Does it ever seem like there are not enough hours in the day? And if so, why is that? With the invention of automatic washers and dryers, dishwashers, automatic bill pay, automobiles, airplanes, and devices we carry in our pocket that are more powerful than the computers that put Neil Armstrong on...
Not long ago I heard a speaker summarize 10 characteristics that require zero talent: Being on time Work ethic Effort Body language Energy Attitude Passion Being coachable Doing extra Being prepared For the sake of time, I am only going to focus on the very first characteristic, “Being On Time”....
Character First! defines courage as “overcoming fear by saying and doing what is right.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” Courage is neutral, all by itself. It is a double-edged sword....
This past winter, I had the opportunity to be a State Senate Page for Senator J.J. Dossett. The duties of a government Page are relatively simple. I would deliver memos and legislative materials around the Capitol and assist in the Executive Assistant’s office. Some days I sat in on Committee...
The City implemented the character initiative with city employees and the community in 2002. Over the past 15 years each month’s focus has impacted me in different ways, some big and some small, but one thing I have discovered is there is always something to learn. The character trait of Boldness...
Flexibility can be defined simply as adjusting to change with a good attitude. Change is always challenging, even in the best of times, but we now have an opportunity for an attitude check, a progress report on our flexibility, if you will. A crisis has a way of revealing who you really are and...
In January when I volunteered to write the blog for FLEXIBILITY, little did I know it would be one of the hottest topics of conversation beginning in March with the COVID-19 pandemic. Flexibility is a character trait that describes the extent to which a person can cope with changes in...
Alertness – Being aware of what is taking place around me so I can respond appropriately. Each of our areas of responsibility requires that we be alert to warnings, whether it is equipment, processes, or situations. Some rely on systems to help stay alert, and others rely on their senses to remain...
How’s your supply of toilet paper holding out? Have you made or purchased your personalized corona-mask? Are you still stuck inside or have you begun to venture out? The effects of COVID-19 go well beyond the medical. Our world has been transformed by an invisible actor that has harmed or killed...
My youngest son has the car bug. He’s years away from driving but he spends a lot of time imaging the possibilities. “Dad, would you rather have a Lamborghini Aventador or a Ferrari Portofino!? Hey Dad, would you rather have a McClaren 720s or a Tesla!?” We enjoy dreaming together. I enjoy...
On what started out as a typical Thursday evening, Lori Lane, with the City’s Owasso Strong Neighborhoods department, observed someone unzipping a jeep top while the alarm was going off and contacted the police. The police arrived and were able to apprehend the suspects. Once the jeep owners...
The definition of availability refers to “those I serve”. To understand availability you must first understand who you serve. We obviously serve those in authority over us but don’t we also serve our peers? Good leaders serve those they lead. So being available means being ready to...
