With the new memorial to MLK in Washington and remembering his "I Have a Dream" speech on that day over 48 years ago, it made me think of all of the words of wisdom that he spoke. Below are a few of his quotes --
Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and unborn could do it no better.
A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.
We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
These words seem as relevant today as they were 50 years ago.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
#25 "Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can't Lose"
Those words were said by the high school football team before each game in the recently ended "Friday Night Lights" television series. It was one of the best TV series of all times and lasted for five years. If you have never seen it, it was not just about football, but so much more -- it was about life -- the ups and downs, good and bad, redemption and everything in between. I highly recommend it!
Coach Taylor would shout the words, "Clear Eyes, Full Heart", then the team would follow up by shouting back, "Can't Lose". It was a way of pumping the players up, getting everyone focused and uniting them as a team. But why those words?
Here is what I took those words to mean --
Clear eyes -- This is the intellectual piece -- Players know the calls, they know their positions and what is expected of them; they know their opponent and their teammates; they are prepared for inclement weather and other factors outside of their control-- they have the knowledge to play a good game.
Open heart -- This is the emotional piece -- Players are willing to put themselves into every play -- they care, they risk injury -- their desires, integrity and character, everything that they have is on the line. They play with courage. (The word "courage" comes from the Old French word coeur meaning heart so "courage" is the measure of their heartfelt participation in the game.)
Can't lose -- if you show up and put everything that you are and have into an endeavor, you cannot lose in life. The coach would say, "Gentlemen, we may not win tonight, but you are all winners just by being here and playing". Giving their all and caring made them winners, whether they won or not. Sometimes you just need to show up in life.
Isn't that so true? Just showing up and being you is enough. Can we ask any more of people than to be fully present -- with their talents, integrity and heart, willing to let themselves be seen -- whether they win the battle or skirmish, but being courageous enough to not allow anyone make them feel small? There is so much incentive these days to feel small so someone else can feel big. When we play small, we give up ourselves and our own personal power.
It is time that we show up at work or in life with "Clear eyes, full heart" and we absolutely "can't lose". It is sometimes a bit scary at first, but you will find that it feels really good!!
Coach Taylor would shout the words, "Clear Eyes, Full Heart", then the team would follow up by shouting back, "Can't Lose". It was a way of pumping the players up, getting everyone focused and uniting them as a team. But why those words?
Here is what I took those words to mean --
Clear eyes -- This is the intellectual piece -- Players know the calls, they know their positions and what is expected of them; they know their opponent and their teammates; they are prepared for inclement weather and other factors outside of their control-- they have the knowledge to play a good game.
Open heart -- This is the emotional piece -- Players are willing to put themselves into every play -- they care, they risk injury -- their desires, integrity and character, everything that they have is on the line. They play with courage. (The word "courage" comes from the Old French word coeur meaning heart so "courage" is the measure of their heartfelt participation in the game.)
Can't lose -- if you show up and put everything that you are and have into an endeavor, you cannot lose in life. The coach would say, "Gentlemen, we may not win tonight, but you are all winners just by being here and playing". Giving their all and caring made them winners, whether they won or not. Sometimes you just need to show up in life.
Isn't that so true? Just showing up and being you is enough. Can we ask any more of people than to be fully present -- with their talents, integrity and heart, willing to let themselves be seen -- whether they win the battle or skirmish, but being courageous enough to not allow anyone make them feel small? There is so much incentive these days to feel small so someone else can feel big. When we play small, we give up ourselves and our own personal power.
It is time that we show up at work or in life with "Clear eyes, full heart" and we absolutely "can't lose". It is sometimes a bit scary at first, but you will find that it feels really good!!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
#24 Has Life Become One Big Checklist?
Have you noticed that almost everywhere you turn, life has been reduced to a checklist? Is that because no one can think and decide things for themselves, or are citizens, workers and students no longer allowed to think for themselves?
Students are no longer taught how to think -- colleges will readily acknowledge that graduates are lacking in critical thinking skills, they possess few analytical skills and writing skills are practically nonexistent. Why then are our students being taught only things that they need to remember on a standardized test? Students are taught to memorize, but not to think, why?
Managers are creating checklists of what to say on telephone calls in call centers -- not just a checklist of what to cover in a conversation with a client, but the actual words employees need to use. In several instances in call centers, when employees do not use the exact words they are considered to not be meeting standards as set forth on a quality assurance checklist. Amazing!!
Managers are also setting criteria and issuing multi-page memos on how to write up yearly performance evaluations. Top level managers are providing the context and the wording to be used when their supervisors and subordinate managers are evaluating their employees. There is no longer any discretion left to the individual supervisors/managers. Why? If leaders think that their employees cannot do a performance review on their own, why were they hired? Or do leaders want absolute control -- "my way or the highway"?
Just last week at a state hearing regarding the consolidation of the State Personnel Board and the Department of Personnel Administration, it was agreed that a uniform set of standards for disciplining employees would be developed. With that kind of checklist approach, it eliminates the discretion and discernment necessary to run a fair and equitable human resources management system.
Every person is different and every situation is different. No two people are like and very rarely are two situations alike. There are usually mitigating circumstances which may alter the kind of discipline necessary. As we know from clothing, one size does not fit all. But yet that is what is being proposed. And that approach has already been instituted in many schools -- zero tolerance -- whether the situation warrants it or not.
I have to wonder why? Why can we not use commen sense anymore?. What are leaders so afraid of? Are they afraid that when people start to think and feel, they will realize that the leaders are not so smart, or as good intentioned as the leaders pretend to be. They would rather run the organization, state, or country off of the rails, than do the right thing -- the risk of not being re-elected or being replaced as a leader is too great.
It is time to start abolishing this risk aversive checklist mentality. Since we collectively pay the salaries of all public workers -- schools, governmnent -- state and local, and all elected politicans, we can demand better for ourselves and our children. It is time to stand up and be counted.
Students are no longer taught how to think -- colleges will readily acknowledge that graduates are lacking in critical thinking skills, they possess few analytical skills and writing skills are practically nonexistent. Why then are our students being taught only things that they need to remember on a standardized test? Students are taught to memorize, but not to think, why?
Managers are creating checklists of what to say on telephone calls in call centers -- not just a checklist of what to cover in a conversation with a client, but the actual words employees need to use. In several instances in call centers, when employees do not use the exact words they are considered to not be meeting standards as set forth on a quality assurance checklist. Amazing!!
Managers are also setting criteria and issuing multi-page memos on how to write up yearly performance evaluations. Top level managers are providing the context and the wording to be used when their supervisors and subordinate managers are evaluating their employees. There is no longer any discretion left to the individual supervisors/managers. Why? If leaders think that their employees cannot do a performance review on their own, why were they hired? Or do leaders want absolute control -- "my way or the highway"?
Just last week at a state hearing regarding the consolidation of the State Personnel Board and the Department of Personnel Administration, it was agreed that a uniform set of standards for disciplining employees would be developed. With that kind of checklist approach, it eliminates the discretion and discernment necessary to run a fair and equitable human resources management system.
Every person is different and every situation is different. No two people are like and very rarely are two situations alike. There are usually mitigating circumstances which may alter the kind of discipline necessary. As we know from clothing, one size does not fit all. But yet that is what is being proposed. And that approach has already been instituted in many schools -- zero tolerance -- whether the situation warrants it or not.
I have to wonder why? Why can we not use commen sense anymore?. What are leaders so afraid of? Are they afraid that when people start to think and feel, they will realize that the leaders are not so smart, or as good intentioned as the leaders pretend to be. They would rather run the organization, state, or country off of the rails, than do the right thing -- the risk of not being re-elected or being replaced as a leader is too great.
It is time to start abolishing this risk aversive checklist mentality. Since we collectively pay the salaries of all public workers -- schools, governmnent -- state and local, and all elected politicans, we can demand better for ourselves and our children. It is time to stand up and be counted.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
#23 Looking Out the Window
While attending my monthly gardening club meeting, the nursery owner was telling a story about his visit to Amsterdam. He said was trying to find an English speaking TV station while in his room and ventured upon a Turkish station. It was reporting the results of an investigation of a plane that had crashed while landing.
Everything seemed to be going fine; the pilots were going through their check list and making sure they had covered everything. At the last minute they decided to "look out the window" and they were startled to find they were flying way too low. They tried to pull the plane up, but it was too late; they crashed and died upon impact.
He related that story to his plants. He feeds and waters and does everything on schedule (the checklist) but to insure that they remain healthy and saleable, he needs to look at the weather and temperature, the exposure, bug and virus infestations....he needs to daily "look out the window" to ensure other factors (not on the checklist) are also being addressed.
I think this is true for all of us -- we need to start looking around us to find out what really is going on -- in our workplaces and in our nation. Can we trust everything that we are being told? Do we get conflicting messages and mixed signals? Our guts usually have a reaction to things even before we become conscience of them -- we need to learn to pay attention to those gut feelings; they are there for a reason. They are the "Danger Will Robinson" moments!
So start "looking out the window". You may be amazed at all you see -- some good and some bad...but you will become more aware and awareness can lead to you make more informed decisions for yourself -- never a bad thing. I highly recommend it!
Everything seemed to be going fine; the pilots were going through their check list and making sure they had covered everything. At the last minute they decided to "look out the window" and they were startled to find they were flying way too low. They tried to pull the plane up, but it was too late; they crashed and died upon impact.
He related that story to his plants. He feeds and waters and does everything on schedule (the checklist) but to insure that they remain healthy and saleable, he needs to look at the weather and temperature, the exposure, bug and virus infestations....he needs to daily "look out the window" to ensure other factors (not on the checklist) are also being addressed.
I think this is true for all of us -- we need to start looking around us to find out what really is going on -- in our workplaces and in our nation. Can we trust everything that we are being told? Do we get conflicting messages and mixed signals? Our guts usually have a reaction to things even before we become conscience of them -- we need to learn to pay attention to those gut feelings; they are there for a reason. They are the "Danger Will Robinson" moments!
So start "looking out the window". You may be amazed at all you see -- some good and some bad...but you will become more aware and awareness can lead to you make more informed decisions for yourself -- never a bad thing. I highly recommend it!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
#22 We Are Born with a Sense of Morality
There is good news!! University professors, part of a group of moral naturalists, believe that we are born with the capacity to recognize right from wrong. They also believe that we continue to learn fairness and other virtues through observation as to how people live and cooperate with one another. These observations help to form our moral values.
David Brooks, author of the Social Animal, makes this contention in a July 22, 1010 article published in the New York Times. He reports that a University of Virginia social psychologist believes that a "moral sense is like our sense of taste, we have receptors that help us detect sweetness and saltiness, and we also have "receptors that help us recognize fairness and cruelty".
In addition, Professor Paul Bloom of Yale University has found that babies "have a rudimentary sense of justice from a very early age." Babies as young as six months will choose photos of someone attempting to help another person over someone who is attempting to do them harm, or to hinder them.
These moral abilities rely upon emotional, intuitive processes, for good and ill. Of particular note is the fact that general fear makes us risk-averse; anger makes us more risk-seeking. At times, healthy anger can be a very good thing. It empowers us to stand up and be counted -- to speak truth to power and to do the right thing -- the moral thing.
I will also believe that most people, if allowed, want to do the right thing. I saw it so many times during my working career. Co-workers willing to step up an help the other -- working collaboratively with others to come up with solutions that were good for everyone -- stakeholders and employees. Working in this type of moral and ethical environment is very empowering and beneficial for everyone.
We have the ability to bring morality back to our society -- government and corporate America. Collectively we have to do stand up and do the right thing -- hold officials accountable for their actions, and demand better. I know we can -- it is in our DNA.
David Brooks, author of the Social Animal, makes this contention in a July 22, 1010 article published in the New York Times. He reports that a University of Virginia social psychologist believes that a "moral sense is like our sense of taste, we have receptors that help us detect sweetness and saltiness, and we also have "receptors that help us recognize fairness and cruelty".
In addition, Professor Paul Bloom of Yale University has found that babies "have a rudimentary sense of justice from a very early age." Babies as young as six months will choose photos of someone attempting to help another person over someone who is attempting to do them harm, or to hinder them.
These moral abilities rely upon emotional, intuitive processes, for good and ill. Of particular note is the fact that general fear makes us risk-averse; anger makes us more risk-seeking. At times, healthy anger can be a very good thing. It empowers us to stand up and be counted -- to speak truth to power and to do the right thing -- the moral thing.
I will also believe that most people, if allowed, want to do the right thing. I saw it so many times during my working career. Co-workers willing to step up an help the other -- working collaboratively with others to come up with solutions that were good for everyone -- stakeholders and employees. Working in this type of moral and ethical environment is very empowering and beneficial for everyone.
We have the ability to bring morality back to our society -- government and corporate America. Collectively we have to do stand up and do the right thing -- hold officials accountable for their actions, and demand better. I know we can -- it is in our DNA.
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