August 2005 Newsletter

Journey of Faith

Faith looked over her shoulder and saw a figure running up the trail. As she continued her climb, the figure caught up with her.

"Greetings," he said, after coming within earshot.

Faith returned the greeting, and the two continued on together. At length, Presumption, for that was his name, said, "Can we not go faster? It feels like we'll never get there at this rate."

Faith smiled, explained how long journeys require consistent effort, and warned how easily a person can overrun his or her bearings and become lost. Presumption wasn't satisfied, but he didn't want to leave Faith's company, and he walked quietly for a while.

As night fell, they came to the edge of a cliff. Faith's map indicated the trail to the right led to a bridge that would take them on their way. As they walked along the cliff, they came to a tree that appeared to have fallen across the chasm. Presumption immediately assumed this was the bridge, but Faith pointed out that a large boulder marked the bridge they sought.

"Someone probably moved it," Presumption argued. He was getting tired of Faith's methodical observations. "Besides, doesn't faith mean you are supposed to follow your heart?"

Unable to dissuade Faith, Presumption began working his way along the tree trunk, and Faith soon found the bridge and continued on her way, but she never saw Presumption again.

Most people do not reject the truth from lack of evidence but because they want to interpret the evidence in a way that supports their conclusions. Discern and faithfully follow the roadmap of integrity, whatever the temptation to take a shortcut.


Believe It

Many think of faith in purely religious terms, but faith has much broader application to life. The way we make every decision depends on what we believe to be true.

Every day, we place our feet on the floor, believing the laws of gravity are still in effect. Many of us drive to work, depending on the brakes to slow the car when we step on the pedal. We trust elevators will take us to the next floor and chairs will bear our weight.

In business, we expect quality products and services to attract and satisfy customers. We base these judgments on experience, knowledge of an object’s design, and observation of the nature of things.

On issues of integrity, we see cause-and-effect relationships between unethical activity and the legal and social consequences. We demonstrate belief, however, by the choices we make.

We are often tempted to imagine ourselves above the law: exempt from ordinary restrictions or at least capable of “getting away with it this time.” Under the influence of these ideas, we make irrational decisions only to regret them later.

A person of faith has the ability to keep these realities in mind, even when they are not immediately in view. Thus, faith allows an employee to do quality work, even when the boss is not looking or does not appreciate the employee’s efforts. Faith motivates a businessperson to replace a flawed product quickly, even though it is initially expensive. Faith helps a traveler maintain integrity, even when weariness and the temptations of the road would make self-indulgence much easier.

Confidence in the unchanging standards of good character is never misplaced. Base your everyday decisions on what you know is right, even when the rewards are not immediately apparent.


Back to School

"But Mom, I don’t want to go to school - I won't know anyone!"

For many children, the "back to school blues" are less about surrendering their vacations and more about the uncertainty of what awaits them at school. Sometimes children need reassurance that it is who they are that makes them special, not who they know, what they wear, or how they fit in the crowd.

Set aside time to teach or refresh basic skills for meeting new people, asking for directions, and making a good first impression. Act out different scenarios with your children. You can play a teacher, a bus driver, or a new classmate. Switch roles so that your son or daughter can learn to extend hospitality to others.

• Wear a genuine smile.
• Look others in the eyes.
• Project your voice.
• Offer a handshake.
• Ask simple questions (What is your name? How are you doing?).
• Take initiative to approach others.

Instead of hanging around old buddies from previous years, challenge your children to meet at least one new person each day. Remember, "to make a friend, you must be a friend."

By Robert Greenlaw


Values Training That Works

The San Antonio River Authority (SARA) has reduced turnover and improved communication between employees and supervisors by focusing on individual character.

SARA is responsible for flood control, water quality, and some wastewater management across Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties in Southern Texas. In 2001, SARA started a strategic planning effort that included clarifying a mission and vision.

"The third leg of the stool is values," said Human Resources Director Susan Eason. Once SARA approved Character First as its values program, all the supervisors attended a one-day training. Eason and the supervisors then rolled out the program to the employees.

Eason said employees at one of the two parks run by SARA will gather at a long picnic table and hold their monthly safety meeting. They then hear supervisors discuss excerpts from the monthly Character Bulletin.

"What I do is go through [the bulletin] and highlight all the important things that catch my eye, and I'll put them down on a piece of paper," said foreman James Shortner who has been with SARA for nearly 33 years. His paper usually includes the definition, the five keys, and the balancing qualities.

When he meets with his coworkers, "We'll just lightly go through it," Shortner said, adding that his two fulltime coworkers also read the whole bulletin and sometimes bring up points he missed.

Before the meeting ends, supervisors recognize employees who have their employment anniversaries that month. The supervisor picks a particular trait and writes a brief report how that person demonstrates the trait. Shortner recognized one coworker for compassion when the coworker took time off to help a friend who had cancer.

Workers at SARA utilities hold recognitions immediately after their safety meeting, and have a separate meeting to go over and discuss the monthly character quality.

Eason believes this monthly contact with supervisors builds a positive relationship so that, when home or work issues arise, employees can communicate more openly with their supervisors.

Shortner has seen the values program help those who want to "make things work the way they ought to." The program has also helped him learn to take time and check out a situation before passing judgment. "You got to have patience, and you got to have gentleness, and you got to have endurance for some of the work we do," he said.

By Loren Paulsson