A tenet of the City’s work philosophy is ‘Choose Your Attitude’. This philosophy is taken from the book FiSH! by Stephen Ludin, Harry Paul and John Christensen. The book uses the work habits of an actual fish market in Seattle to show that any work environment can improve customer service, build...
Positivity is defined as maintaining a good attitude, even when faced with difficulty. It is easy to have a positive attitude when things go well, but a person who exhibits the character trait of positivity maintains a positive attitude even in the face of physical hardship, poor conditions,...
We all strive to teach children about sharing. Looking at the character trait of Generosity requires taking a hard look at ourselves to see how we struggle with sharing. Is it money, possessions, energy, talents, passion, time? Often the trait of generosity first brings to mind giving and...
The enemy of generosity can be greed, but there is another enemy of generosity, and that is good intentions. Good intentions not carried out have the same end result as not sharing for a more selfish reason. As I had this thought it spoke volumes to me, knowing how often I have good intentions...
Generosity encompasses how we manage all of our resources, to include time, talents, and other possessions, but this introduction is about the very first thing most of us think about when the word generosity comes up, money. We’ve all seen the commercials – “Two tickets to the ballgame, $28; two...
Proverbs 17:28 says, “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” Following that as a guideline, I will try and keep this short. Wisdom is the trait of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. What we learn intentionally or through our...
We generally think of generosity when we hear of someone giving millions for a new college stadium or of a billionaire donating a wing to a hospital. Those are fine examples of generosity and their impact is significant. But maybe that makes the rest of us think generosity isn’t an important...
Strata Leadership defines Wisdom as making practical application of what is learned. After trying to explain wisdom to my two young grandkids, age 7 and 10, I defined wisdom as taking what you know and using it to make your choices. Life presents us with many learning opportunities, but what we...
I was recently reading an article on kindness and the simple ways we could show kindness toward others throughout the day. The article did not identify anything new and groundbreaking, but it did include some great reminders. Afterward I started thinking about kindness in relation to...
Punctuality is commonly understood as being on time. However, there are many facets to this trait, if used consistently that can make a vast difference in how you spend your daily 24 hours. Keep track of time. It’s easy to get caught up in an activity and lose track of time. Set limits for...
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...
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....
