"This I Believe"

 I have often been asked to share my most important beliefs. Here is what I share:

“THIS I BELIEVE”

• Personal leadership makes things happen.

• No major accomplishment has been achieved without the combination of vision, hope, wise strategic choices, outstanding execution, continued learning and courageous determination to overcome adversity.

• People and values are the foundation of any great organization.

• Our trust is the greatest gift we can give one another … other than our love.  And without trust, love cannot long endure.

• No one can perform at their best if they don’t feel respected and able to influence how the work for which they are accountable is done.

• Appreciating the uniqueness, dignity and the value of every individual brings much to others and, often, even more to us.

• Never feel sorry for yourself.  Don’t be discouraged for long.  Remember your blessings.  Never give up.  Life, like history, is a story of ups and downs.

• Being effective and earning the respect of those we admire derives from three things above all others:  our competence, our character ... and how much we care.

• The foundation of character is integrity:

• “Try to do the right thing … always.”
• ”Tell me what you think; act on what you believe to be true.”
• “Always seek wisdom, courage and perseverance.”

• A good life grows from a process of continual learning on how to better fulfill a few deeply held commitments.  These are my commitments:

• Service         ]
• Leadership   ]   My three “North Stars”
• Growth        ]

• Family comes first