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...
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...
When I was asked to write an article on humility, my first thought was, “They absolutely chose the right person to write this article.” Obviously, I’m joking. I’ll never forget a conversation I had with my mother years ago when I was just entering my teenage years. Our family was heavily involved...
The character trait of Enthusiasm may bring to mind someone you know, that person who is always full of energy and excitement. Or it may bring to mind someone who is extremely passionate about their interest, whether it is a sport, a hobby, or a pet. However, not everyone has a high-energy...
Enthusiasm is defined as expressing joy in each task as we give it our best effort. Finding joy in what we do and giving our best efforts are intertwined, and both are intensely personal journeys. The fruits of enthusiasm may or may not always be seen by others. Many people in history have...
As I was listening to an instructor in a common area of our school this week, I saw a student that I have been trying to catch for days. I stopped listening to the instructor, turned toward the student, had a brief conversation about scheduling a time to meet, then turned back to the instructor to...
Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as “to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offense or debt”. Forgiveness is important for a number of reasons. Four that came to mind are: We are not powerful enough to right the wrongs done to us; We may have...
Endurance. The inner strength to withstand stress and do my best. Endurance is often associated with athletics and physical stamina, climbing mountains, or running marathons. But endurance is more than physical. The character trait of endurance is what moves each of us forward when things get...
Strata Leadership materials define patience as taking the time necessary to work through a difficult situation. Google defines patience as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Wikipedia goes more in-depth and describes patience as the...
Dr. Edwin Louis Cole states that “Maturity doesn’t come with age; it comes with acceptance of responsibility”. Responsibility is about our ability to respond to circumstances and to choose the attitudes, actions and reactions that shape our lives. An infant enters this world responsible for...
