Archive for the ‘Choice’ Category
Managing Choice
“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.”
- Albert Ellis
No doubt you have heard about the national Get Motivated business seminar that will make its swing through the Southland the end of this month featuring such notable voices as Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Bill Cosbey, Joe Montana, Rick Belluzzo and General Stanley McChrystal, to name a handful.
Their messages on leadership, perseverance, success, teamwork, business skills and excellence will be grounded in a common theme that Albert Ellis identifies in his quote, which I will interpret with these succinct words: You are in charge of you.
A Get Motivated day to recharge and reorient will be a significant experience for an important segment of attendees: talented professionals in their 50’s who are seeking to find their next employment opportunity. These people will be attending believing their hands are on the steering wheel of their professional future.
Taking ownership of our destiny is not for the faint-hearted. Rather it requires moral courage, particularly for middle aged, highly-skilled men and women who, for years, have been in the work force pursuing professional careers only to be sidelined by the recession’s undertow.
For a moment let’s imagine I stood outside the Staple Center in Los Angeles on Oct 31st and randomly selected 100 unemployed 50ish year-old attendees to answer a question, “Who do you blame for your present situation? If you were to speculate on a common response, what would you guess you might hear…the banks? the government? the president? my past employer? My guess would be: None of the above. Instead, I would anticipate an overwhelmingly common reply from this pre-selected group who had chosen to invest a day to get motivated: The response: I don’t put energy into blaming; I focus on today. Such words, likely expressed with emotion, would not be spoken by victims but from hope-filled, intentional creators of tomorrow.
Mission Integrity Action
Russell Williams, Founder/President
Passkeys Foundation/Ethical Edge
www.ethicaledge.org
Managing Choice
“He who faces no calamity will need no courage.”
- Harry Emerson Fosdick
What are the seas that courageous sailors confront while navigating on life’s grand ocean?
Years ago I listened to Rich DeVos, a great American entrepreneur and avid sailor, talk about The Four Winds. Mr. DeVos used his sea experiences to shape an inspirational message about staying focused on your big picture mission and day-to-day goals regardless of changing circumstances. I’ve never forgotten his message. Now, thirty-five plus years later, I appreciate even more the timeless wisdom of navigating courageously in the four life winds to sail purposefully as a leader of integrity.
The Northerly Winds are tough and harsh. They come unexpectedly, out of nowhere. Their cold assault blasts you, challenging your enthusiasm to keep your eye on the character virtues of responsibility, respect for others, and trustworthiness. You must be cautiously attentive when these winds hit your sails. They can easily throw you off course.
The Easterly Winds are sustained, powerful and often the cause of character failure. Such conditions may require the assistance of trusted advisors. Without such individuals as part of your crew, potentially destructive short-sighted decision making that compromises trust can cause you to capsize or beach your professional life boat.
The Southerly Winds are lulling, hidden, unnoticed and sporadic. In these winds you can grow complacent, unfocused, forgetful, self absorbed, taking your eye off important actions that build trust driven relationships with your professional community of colleagues and clients.
And, oh yes, The Westerly Winds! How you love them and desire to have them in your sails at all times. These winds bring with them the encouraging story of people, events, and opportunities that come to you providing optimism, hopefulness and clarity of motive and mission in support of your goals and dreams.
Mission Integrity Action
There they are…life’s four winds! Three offer challenge; one gives encouragement. Like accomplished sailors on open seas, the successful Leader of Integrity maneuvers successfully in all four life winds.
This week I navigate triumphantly with the winds that are in my sails.
Appreciating you on the ethical edge!
Russell Williams, Founder/President
Passkeys Foundation/Ethical Edge
www.ethicaledge.org