August 2004 Newsletter
The Dogged Applicant
A well-looking dog was trotting down the street one day and saw a sign, "Parts Clerk Wanted,"
in an auto parts store window. Inside, the dog looked at the lady behind the counter and wagged
his tail. Then he walked over to the sign, looked at it, and whined a bit.
Getting the idea, the parts clerk showed him into the office, and the manager soon found himself sitting across the desk from a dog. "I can't hire you," the manager said. "The sign says you have to be able to type."
The dog jumped out of the chair, went to the computer, and started typing. In a few minutes, the dog printed out a well-typed letter and jumped back up on the chair. The manager was stunned, but he said, "The sign also says you must have good computer skills."
The dog went back to the computer. This time, the dog constructed a spreadsheet that could project the store's earnings and expenditures for a year. The manager was dumb-founded! He looked at the dog and said, "You are a very intelligent dog and have some amazing abilities, but we need someone who is bilingual."
The dog looked at the manager and calmly said, "Meow."
When confronted with a decision, it's easy to be sidetracked. Develop the alertness to see what is happening, the creativity to make adjustments as necessary, and the wisdom to eliminate non-options. These habits will keep you on course to make good decisions.
Do or Die, You Decide!
Many things are sacrificed because of indecision. Most decisions must be made well ahead of
time and then stuck with. Even when the final decision must wait for further developments,
you must determine exactly what you want to accomplish so that you will immediately recognize
the best option. It's never too early for preparation.
Three areas require special consideration when it comes to decision making.
Ideas
What we do with ideas will ultimately determine their value. Creativity without decisiveness will squander opportunities and sabotage progress.Responsibilities
A decision not to decide is still a decision. People often miss great opportunities because they fail to make the necessary daily decisions that will lead to success. Break down your responsibilities into daily goals and make the little, everyday choices to accomplish them. Unfulfilled responsibilities will kill your potential.Relationships
Ultimately everything else in life is meaningless without strong, healthy relationships. Thus, our daily choices must place a high priority on other people, their needs, and their interests. Little compromises in routine decisions can cause your relationships to suffer and even die.Be committed to making right decisions because they are right, and you will discover true joy in life.
Back to School
It’s time to load up the backpacks, sharpen the pencils, and get everything together that your students need for school. But don’t forget to emphasize the importance of good character!
Attentiveness is the key to learning. Remind students that attentiveness shows respect
for teachers and helps them perform well.
Obedience to rules and regulations helps a school run smoothly. Review your school guidelines, dress codes, and other expectations so that students know what is expected of them and why it is important.
Responsibility is important for children of any age, whether they are 1st graders who remember to bring their pencils to school or 10th graders who juggle hours of homework, extra-curricular activities, and other responsibilities each day. Learning responsibility at an early age will make students more successful when they are older.
Students should display gratefulness when interacting with teachers, friends, or anyone else they meet at school. Require your children to greet others politely, conduct themselves properly at the table, and say "please," "thank-you," and "excuse me" at appropriate times.
By developing these and other good habits, your students can head back to school prepared with more than a full backpack.
Communities, Candidates, Colleges, and Character
The state of Ohio has made great strides towards fulfilling the state General Assembly's Joint Resolution that designated Ohio as a "character-building state."
Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell has championed the cause throughout Ohio, sponsoring the Ohio Center for Civic Character. The OCCC is a state-wide project designed to help leaders improve their communities. Blackwell and the OCCC have developed the Candidates of Character Project that encourages candidates for public office to make a written commitment to exemplify and encourage good character.
In order to define good character and provide a common vocabulary, the Ohio Secretary of State's office published Uncommon Sense, a document outlining how individuals can demonstrate good character in their own lives and in their relationships with others. "Noble visions, worthy missions and guiding values all require and are validated by character ethics," Blackwell says on his website. "Thus, a strong character foundation is and always will be the key predictor of true personal health, interpersonal vitality, and organizational success."
OCCC also supports the Ohio Collegiate Alliance for Character. This group of higher education institutions cooperates to define broad character-based standards and develop specific programs to teach and reward good character among administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
"No matter how technologically advanced we get, it will always be about relationships," said Ohio Assistant Secretary of State Monty Lobb. "We feel like from a citizenship perspective that character is the cornerstone of what it means to be a good citizen, and citizenship is the foundation for healthy, vibrant communities."
Blackwell will speak at the 2004 International Building Cities of Character Conference to be held September 22-24 in Oklahoma City.
For more information, please visit the IACC website: http://www.charactercities.org/conferences/
