December 2004
Picking Up Books
One early fall afternoon, I saw Ryan walking home from school. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. As I watched, a bunch of kids knocked him over and sent his books flying in all directions.
As we picked up his books, I asked him why I hadn't seen him before. He said he used to attend private school. We talked all the way home, and I invited him to come play football with the guys. He did.
Over the next four years, Ryan and I became good friends. He was always a book worm, but he gradually filled out and actually looked good in glasses. When we were seniors, Ryan decided to study medicine at Georgetown, and I accepted a football scholarship from Michigan.
Ryan was valedictorian, and I could see he was nervous about his speech, so I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey man, you'll do great!"
When Ryan's turn came, he said, "Graduation provides an opportunity to thank everyone who has helped us make it through school and life to this point: our parents, our teachers, our siblings, our coaches, and our friends."
The crowd murmured in amazement as my friend told about that Friday evening when we first met. He had planned to kill himself that weekend, and he cleaned out his locker so that his Mom wouldn't have to. "I was saved by one person's kindness," he said, "My friend showed me that there is life beyond the obstacles we face and that even small kindnesses can make a big difference."
Wherever you are, give what you can to benefit those around you. Tell an appropriate joke to relieve the tension at a holiday gathering. Take time to listen kindly and help family members with their various projects. Share a smile with the weary shoppers you encounter. You may think you're only picking up books, but you could be saving someone's life.
Give It!… Get It?
This time of year is traditionally a "time of giving," yet many times it becomes a "season of self-centeredness." It is easy to focus on "what I want" rather than on "what I could give." If a person gives with the expectation of receiving, they will lose the joy of generosity. On the other hand, a person who gives freely to others will experience satisfaction.
- Are you giving with the hope of being remembered, appreciated, or given something in return?
- Are you giving to relieve guilt for failure in other areas of your relationship?
- Will your gift truly benefit the recipient, or is it something you've decided they should have?
- Have you recognized the distinction between needs and wants?
- Is it your responsibility to address this particular need?
- Are you carefully managing what you have so that you can freely give to those in need?
- Do you have it to give?
Just as a lake with no outlet stagnates and loses its ability to support life, selfishness can isolate you and prevent you from contributing to those around you. Exercise sincerity, alertness, and wisdom so that you can make meaningful contributions to others' lives.
Building People and Homes
This year, the Washington division of Pulte Homes completed a five-year climb from slightly below average to number one in the J.D. Power and Associates new home owner satisfaction ranking for the Washington, D.C. market.
To make this goal a reality, the division president, David Graham, and his team focused on building teamwork and establishing systems to reach the company’s stated goal of "customer delight." Each Pulte project, called a community, has its own team of representatives from each department.
These team members work together, taking every homebuyer through a seven-step process that includes: an informational meeting so that customers know what to expect, customer walk-throughs to review the home while under construction, quality assurance inspections, a customer inspection before closing, and scheduled follow-ups to make sure that the customers are happy. Should a problem arise, the community team works together to resolve it quickly and maintain the relationship with the customer.
The Pulte strategy for team building goes beyond selecting top individuals. "We should all be looking to see where the weaknesses in our lives exist and then work to shore them up," Graham said, adding that failure to address individual character issues will limit how much a person can improve and how well the company can perform. According to Robby Miseyko, ex-marine and Pulte project schedule manager, this commitment to improve customer service and train employees to succeed is what made the top customer satisfaction ranking a reality.
Stephen Johnson was named Director of Training and Cultural Development in May 2004. As the division's growth plans required more new hires, Johnson coordinated the shift from a relatively informal training period to an intensive 17-week program that includes a half-day of character training and introduces each new hire to every aspect of Pulte homebuilding.
Johnson also coordinates the quarterly, division-wide "town meeting." At these meetings, employees receive training and selected individuals receive public recognition for their character. This past November, for example, Johnson took the theme, "Quiet Heroes and Quiet Victories" and used the opportunity to honor military veterans and to "highlight people who are laboring in obscure corners but making vital contributions."
The division is also working on a system that takes tasks listed in job descriptions and determines which character qualities will help a person excel at that particular job. This information will then help the division make hiring decisions and place individuals in positions where they can succeed. "I think this has dovetailed with [Pulte's emphasis on integrity, involvement, and innovation] and given it some traction," Johnson said.
Administrative assistant Bunny Moretti has been with Pulte for 18 years. "I think we're above and beyond a lot of the competition on training. Pulte is a company that really cares…. I feel like I’m part of a family," she said.
As Graham said, "Pulte, as a company, is very serious about building what we would call 'Pulte Homeowners for Life ™.'" Perhaps more impressive than one year's success, however, the Washington division of Pulte Homes has built a team that could keep their customers delighted for years to come.
Seeing the Good in Children
Parents and teachers naturally see the bad things that children do: the laziness, the selfishness, the rudeness, and the recklessness. However, a danger arises when those flaws become the only things we see in other people.
Take advantage of this holiday season to see the best qualities in others, particularly in your children. Look for opportunities to praise your children for good character. When you ask for their help, thank them for their efforts, and recognize them for their generosity to others.
First Things First
Thanks to the pioneering efforts of McDonough, Georgia, many communities around the world now reap the benefits that come when individuals "put character first."
McDonough, a city of approximately 9,000 residents, became the first "City of Character" when the governing council approved a resolution establishing a community-wide emphasis on character development.
Mayor Richard Craig and local resident Blake Turner, chairman of the Community Committed to Character committee, have actively championed the cause of character. The city has teamed up with the International ALERT Academy, a faith-based organization dedicated to helping local communities with public service projects and disaster relief. As a result of these efforts, over 200 homes in underprivileged neighborhoods have received new roofs or other repairs. ALERT also helped local people build a 187-foot pedestrian bridge in cooperation with state and local governments so that foot traffic would not have to compete with automobile traffic on the nearby highway bridge.
In 2005, all city employees will begin attending monthly, 15-minute character training sessions. Craig hopes the training will help all city employees achieve personal success and derive greater enjoyment from their work. Nan Lee, city economic development manager, will coordinate the new program to ensure that all city employees benefit from the character focus.
Since the "City of Character" concept began, over 200 local and state jurisdictions from the United States and around the world have become involved, and this number continues to grow as officials realize the positive impact character development can have in their communities.
Learn how to start a character initiative in your community by visiting www.charactercities.org or calling 405-815-0001.
