OUR VALUES

We have shared understandings, obligations, and values committing all parties to expect and uphold the same high standards of behavior in all settings. In other words, moral coherence.

Love

You are not alone.

We sincerely care about the welfare of the other person.

We help others (with no thoughts of getting something in return).

Happiness, freedom and peace of mind are always attained when we give them to others.

Be kind.

Empathy

We celebrate each other’s successes and do not make fun of their failures.

Language has weight.

We think before we speak. We say less.

We understand our opinion may be wrong. It is even likely.

We avoid comparing ourselves to others.

An example:

A japanese rugby player was hurt. He was in severe pain but he did not want to leave the field of play. He did not want to leave his team-mates. He pretended he was okay. His coach signalled for him to come off. He accepted and respected his coach’s decision without a word, without a flinch. It was not a question of power but of culture. As he left the field he turned and bowed to his opponents. He sees them as equals who had given him the opportunity to improve, to be happy playing hard but fair, to push himself.

Duty

We help without being asked*.

We do the jobs allocated to us to the best of our ability.

We help others improve.

Leaders create leaders.

We do what we can to make a family member feel or look great.

*Everyone looks for missing balls, carries goals, prepares for the team, offers to volunteer without anyone having to plead.

Excellence

Try your very hardest, to be the best that you can be.

We believe in constantly striving to improve.

We aim high.

We pursue excellence and understanding.

We take pride in our appearance and in our club. (By making the effort I am more productive and it reflects on those I love.)

Respect

Treat people as they should be treated.

We are on time. We believe it is right to be punctual. We do not rush.

We do not throw our jerseys on the floor.

We tread carefully.

We respect others customs.

Simple Manners (Courtesy/Politeness/Consideration)

We can’t control what happens to us but we can control how we react.

We practice good manners**.

We listen and we wait for the other person to finish before we speak.

We think of others (just like a Japanese worker will park his car furthest from the office in the off-chance a colleague who is running late can park closer to the building).

We do not shout to be heard.

**We hold the door open for others, we give up our seats for those who need them, we ask before borrowing something that belongs to someone else, we say „please“ and „thank you“, we eat properly (no mobile phones at the dinner table / we do not look at our phones when someone is talking to us), we speak quietly in public and formal places, we talk as if the subject of our conversation is with us etcetera.

Humility

Be true to yourself.

Lose with grace, win with humility.

We clean up after ourselves. (No-one is too big to do the small things that need to be done.)

We do not try to draw attention to ourselves.

We are grateful for what we have.

Integrity

Do what is right, legally and morally. Illegal or improper behaviour or even the appearance of such behaviour will not be tolerated.

Courage gives us the moral and mental strength to do what is right, even in the face of adversity.

We do not complain.

We do not exaggerate.

We tell the truth.

The German writer Kurt Tucholsky once correctly said: “The state of all human morality can be summarized in two sentences: We ought to. But we don't.”

We do, at T.F.C.