differences of opinion.
7. Be particularly careful to be fair on all occasions.
8. Do not take yourself or work too seriously.
9. Put yourself out just a little to be genuinely cordial in greeting people.
10. Give people the benefit of the doubt if you are inclined to suspect their motives.

In a closing section, King makes the point " . . . a mistake, of course, to try too hard to get along with everybody merely by being agreeable or even submissive on all occasions." Do not give ground too quickly just to avoid a fight, when you know you are right. Be willing to fight (good naturedly of course!) when your objectives are worth fighting for. As King quoted from Hamlet "Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but being in, bear't that the opposed may beware of thee." (A Shakespeare quoting engineer in 1944 -times have changed!).

"Like it or not, as long as you're in a competitive business you're in fight; sometimes it's a fight between departments of the same company. As long as it's a good clean fight, with no hitting below the belt, it's perfectly healthy - but keep it to friendly competition."