"Stick and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."

Really? In fact, insults, teasing, malicious gossip, and verbal abuse can inflict deeper and more enduring pain than guns or knives.

Ask anyone who as a kid was fat, skinny, short, tall, flat-chested, big-busted, acne-faced, uncoordinated, slow-witted, or smart. In schoolrooms and playgrounds across the country, weight, height, looks, and intelligence are the subject of taunting and ridicule even more than race or religion.

And it doesn’t necessarily get better. Unkind words, tasteless personal jokes, brutal criticism, and ridicule don’t lose their sting when we become adults.

There’s nothing new about this. But if we trivialize how damaging words can be, especially to youngsters, the ethical significance of verbal assaults can be lost. When we claim that words can’t hurt anyone, we negate genuine feelings of those who are hurt.

Instead of minimizing the importance of words, we should encourage parents and teachers to demand a higher level of respect and greater sensitivity precisely because words are enormously powerful.

Yes, we should try to fortify our children’s sense of self-worth so they can bear insults and sarcasm better, and we should urge them not to take what others say too seriously. But it’s just as important to teach them that words have the power of grenades and must be used carefully.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (8)

Modern managers often utter clichés about wanting employees to "think outside the box," take risks, and be creative.

While I’m sure companies appreciate breakthrough innovative ideas that increase profits, productivity, or quality, the fact is that most organizations are inhospitable to those who challenge old ways of doing things, even practices that are inefficient, useless, or counterproductive.

I’ve talked before about the obligation of employees to pursue excellence. Well, managers have an equal, if not larger, duty to establish an atmosphere where employees are truly expected and willing to think and act in the best interests of the company and its customers.

According to Josephson Institute surveys, between one-fourth and one-third of all employees say there’s a "kill the messenger" tradition where they work and that it’s common to distort or conceal negative information or tailor data to give managers what they want to hear.

A sure sign that management hasn’t done enough to promote candor is when a manager asks, "Why didn’t someone tell me?" Companies must find ways to more effectively send the message that mission-oriented employees who produce and demand quality are to be prized, not penalized.

I’ve come to believe that there’s never just one incompetent or unaccountable employee. There are at least two: the employee and the manager who keeps him or her employed.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:56 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

If you want to help your children do well in life, there are a few things you can do. A high proportion of high achievers have two things in common:

First, there are lots of books in their homes and a great emphasis on reading.

Second, there is a family tradition of regularly eating dinner together.

Filling a house with books surrounds children with endless and varied opportunities and challenges to explore and learn. Books provide knowledge and the seeds of wisdom, and great stories teach about morality and character.

Eating dinner together assures that parents have an opportunity to participate in their kids’ day-to-day lives and help shape the way they think and react. Coordinating schedules so the family eats together often requires a conscious effort to elevate family time above other things. The effort itself can instill in children a sense of belonging.

But we can do more to offset the bad influences our kids are exposed to than promote reading and family discussions. Remember, everything we do to or in front of our children matters. What we allow, we encourage. And what we do ourselves teaches our children how to live and conveys powerful messages about values.

So be sensitive as to what you say and how you say it, what you read, and what you watch on TV. Be especially careful in the way you handle relationships and deal with emotions like disappointment, anger, and frustration.

That’s because what you do is what you’ll get.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (5)

Michael’s mom responded firmly, "Not until he sings to his sister."

Michael didn’t notice all the wires attached to the tiny infant. Touching the outside of the plastic crib, he beamed and began to sing:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you.
Please don’t take my sunshine away."

Strangely, the baby seemed to respond. Her pulse rate slowed and her breathing became easier. With tears in her eyes, the mother said, "Keep singing, Michael, keep singing." The more Michael sang, the more the baby relaxed.

Soon even the nurse chimed in, "Keep singing, Michael, keep singing."

And Michael did. The baby fell into a calm, healing sleep. Within days, she was well enough to take home.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

For your consideration: Variations of this story can be found on many inspirational sites on the Internet. It has been attributed to Woman's Day Magazine, but is, in all likelihood, a parable.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (13)

Despite my cynicism about Hollywood and my disdain for its continual flow of dumb and degrading films, the Academy Awards reminded me how much I love good movies and how many good movies have been produced over the years.

I’m talking about great dramas, hilarious comedies, and heart-lifting musicals that divert us from the burdens or boredom of our daily lives; make us cry from laugher or sadness; evoke shame or pride; and inform, inspire, and enrich us.

Sure, there’s too much junk, but why expect the movie industry to be different? Great restaurants with really fine food, worthy books with wonderful writing, and shops providing superb service are the exception rather than the rule.

The Academy Awards also made me realize the unfairness of thinking of the people in the industry only in terms of stereotypes: glamorous or self-important movie stars, promiscuous starlets, and ruthless, heartless, conscienceless moguls willing to sacrifice any and every moral principle in the pursuit of wealth, fame, and glory.

How could you watch the faces and hear the words of the winners without realizing that most of them are serious, dedicated professionals who love their families and their work and strive for recognition and appreciation?

We can only imagine how deeply disappointed the runners-up must have felt seeing someone else take home the Oscar. Doubtless some of them were hiding their distress and displeasure, but the fact remains that the overall tone was marked more by gratitude and graciousness than bitterness and backbiting. Wouldn’t you like to see more of that in politics and sports?

So before we return to using Hollywood as a negative political and social epithet, I’d like to say, “Hurray for Hollywood!”

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

* Writing this commentary caused me to think about my all-time favorite movies. I was surprised at the diversity and that quite a few weren’t considered anything special by the experts. The common element was that each film left a lasting impression on me. Here’s my list (not in any particular order). Why don’t you share yours?

1. A Man for All Seasons
2. The Princess Bride
3. Dr. Strangelove
4. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
5. Mr. Holland’s Opus
6. Braveheart
7. When Harry Met Sally
8. Rocky
9. A Few Good Men
10. To Kill a Mockingbird
11. The Wizard of Oz
12. The Godfather
13. The Graduate
14. Schindler’s List
15. Shane

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (11)

The students at Sandy’s high school were badly shaken by the news that a classmate had killed himself. The suicide note said, "It’s hard to live when nobody cares if you die."

Glen, a teacher, realized this was a teachable moment about the importance of making people feel valued. He asked his class to imagine they were about to die and to write a note "telling someone how and why you appreciate them."

Sandy, who had a rocky relationship with her mother, wrote her mom. Her letter said:

We’ve had some rough times and I haven’t always been a good daughter, but I know I’m lucky to have you in my life. You are the best person I’ve ever known. And even when I disagree with you, I never doubt you love me and want what’s best for me. Thanks for not giving up on me.

When her mom read the note, she cried and hugged Sandy tightly, but said little.

The next morning, Sandy found a note on her mirror:

Dearest Sandy, I want you to know being your mother is, by far, the most important thing in my life. Until I got your note, I thought I had lost your love and respect. I felt like such a failure. I intended to end it all last night. Your note saved my life.

Be careful not to underestimate the power of expressed appreciation. It won’t always save a life, but it will always make someone’s life better.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (7)

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately consulting with large companies concerned with strengthening their ethical culture.

Although I’m sure the leaders I work with care about ethics and virtue for their own sake, I know the driving force to seek outside assistance is self-interest. The risk of reputation-damaging and resource-draining charges resulting from improper conduct is so high that it’s a matter of prudence and responsible stewardship to stress ethical values and moral principles.

Yet changing or strengthening an organization’s culture is no simple task. We start with a questionnaire to identify vulnerabilities – attitudes and behaviors that could jeopardize the company.

The most common vulnerability we find is a management style that represses frank and open discussions about ethical concerns and discourages revelation of bad news.

Invariably, we discover that at least one in five employees admit they lied to their superior about something significant within the past year and at least one-third concealed or distorted negative information to avoid harmful career repercussions. Often, half or more employees say they remain silent rather than risk their boss’s anger, abuse, or disapproval. Thus, many questionable or improper actions go unreported and uncorrected – each one a scandal waiting to happen.

The antidote is explicit and credible corporate policies that promote accountability by making it clear that repressive management styles will not be tolerated and that every employee is encouraged and expected to muster the moral courage to report unwelcome facts and to voice dissenting opinions.

Meaningful improvement in business ethical culture requires persistent and pervasive efforts to create an environment that values and protects honesty, personal responsibility, and corporate integrity.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (9)

When George Washington was 16, he discovered a little booklet containing 110 maxims describing in detail how a well-mannered person should behave.

He was so convinced that these sayings would help him become a better person that he set out to incorporate them into his daily living. Among Mr. Washington’s many virtues, his commitment to civility marked him as a gentleman and helped him become a universally respected and enormously effective leader.

By today’s standards, Washington’s notions of behavior may seem quaint and old-fashioned, but the essential message of manners and etiquette is to soften relationships with respect and to treat others graciously as if they’re important.

Instead of updating our concept of manners to accord with modern lifestyles, we seem to be abandoning the notion of civility entirely. We’re exposed to heavy doses of tactless, nasty, and cruel remarks on daytime talk shows, dating games, courtroom simulations, and reality programs.

As a result, we’re molding a generation who is becoming comfortable being brutish and malicious, and our society is getting increasingly coarse and unpleasant.

In a tense world full of conflicts, frustrations, and competition, being well-mannered is an important social lubricant that helps us live together constructively. If we care about the world we’re making for our children, we need to be less tolerant of mean-spirited, discourteous, and impolite remarks and to do a better job of teaching and modeling civility.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (4)

Even though the recent Congressional hearings featuring baseball pitcher Roger Clemens and his former trainer may have been a case of political grandstanding, we shouldn’t underestimate their value.

Without political pressure, there would have been no Mitchell Report, and Major League Baseball may still be denying it has a serious drug problem. On the other hand, professional sports can’t endure too many more embarrassing public hearings or government mandates. Instead of criticizing Congressional motives, they should undertake a serious effort to clean up their own mess.

Sports play too important a role in shaping social attitudes about fair play and integrity to trivialize decisions by high-profile athletes to cheat and then lie about it. We have a right to expect that our highest achieving athletes will pursue victory with honor, and those who taint the game and their careers should be exposed and held accountable.

Setting a poor example by cheating with unhealthy performance-enhancing drugs is bad enough, but lying under oath is a felony that can’t be dismissed with a cynical “who cares?” attitude.

I may be wrong, but I’m convinced Clemens, Barry Bonds, and others took drugs and then lied about it to protect their legacy. I suspect they justified their conduct because they knew many others were doing it and assumed if they got caught, their denials would be enough.

On one level we can sympathize and understand why they chose the well-worn path of moral compromise, but we can’t condone or ignore their choice.

Lying is a big deal. Ask media darling Martha Stewart, Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones, or Enron’s Jeffrey Skilling – all of whom were jailed for making false statements.

No one gets a free pass.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (7)

We used to celebrate the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but in 1971 the two holidays were merged into a new one called Presidents’ Day to honor all U.S. presidents.

It’s a pity because it asks us to celebrate the office rather than a few special men who occupied it. Washington and Lincoln weren’t just presidents; they were great American leaders.

I’m a fierce patriot who believes deeply in the core ethical values of American democracy, and on this Presidents’ Day I protest the paucity of American-style leadership that transcends party and inspires national unity and pride around ideals much bigger than prejudice, fear, and self-interest.

I yearn for nonpartisan leadership dedicated to upholding our intricate system of checks and balances and an uncompromising commitment to the rule of law, due process, and free speech.

Inhaling the toxic lava of fear flowing from the September 11th volcano has caused leaders of both parties to engage in or permit legalistic quibbles to justify wiretaps without warrants, evasion of the Geneva Conventions we helped author, and the mass imprisonment of suspected terrorists in Guantanamo under conditions that violate American ideals of justice, due process, and human dignity despite the uniform condemnation of human-rights groups we used to support.

I know terrorism threats are real and horrible and it’s prudent that we take steps to protect ourselves. But I yearn for leadership that abandons politics based on fear and inspires courage and confidence that we can adequately protect ourselves without sacrificing core values.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (16)

Todd was a sadly quiet 11-year-old struggling to adjust to the death of his mother. His father had left long ago, and Todd was living with an aunt who made it known she resented the responsibility.

On several occasions, his teacher Sheryl heard his aunt tell him, "If it weren’t for my generosity, you’d be a homeless orphan."

Sheryl took extra pains to make Todd feel valued in class and encouraged his interest in making things. Just before Christmas break, Todd shyly presented her with a small decorated box he’d made.

"It’s beautiful!" Sheryl gushed.

Todd replied, "There’s something special inside that my mom gave me before she died. She said it’s the one thing I can give and still have plenty left over. It helps you feel better when you’re sad and safe when you’re scared."

As Sheryl started to open the box, Todd warned her, "Oh, you can’t see it."

"Well, what is it?" Sheryl asked kindly.

"It’s love. You’re the first person since my mom that I love."

Sheryl hugged Todd tightly and said, "I’ll treasure this forever. It’s the best gift I ever got."

She kept it on her desk until she retired and touched it whenever she was sad or scared. It never failed to make her heart smile.

Years later, Todd sent her the tassel he wore during his graduation from medical school. It’s been in the box ever since.

In truth, love -- not diamonds -- is the gift that keeps on giving. What’s more, love generates itself. The more you give away, the more you have left.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (10)

If we can get beyond the corny red-heart clichés and commercialism surrounding Valentine’s Day, there’s real value in celebrating the idea of love.

Okay, love doesn’t always conquer all and it’s rarely forever, but I worry that the hearts and souls of a whole generation are being corrupted by images that mock and trivialize the beauty and sanctity of real love in blatant worship of good looks, shallow sex, and money.

Sitcoms, reality shows, and dating games tell us that romance is all about setting rather than sentiment and that courtship is a cynical game based on lusts rather than longings for deeper connection. They show attractive young people demeaning themselves in a perpetual quest of pretty, empty vessels, and they make celebrities out of manipulative, self-indulgent, and selfish men and women who think fidelity is foolish and commitment is confining. They celebrate relationships where there’s no intimacy, authenticity, sincerity, affection, admiration, or even respect.

Love is not a mirage, and it’s not a game. It requires work and patience, but its rewards far exceed the hollow pleasures of hooking up. The glory of love is not the satisfaction of urges, but the discovery of a soul mate who, in the words of writer Richard Bach, "has locks that fit our keys and keys to fit our locks."

Love, he writes, is a place where we feel safe enough to open the locks and let our truest selves step out. It’s a place where we can be loved for who we are, not for who we’re pretending to be.

That’s the place I live with my valentine, Anne, who lights up my life.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (12)

I wish we still celebrated Lincoln’s birthday. I’m an Abraham Lincoln groupie. By sheer good fortune, my son Justin was born on his birthday, my daughter Abrielle was named after him, and one of our dogs is named Lincoln. My favorite place in Washington D.C. is the Lincoln Memorial where I stand in awe of the magnificent eloquence of this self-educated, self-made man.

His ability to empathize and his genuine caring for others is constantly revealed in his letters and speeches. And though he felt the pain of others as deeply as any man could, fate and duty made him commander in chief during our nation’s bloodiest war.

Although we know him as an effective leader, in his time he was more often ridiculed than revered, sometimes belittled as an unrefined bumpkin. Personally he was prone to self-doubt and depression.

I have no illusion that he was a perfect man. His flaws and his awareness of them make him all the more admirable in my eyes.

He frequently struggled between his keen sense of political pragmatism and his compelling idealism. Despite occasional compromises and mistakes, he is indisputably and justifiably one of the most esteemed men in history, leaving a legacy of honor, integrity, courage, compassion, and wisdom.

Lincoln understood the difference between real character and reputation, describing character as a tree and reputation as its shadow. His face is carved on Mount Rushmore and adorns both our penny and five-dollar bill.

But it’s Lincoln’s "tree," his character, that stands so tall and strong and honors our nation.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:38 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

Abraham Lincoln is a very special hero of mine, so his birthday, February 12, has always been noteworthy. But 32 years ago, that day took on a life-changing meaning. It was the day I became a father for the first time. My son Justin was born, changing forever my perspective and priorities.

Coming from a large family (nine brothers and sisters), I thought I knew what parenting involved, but until I watched my own child’s birth and held his tiny head in my hand, I had no idea how exhilarating and intimidating fatherhood could be.

It was a different and deeper kind of love than I had ever experienced. I found joy simply by touching him, watching him, even changing his diapers.

Worry and responsibility took on new meanings. I worried all the time – and still do – about his health and happiness. And I internalized a sense of responsibility to keep him safe and help him develop the skills and attributes he would need to make him a happy and productive person.

Because I wanted him to be proud of me, I started thinking more about how I was living my life and what it would take to be worthy of this precious gift. In fact, it was becoming a father that started me on the journey that led to the establishment of the Joseph & Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics, named after my own parents.

I have been blessed with four more magnificent children – all daughters – and I can honestly say that no accomplishment I’ve achieved or honor I’ve received has been as important as the title “Dad.”

Justin, thanks for that profound gift. I hope to be worthy of it. Happy birthday, Son.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

A sure way to evoke angry mail is to criticize common rationalizations. So I expected to be called a self-righteous purist who is out of touch with reality when I protested against a young man’s decision to conceal from a new employer his commitment to start his Air Force tour of duty in three months.

It’s hard to face the fact that just because we’re convinced we have a moral right to something doesn’t mean others have a moral obligation to give it to us. The filter of self-interest inevitably distorts our perceptions about our rights and others’ obligations.

It’s even harder to accept that wanting something, even needing it, is not a moral justification for lying, cheating, or stealing to get it. Moreover, most necessity claims are illusions. As Nietzsche said, "Necessity is not a fact; it’s an interpretation."

When our children solemnly declare, "But I really need it!" or "That’s so unfair!" we don’t take their claims at face value. We’ve got to be equally critical of our own rationalizations.

Remember, if it’s okay for someone who needs a short-term job to lie or conceal important facts to get it, it’s equally okay for an employer who needs a short-term employee to lie. If it’s okay for a tenant who needs an apartment to lie about having pets, then we can’t complain if the landlord falsely promises to install a new carpet.

Next time you feel justified in lying to get what you deserve, ask yourself if you’d feel the same way if you were the one being lied to.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (9)

In one of my first programs as an ethicist, I was questioning a panel of journalists in front of an audience of about 400 radio and television news directors. The topic was journalism ethics, and it was shortly after Senator Gary Hart was forced to withdraw from the presidential race because of a sexual scandal.

So I posed the obvious question: "Is it proper for a journalist to report on a public official’s private life?"

Jack Anderson, a well-known investigative columnist, replied: "I don’t think we should report on the private behavior of a politician unless it’s relevant to his job."

As I turned to the audience to ask how this test would apply to Gary Hart, he added, "But we don’t always follow our own tests."

I asked him to explain. He said, "A few years ago, a woman came into my office and gave me an airtight affidavit that the mayor of Tucson had bit her on the thigh. I didn’t think that was relevant to his job, but some stories are too good to pass up."

This answer revealed a gap between stated values – the standards we say we apply – and operational values – our real standards as demonstrated by what we do.

If we ask people about their ethical standards, they usually state high-road platitudes. But if we look at their behavior, we often discover that their real standards are quite a bit lower.

Like Jack Anderson, many of us judge ourselves by our highest ideals and best intentions. What we have to remember is that others will judge us by our actions.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (6)

Five hundred years before the birth of Christ, Confucius was asked, "Is there one word that may serve as a rule of practice for all one’s life?"

He answered, "Reciprocity. What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." This basic principle, now called the Golden Rule, can be found in every major religion and philosophy.

Many people evoke one version or another of this rule, but it’s often misused. The Golden Rule is not a rule of enlightened self-interest. Sure, people are more likely to be nice to you if you’re nice to them, but the moral center of this principle is lost if you simply view it as a rule of exchange: Do unto others so they will do unto you or do unto others as they have done unto you, let alone do unto others before they do unto you.

The core of the Golden Rule is a moral obligation to treat others ethically for their sake, not ours, even if it’s better than the way they treat us. That means we should be honest to liars, fair to the unjust, and kind to cruel people.

Why? Not because it’s advantageous, but because it’s right. The way I treat others is about who I am, not who they are. It’s like the man who broke off an argument that descended to name-calling by saying, "Sir, I will treat you as a gentleman – not because you're one, but because I'm one."

It’s true that if we commit to always treating others the way we want to be treated, we’ll be taken advantage of occasionally. There’s no immunity from victimhood. The difference is, those who take the road of honor find it much easier to bear.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:31 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (18)

Peggy Adkins, one of our talented Character Counts trainers, tells the story of when she adopted a cat.

Each of the cat’s original owners was interviewed and, when Peggy finally got the animal, she had to sign a document that listed 23 things to do and 17 things not to do to raise a happy, healthy cat. Over the next several months, she received phone calls to confirm that her family was doing what they were supposed to do and refraining from doing what they were not supposed to do.

As the mother of two adopted children, Peggy marveled at the fact that she got better training and follow-up about her cat than her children. Although raising happy, healthy, decent children is vastly more complicated and important than raising pets, there’s no manual for child-raising, not even a list of dos and don’ts.

To make that point in her presentations, she uses Play-Doh in different sizes and colors, pointing out that, like children, no two pieces are alike and that each one can be molded into infinitely unique shapes.

"Indent it with your finger," she says, "touch it with your fingernail, and then press it against your bare arm. Notice that every hair leaves a mark. Now press it against the Sunday comics; it will mirror the pictures. And if you roll it on a table, all kinds of bits and particles become embedded in the substance, almost impossible to remove.

"That’s what makes parenting so important and difficult. Every thing a child touches makes an impression."

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

Chris’s parents were proud of him when he graduated from college. But after six months, he still hadn’t gotten a job. In fact, he hadn’t looked seriously. He had no idea what he wanted to do and was thinking of grad school.

He was living at home with his parents and things were getting tense, especially with his father, who accused him of being lazy and afraid to enter the real world.

Chris thought his dad was being unreasonable. After all, you’re only young once and he needed some space. During a recent argument, Chris said, "I’m not you, Dad. I have my own way of doing things. I want a job I enjoy."

His dad replied, "That’s a nice idea, but in the end they call it ‘work’ because it’s about making a productive living – not about having fun."

There are many youngsters like Chris who are having trouble getting started with a serious job and becoming self-reliant. Some, like Peter Pan, just don’t want to grow up. Some are afraid of making a wrong decision or of being rejected. Others are victims of what psychologists call "magical thinking." They believe when the time is right, everything will fall into place. So they wait for opportunity to come knocking or until they feel inspired or excited about their next step.

Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way. What’s crucial is to begin. Things happen and opportunities appear most often when we’re moving, not when we’re standing still.

Momentum is vital. Basic physics contends that it’s easier to alter the course of a moving object than to start movement initially. In the end, it’s not really about finding yourself. It’s about making yourself.

The first steps are the hardest, but the key to success in anything is getting started.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (12)

You don’t have to be a theater enthusiast to appreciate grand tales about the human heart and soul from great plays like Oedipus Rex or King Lear. And you don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate lessons of human spirit taught by great plays during athletic contests.

Yesterday’s Super Bowl game between the undefeated New England Patriots, heralded as the most powerful team ever, and the underdog New York Giants will doubtless achieve epic status.

Both sides fought well, but it was the last-minute heroics of the Giants’ battlefield leader, Eli Manning, which won the day and a place in history. The drama of Eli’s story is enriched by his emphatic emergence from the shadow of his older brother, Peyton, the hero of a similar battle last year.

The phrase “last minute” is not a literary device. There was literally less than a minute to go when Eli stunned more than a hundred million witnesses by escaping the grasp of a mob of clawing opponents to complete a pass to a leaping teammate who made an extraordinary catch.

This forever memorable play set up the ultimate death blow to the Patriots’ pursuit of sports immortality, producing a victory all the more momentous because Eli and his men defeated Tom Brady, a warrior with a Herculean reputation.

The defeat was a bitter blow to New England’s general, Bill Belichick, a man both admired and reviled for his brilliance and single-minded focus on winning.

Belichick was caught cheating earlier in the year and is now being accused of dishonoring his team and sport by walking off the field moments before the game was over.

Whether his unexpected defeat was unrelated to this moral cloud or a triumph of justice is the sort of question that makes this a classic human tragedy.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (9)

Every company says it’s committed to customer service, knowing it can’t survive, let alone flourish, if it doesn’t satisfy the people who provide the revenue and referrals required for success.

Many firms don’t seem to believe, however, that employee satisfaction is equally vital. In fact, nothing is more important to sustainable success than a competent and committed workforce.

So how come some companies that demand uncompromising customer service permit and perpetuate management styles and policies that alienate many employees and generate resentment, fear, frustration, and emotional and intellectual disengagement?

Yes, unhappy employees are more likely to stay attached to a company than unhappy customers, but if the organization cares about customer service, that’s a liability, not an asset.

Quality, price, and convenience are important, but the kind of customer satisfaction that builds loyalty requires listening and responding to customer needs and expectations, friendly and respectful service, and authentic caring.

How can one expect employees who think they’re not treated well to treat customers well? Why would one think employees will treat customers better than the company treats them?

Josephson Institute’s surveys have consistently revealed that a high proportion of employees are not satisfied and don’t think their company is trying hard to satisfy them. Many are unwilling to report improper conduct or even to respectfully express disagreement or alternative ideas to their bosses because they fear harmful repercussions. They say they conceal or distort negative information, ignore company policies, and distrust their leaders.

These toxic attitudes destroy morale, increase turnover and, most certainly, undermine customer service.

The antidote: Managers at every level should be hired, trained, and held accountable to treat their subordinates as if they were their customers. How? By listening and responding to their needs and expectations and by assuring that the people who represent the company are proud of their affiliation and feel valued and appreciated.

Customer satisfaction starts with employee satisfaction.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (4)