On this Father’s Day, I’m sharing an excerpt from a 2008 commencement address that James Fallows gave at his father’s alma mater, Ursinus College, outside Philadelphia. He shared three ideas with the graduates that are as important today as they were 11 years ago: challenge, curiosity, and character. Full text is HERE. Here’s what he
Tag: Building Trust
The first C of trustworthiness: Character. The question being asked of you: “Do you walk your talk?” If you walk your talk, you have integrity. Honesty is aligning your words with reality. Integrity is acting in accordance with your words. When you don’t walk your talk, you’re a hypocrite. People can be hypocritical for a
The biggest communication problem for leaders is the presumption it has occurred. “I sent the email to the team; they got the word.” “I gave the speech; they heard me.” “I explained it to him on the phone; he gets it.” They don’t get it. At least not yet. Why not? You’ve been thinking about
Gratitude is a powerful emotion with many benefits, including better health, improved relationships, and a sense of humility that allows for greater empathy. In contrast, it becomes obvious when you think of someone you know who is ungrateful and carries a large sense of entitlement. Feeling and expressing gratitude helps build trust with those who
Building trust isn’t complicated. It doesn’t require special skills or schooling. It’s simple, but not easy because it requires discipline and consistency. It takes time and demands continual effort to live the 5C’s of trustworthiness. Why should you care? Why should you do this work to become a better leader and teammate? “What’s in it
