May 1, 2007

May not be reprinted without the consent of Sue Miller

Contact: Sue@suemillerpresentations.com

WORKPLACE WISDOM NEWSLETTER

YOU CAN'T HIDE YOUR CHARACTER

Your character is revealed to those around you.

It does not remain hidden

We see individuals that seem "born to lead". They are winsome, charismatic, charming,

and speak eloquently. We admire them - and often wish we could be like them.

Behavioralists tell us that leadership is an art form. To become a good leader, we have

to work on improving ourselves. There is NO ONE reading this that does not have a

following somewhere. Leadership is not just reserved for executives, entrepreneurs, or

managers. Leading others exists for all of us. Furthermore, people with good character

find influencing others much easier.

YOUR CHARACTER speaks volumes.

YOUR CHARACTER makes you noticable.

YOUR CHARACTER sets you apart.

What is character?

It is "that which lies below the surface in each of us".

Character is made up of these qualities - just to mention a few:

Honesty Kindness Loyalty Respect

Friendliness Joy Perseverance Helpful

Hard working Tenderness Positive Sincerity

Truthful Integrity Thrift Humility

Responsibility Honor Straight Talking Courage

No one has all of these! Wrong!

An individual with strong character demonstrates these qualities daily.

Think of someone in your circle of influence. Someone who is a very special.

We describe people with great character in terms like this:

"He's a nice guy. She's a nice lady."

"He/She's always "there" for me. He/She's fair."

"He/She won't cheat you...he'll drive a "square deal"."

"No matter how tough times get, I can count on him/her to be there."

"He/She is a straight talker and won't bend the truth to his/her advantage."

"He/She looks out for others' best interest."

This list of common descriptions is unending, as you know. You get the idea, however.

We don't NAME "character" in everyday conversation, but we speak ABOUT

May 1, 2007

May not be reprinted without the consent of Sue Miller

Contact: Sue@suemillerpresentations.com

"character" ALL THE TIME. We are drawn to people with strong character and

repulsed by people who lack character.

When do others begin to know our character?

The answer? "Over time"

Our friends and co-workers are watching us. As we face crises and problems; as we

realize our dreams are not going to come true; as others betray us,....our character (or

lack of character) kicks in and displays itself.

We can hide our character (or lack of it) in prosperous times...when the money is

flowing in, the kids are all behaving, and everyone's health is "a-okay".

We can not hide our character when times are tough; when news is bad; when we're

faced with the temptation to lie or steal our way out of trouble; when we feel like losing

our temper or crushing a competitor; when politeness and respect is at the bottom of our

priorities.

Yes, our family, friends, and co-workers are quietly observing us. No one knows our

character in just one day - or two days. There's not been enough time to watch us.

But, OVER TIME our character is revealed - as people see the choices we make in our

behavior.

Can I fake it?

"Can I just ACT nice.

No one will know the Real Me.

I'll wait until I'm alone to "vent" or "lose my temper".

“Yes...AND No!”

Yes, you can fake a fine character (for a little while).

No, you can't fake a fine character (over time).

"The leader shows that style is no substitute for substance...

that acting from one's center is far more important than creating an impression."

-Lao Tzu

Friends and family "discover" your character as they watch you through

many different situations.

"The virtue of a man is measured not by his extradordinatriy exertions, but by his everyday

conduct." -Blaise Pascal

You can not hide your true character.

What one does speaks much louder than what he says.

ALWAYS BE WORKING ON YOUR CHARACTER!

Don't be impatient. You will never be finished.

"Character building begins in our infancy, and continues until death."

-Eleanor Roosevelt