Watching the Democratic Convention and listening to the Republicans' responses reminded me of what I hate and love about politics and our political system.

I hate the self-righteousness of unbridled partisanship, snide personal attacks, insincerity, half truths, and lack of fair-mindedness and objectivity on both sides.

But there is something grand and noble about America’s full-throttle version of democracy and the way we play out our disagreements on the public stage. I love that we’ve been able to embrace such a wide range of differences within a two-party system defined by ideological views as to how the country should be run.

I was moved to tears witnessing the nomination of an African American for President and the symbolism of doing so on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech. That his nomination was the result of a razor-close contest with a woman was a profound reminder of how far we’ve come in my lifetime.

I enjoyed the spectacle -- the intermixture of fabulous visuals, films, music, and monumental political speeches. It reminded me of the Beijing Olympic Games.

And though the political calculation behind the actions was evident, I still thought it was classy of John McCain to run an ad congratulating Barack Obama and for Senator Obama and other speakers to respectfully acknowledge Senator McCain’s personal courage and great contributions to his country.

How wonderful would it be if that tone of mutual respect could be maintained during the campaign.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:33 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (5)

My wife and I are very aware of how fast our kids are growing up so we place a high priority on creating enriching and lasting memories through family vacations.

We constantly encourage learning, and the kids continually lobby to do things that are fun. So this year we booked a two-week cruise through northern Europe. The kids loved the ship’s water slide, video arcade, and availability of lots of food – including 24-hour service on Deck Nine (free pizza and ice cream).

We were reasonably successful getting our kids excited about visiting historic cities, but the big surprise was how much they learned simply by watching television in our rooms.

First, they were surprised that there was no coverage of the Olympic Games in English (we had to watch on a German station) and at how little attention was paid to American athletes other than Michael Phelps. They never before realized that to everyone else in the world, the U.S. is just another country.

But it was the intense coverage of the Russian invasion of Georgia and the U.S. response that shattered their bedrock belief that everyone liked, admired, and believed Americans.

Although the European community wasn’t buying Russia’s excuses for launching devastating attacks on Georgia’s pro-western democracy, commentators were equally cynical about our intentions regarding sending humanitarian aid on warships and signing a hurried treaty allowing us to establish a missile base in Poland.

It was a shock to discover that a lot of the world is not convinced we’re either honest or good.

That’s going to be a great challenge for our next President.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:19 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (9)

I love maxims, those concise capsules of worldly wisdom. I collect them and write them and, of course, love to share them. Here are 18 random rules of life worth posting on your mirror or, better yet, using as dinner-time discussion starters:

1. Find the lesson in every failure, and you’ll never fail.
2. The likelihood that you’re right is not increased by the intensity of your conviction.
3. Real friends help you feel worthy and make you want to be better.
4. When you’re in a hole, stop digging.
5. Don’t confuse fun with fulfillment or pleasure with happiness.
6. Refusing to let go of a grudge is refusing to use the key that will set you free.
7. Hating hurts you more than the person you hate.
8. Counting on luck is counting on random chance; your odds are much better when you plan and work.
9. It’s better to be kind than clever.
10. Don’t underestimate the power of persistence.
11. The easy way is rarely the best way.
12. It’s much easier to burst someone else’s bubble than to blow up your own.
13. You can’t avoid pain, but you can avoid suffering.
14. Self-pity is a losing strategy; it repels others and weakens you.
15. Shortcuts usually produce short success.
16. Control your attitude or it will control you.
17. It’s more important to be significant than successful.
18. The world is waiting for you to heal it.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (10)

A hit number in the 1960 play Bye Bye Birdie was a classic parent’s lament starting with “I don’t know what’s wrong with these kids today! Why can’t they be like we were?”

The answer, of course, is they’re just like we were, but many of us aren’t like our parents were. Sometimes that’s good, often it’s not. Every generation of kids coping with raging hormones and a need to express independence and individuality will use language, wear clothes, listen to music, and dance in ways that offend their parents. And most will engage in conduct that their parents think is wrong or unwise.

Should modern parents, therefore, just relax and let kids do their thing, confident that no lasting harm will come of it? I don’t think so.

Sure, we should recognize the inherent limitations of parenting and the futility and impropriety of trying to control every phase of our children’s lives, but that doesn’t justify passive or permissive parenting. Although we can’t control our kids, we can influence them. And when necessary, we can confine their options by saying no and backing it up with whatever tools we have.

Parents may disagree on where to draw the line when it comes to sloppy or sexy clothing, Internet use, loud music with crude lyrics, and body piercing and tattoos, but lines must be drawn somewhere and enforced. This is even more important regarding alcohol, drugs, and sex. Kids need and deserve guidance and boundaries.

Our children won’t necessarily accept our views of right and wrong, but if we state them clearly and continually, they’ll be much more likely to consider them.

What do you think?

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:33 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (2)

Over two years ago, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) contacted me to discuss ways to enhance the positive educational impact of the 2008 Olympic Games. I was excited but skeptical in light of highly publicized instances of drug cheating and boorish conduct that had tarnished the image of American athletes and the Olympics.

I was honored to play a small part in this huge, complicated, and unprecedented effort to bring together the elite athletes most likely to represent us in Beijing. The bulk of the project, the Olympic Ambassador Program, was conducted by a dozen former Olympic medalists whose words and example epitomized Olympic ideals.

More than 600 athletes participated in the program, but logistical and other reasons prevented some high-profile teams from taking part – including the swimming, gymnastics, and basketball squads. I fretted, nagged, and complained, worrying that we weren’t doing enough, but I was assured that the administrators and coaches of those teams were fully on board and actively promoting the Make U.S. Proud theme.

My fears proved to be groundless. The results are in and, beyond doubt, all our athletes and coaches made us proud.

Yes, they won 110 medals, but the most important and lasting achievement of Team USA was the way they combined passion and competitiveness with dignity, poise, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship to enhance America’s image and win millions of friends.

The on- and off-the-field team performances in basketball, volleyball, soccer, water polo, and softball were admirable, but at the center of this tribute to the true spirit of Olympism were particular superstars: decathlete Bryan Clay, swimmers Michael Phelps and Dara Torres, gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson, and all the basketballers including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Lisa Leslie.

The administrators, coaches, and athletes who carried the American flag with such honor deserve our congratulations and thanks. They sure made me proud.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

* The written and podcast version of this commentary is slightly longer than the broadcast version.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (2)

Legends differ on the exact reason, but it’s pretty certain that the first Olympic Games were conducted in Greece in 776 B.C. Thereafter, they were held every four years (called an Olympiad) for nearly 12 centuries.

During the Games a temporary global truce was declared so athletes from warring countries could compete. Only male athletes participated, and they competed in the nude. Victors were crowned with wreaths from a sacred olive tree thought to have been planted by Hercules (Heracles) behind the temple of Zeus. They were also given substantial cash rewards.

The games were abolished in 393 A.D. by Emperor Theodosius I who thought they were remnants of pagan worship.

Fifteen hundred years later, in 1894, a Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin organized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to revive the tradition. The first modern Olympic Games opened in 1896 in Athens.

De Coubertin had more noble ambitions than his ancient predecessors. He embodied in the founding documents the notion of Olympism as a philosophy of life. His concept was built on core ideas including the Greek ideal of the well-rounded person with physical, moral, intellectual, and artistic qualities and the belief that international athletic competition can uplift and inspire the character of the world and generate cross-cultural friendships and understanding as a basis for world peace.

In 1908, he introduced the Olympic Creed that defines Olympic spirit. To this day, this statement is the guiding star for those who see and want to pursue the ennobling potential of sports: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

If we interviewed 100 people who are unusually happy, I think the most prominent common denominator would be unusually good relationships.

Despite the widespread promotion of materialism and vanity in our popular culture, wealth and beauty are not enough to produce happiness. In fact, they’re not even necessary. What’s more, bad relationships – at work, at home, or among friends – are a surefire source of anguish and heartache.

For most of us, the connections that most strongly influence our level of happiness are family bonds. And the most powerful of all are at the inner core of family, especially parent-child relationships.

No matter what your age, kinship with your parents will always have a unique capacity to generate comfort or pain. Many children have ambivalent feelings about their folks. Yet most crave their approval, respect, and love. Parents have a similar need.

If you’re a parent, resolve to make more consistent and conscientious efforts to make your children feel appreciated. If you want to make their lives and yours happier, be careful to not demean or diminish their achievements and to avoid expressions of disappointment. Tell your child you’re proud to have him or her as a son or daughter.

And if you still can, give your parents pleasure by showing that you love them, not only for what they did for you as a child but for who they are now. Talk to them frequently and talk of meaningful things. Ask their advice – and don’t roll your eyes if you disagree with it. One of the best ways to express your love is through respect.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (2)

There’s a lot going on at the Beijing Olympics worthy of comment and plenty of evidence to support both positive and negative assessments.

If we focus on the grand and glorious aspects of the Opening Ceremonies, the beauty of the Beijing National Stadium (the “Bird’s Nest”), the pride and enthusiasm of the Chinese people, and the astonishing athletic performances setting world and Olympic records every single day, these Games deserve a fervent “thumbs up.”

On the other hand, we could justify an equally emphatic “thumbs down” if we focus on events and attitudes that demonstrate the country’s low regard for individual freedoms, democratic principles, and basic honesty. The Games were tainted by decisions to replace a lovely little girl with a great voice with a lip-synching child thought to be better looking and to computer-enhance the fireworks display for TV. These acts fueled cynicism about the credibility of the Chinese government that is seemingly more concerned with looking good than being honest.

And though the purpose of the Olympics is to transcend politics, I don’t think we can completely ignore the inconsistency of Olympic ideals and China’s vigorous suppression of dissent or protest on any issue and their involvement in the massive genocidal actions in Darfur.

So what should we think and talk about – is the glass is half empty or half full?

It’s okay to separately admire and appreciate all the things worthy of commendation and, at another time, express disagreement and disdain for those things worthy of condemnation.

As with many things in life, we shouldn’t let beauty in some areas blind us to ugliness in others, but we also shouldn’t let ugliness in some areas blind us to the beauty in others.

At least for now, I’m going to continue enjoying these Games.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

A teacher once wrote me about a parent with clout at her school who asked her to change attendance records to make her child’s record look better. The teacher said she thought long and hard about the request but eventually refused, knowing it would make the parent angry.

First, I commended her moral courage. I wish it didn’t take courage to do the right thing, especially in such a clear case as this, but in the real world people with power often retaliate when they don’t get what they want. This can make your life difficult.

Moral courage is the much-needed bodyguard of conscience and character. The personal costs of putting our integrity on the auction block are so high that we simply have to take the risk. Once we start on the slippery slope of moral compromise, it’s hard to resist the downward slide.

My first instinct was that the parent who subjected the teacher to this corrupt and corrupting request was a thoroughgoing villain, but I suspected she was a basically decent mom so intent on helping her child that she just ignored her moral brakes.

It’s wrong to ask someone to lie or cheat, though, and when it comes from someone with power, it’s even worse. Power is intimidating even when it’s not used.

But unswerving integrity can also be intimidating. Clearly improper requests deserve an immediate, firm, and dignified response that leaves no ambiguity that they’re inappropriate. Be careful not to be self-righteous, but let people who ask worry about what you think of them.

If they persist, let them – not you – worry about the consequences.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

When I was a kid playing sports, there were no clubs, travel teams, or private coaches. Except for summer baseball leagues, the primary place to play was high school. When I was in the 10th grade, I wanted to play basketball in the worst way.

Unfortunately, given my size and talent, that’s how I played. But in those days, sports was part of the educational program and, to accommodate every kid who wanted to play, there were four skill levels – varsity, junior varsity, B, and C teams.

I was a third-stringer on the C team. My ambition was to play in 12 quarters during the season, the minimum requirement for a letterman’s jacket.

Fortunately, the coach liked my spunk, so he’d put me in at the end of games when I could do no harm. In the last quarter of the last game, he made sure I got my letter by giving me an eight-second stint. Although I think I played less than two minutes of total game time during that season, I was part of the team and played in every practice.

Three years later, I was the only senior on the C team but I was a starter! Of all my high school achievements, none was more important than my three basketball letters.

It wasn’t just recreation for me. It was education. My sports experience strengthened my character and helped me develop important life skills including goal-setting, preparation, and perseverance. It also taught me about honor and sportsmanship.

So when you read chilling stories about cheating coaches, out-of-control fans, or spoiled athletes, don’t blame sports. Blame those who don’t do it right.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (3)

Cynicism about the ethics of elected officials may be at an all-time high, continually fueled by new stories of outright corruption or bad judgment. At every level of government there are politicians who can’t seem to recognize or resist conflicts of interest, inappropriate gifts, improper use of the power or property entrusted to them, or shameful private conduct.

It’s no surprise that the media are continually shining light on real and perceived improprieties and putting the heat on federal, state, and city legislatures to pass new and tougher ethics laws to restore public trust.

The phrase “ethics laws” is peculiar because it marries two different concepts. Ethics refers to standards of right and wrong and how a person should behave according to moral principles such as honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect. Living ethically is a matter of conscience. Unethical conduct results in shame and perhaps criticism, scandal, or disgrace.

While ethics is about should, laws are about must. They prohibit or mandate specific conduct. Obeying the law is a matter of compliance, and illegal conduct can result in fines and imprisonment.

Ethics laws meld those two concepts. They require conduct (such as open meetings and disclosure of financial interests) and forbid transactions that could compromise the integrity of government. Because of a high tendency of those regulated to evade the spirit and purpose of such laws, statutes have become more complex and technical.

Historically, legislative bodies have been reactive rather than proactive, doing only what they absolutely must. Thus, existing laws are often a hodgepodge of regulations designed to prevent reoccurrence of specific past improprieties. That’s a big part of the problem.

What we need is nonpartisan statesmanship and visionary leadership willing to face the fact that relying on elected officials’ judgment is a failed strategy. Doing so guarantees a continual flow of scandals that discredits their institutions and the enterprise of democratic government itself.

While I wish more emphasis was placed on character rather than compliance, the reality is that voters don’t consistently demand scrupulous integrity as evidenced by the re-election of people stained by scandal.

It’s often said that you can’t legislate morality. This is true. But we can require moral conduct. Ethics laws don’t make people ethical, but they deter unethical conduct. And that’s an important first step.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

I’ve talked before about the Olympic ideals upon which the modern movement was founded. Over the years, new words and symbols were made part of Olympism to reinforce those ideals.

One of them is the Olympic Motto: citius, altius, fortius (faster, higher, stronger). Note that it’s not fastest, highest, strongest because the Olympic ideal encourages athletes to view success in terms of effort, the constant striving for improvement and the achievement of one’s personal best. Giving one’s best and pursuing victory with honor is a worthwhile goal regardless of the outcome.

The symbolism of the Olympic logo and flag is also important. Each of the five Olympic rings is a different color representing 1) the colors that appeared on all the national flags of the world at that time of its design in 1913, and 2) the five inhabited continents (the Americas are treated as one, and no particular ring is meant to represent any specific continent). The rings are interlaced to represent that the Olympics are universal, bringing athletes from the world together.

The Olympic torch that carries the Olympic flame to the cauldron also have significant meanings. Ancient Greeks believed that fire, given to mankind by Prometheus, has sacred qualities. For many, it represents the spark of humanity, the flame within all of us that makes us human.

The Olympic flame is lit in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia using a parabolic mirror to focus rays of the sun. Emphasizing the inextinguishable nature of man and the linking of all of us, a worldwide relay of runners carrying torches brings the flame to the site of the Games where an honored athlete ignites the cauldron.

Olympic ideals can and should infuse sports and our lives with nobler purpose and deeper meaning.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (0)

Two men lost their way in a forest. The first one despaired, but the second one said maybe some good will come of this.

They came upon a stranger who needed the second man’s help. The stranger turned out to be a prince who gave the man a beautiful horse.

His neighbors praised his good luck and said, “How blessed you are to have such a magnificent animal.”

The man said, “Who’s to say whether it’s a blessing or a curse?”

The next day the horse ran away, and the neighbors said, “How horrible that you were cursed with the loss of your horse.”

The man replied, “Who’s to say whether it’s a curse or a blessing? Perhaps some good will come of this.”

The next day the horse returned, leading five wild ones. “You were right!” his neighbors exclaimed, “The curse was a blessing in disguise. Now you’re blessed with six horses.”

The man replied, “Perhaps, but who’s to say whether it’s a blessing or a curse?”

The next day, his only son tried to ride one of the wild horses. He was thrown to the ground and broke his leg. The neighbors said, “How wise you were. Your blessing was really a curse.”

The man replied, “There may be good yet. Who’s to say whether it’s a curse or a blessing?”

The next week, soldiers came through the village and took every able-bodied boy to fight in a war where it was almost certain all would be killed. Because the man’s son was injured, he was the only one not taken. “How blessed are you to have your son!” the neighbors said.

The man replied, “Who’s to say? I don’t know whether there’s a curse in every blessing, but I’m sure there’s a blessing in every curse.”

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

I want my kids to be smart and successful, but I also want them to be good. I want them to be the kind of people other parents would like to see their kids marry. I want them to make sound values-based decisions that help them be safe and happy.

Like most parents, I spend lots of time trying to instill virtues like honesty, respect, responsibility, fairness, and kindness.

But building character is more complicated than teaching math or manners. It involves the heart as well as the head. The goal is to make good thoughts and conduct a matter of habit. I want my children to know what’s good, to want what’s good, and to do what’s good.

Effective character-building is captured in the acronym T.E.A.M. (teach, enforce, advocate, and model).

We teach character by promoting the values and developing the ethical virtues that make up a good person – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Kids should understand what each of these traits looks like.

We entrench these values by enforcing them, by backing up our rhetoric with appropriate consequences. What you allow, you encourage.

We passionately and relentlessly advocate our commitment to good character so our children have no doubt what we want for them and expect from them.

And we instill positive values by modeling the virtues we want to see in our children. This is done by how we deal with pressures, frustrations, fatigue, and other everyday actions, especially what we say and do when we think no one’s looking and we won’t get caught.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:16 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

Ben was a lumberjack who swung his ax with great power and could fell a tree in 20 strokes. In the first few days of a new job he produced twice as much lumber as anyone else. By week’s end, he was working even harder, but his lead was dwindling.

One friend told him he had to swing harder. Another said he had to work longer. Neither idea worked. Finally, an old fellow asked Ben how often he sharpened his ax. He said he had no time; there was too much to do.

The lesson of this parable contains the remedy to ineffectiveness in today’s workplace.

Dedicated executives may work enormous hours not realizing how much their failure to sharpen their ax by taking time off reduces their effectiveness. As one exceeds the limits of intellectual and physical stamina, both the quantity and quality of work suffer. Fatigue affects judgment and mental acuity, and the time and energy needed to fix errors can offset the extra time devoted to the task.

Organizations fail to sharpen their ax when they give short shrift to screening job applicants and training new hires. Burdened with heavy workloads, managers consumed by urgency to fill positions often succumb to the “warm body” fallacy: anyone is better than no one.

You need three things in a good employee: competence, commitment, and character. Shortcomings in any area can be costly, consume time and resources, and damage morale. Sharpening your ax in this setting means taking the time to be more diligent in background checks, more selective in hiring, more serious in training, and more demanding during probation.

Without the right tools, hard work isn’t enough.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:14 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

You don’t have to be cynical to note that none of the modern Olympic Games have consistently lived up to the noble goals of their founder. There’s too much nationalism, commercialism, overemphasis on medal counts, and explosions of pure ego.

But before we despair about the imperfections of this grand effort to promote world peace and fair play, consider the legend of how the games began in 776 B.C.

The story is that a prince named Pelops sought the hand of the daughter of a king who was vain about his chariot-racing skill. The king challenged each one of his daughters’ suitors to a race, promising that anyone who beat him could marry his daughter and become heir to his kingdom.

But the stakes were high. If a suitor lost, he would be beheaded and his head would decorate the palace. That’s a pressure our modern athletes don’t face.

According to the myth, Pelops secretly replaced the bronze linchpins of the king’s chariot with ones made of wax. During the race, the wax melted and the king was thrown to his death. Pelops married the princess and instituted the Olympic Games to celebrate his victory. Not exactly the example of sportsmanship envisioned in the Olympic Creed.

National pride and prestige were always part of the Games, however. The best athletes were heavily recruited and richly rewarded. Cheating and bribery were so common that statues of athletes caught rigging or fixing contests were erected (at the cost of the cheater) on the roadway leading to the stadium to memorialize their shame.

I wonder if we should consider doing that in Washington?

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (2)

Eight is considered a lucky number in China. It may be a good omen that the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will start at 8 p.m. on the eighth day of the eighth month in the eighth year of this century.

It’s certain that the Games will produce historic events, both athletically and politically.

About 11,000 athletes from 205 countries will compete in 31 sports for 303 medals. The United States has one of the largest delegations – 530 athletes and 328 coaches and others.

This may be the largest and most closely scrutinized event in history. Every grand performance and gaffe will receive unprecedented exposure.

Nearly 20,000 accredited journalists (two for every athlete) will be digging for every imaginable story about the competitions, the athletes, China, the food, and any political angle they can find or create. Stories putting the U.S. in a poor light will be especially prized.

We are certain to see heroic feats of athleticism and new world records. What is less certain is how many exemplary or embarrassing examples of sportsmanship and journalistic professionalism we will see.

U.S. athletes will be under a tremendous amount of pressure, not simply to compete well but to represent their country honorably. Keep in mind that most Olympians are quite young and, except for a few high-profile athletes in high-profile sports, they have little experience with intense and potentially hostile media attention.

I was privileged to be part of an unprecedented effort by the U.S. Olympic Committee to instill in our athletes Olympic ideals and the sense that they are our nation’s most visible ambassadors with an obligation and opportunity to “make U.S. proud.” I think they will.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)

In 2004, I had the honor to participate in the Olympic torch relay that began in Athens, Greece. I think I was selected to represent the spectacularly unfit.

I was told I would carry the torch about a quarter of a mile, so I prepared myself. I lost 10 pounds (sadly, a drop in the bucket), bought new running shoes, ran around the block a few times, and practiced holding up an Aim N Flame lighter in proper torch position.

At the assembly point, a fellow torchbearer told me I had been assigned the longest leg of the relay, nearly one mile. My jaw dropped, but he said not to worry. Easy for him to say. He regularly ran 20 miles a day; I hadn't run 20 miles in 20 years.

Lots of family and friends had come to watch my Olympic performance, and I took off so fast I almost ran into the media truck preceding the runners.

I began to gasp for air just a few hundred feet out. I knew I was in trouble when my 6- and 7-year-old daughters ran on the sidewalk in front of me cheering, “Come on, Daddy!”

Then my 8-year-old called me a wimp, and my adult son sprinted ahead of me, backwards, to take pictures. Only my wife and 10-year-old daughter had the decency to run at my pace and tell me I was doing great.

When I finally staggered to the hand-off point and passed the eternal flame to Ryan Seacrest (I didn’t know who he was then), I was simply glad I hadn’t passed out.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (5)

Most Americans say they’re religious and their beliefs are important to their lives, yet I’m astonished at how many blatantly ignore the moral expectations intrinsic to their religion.

Religion is not only about worship and ritual; it tells believers how they’re supposed to live. Thus, the holy books of every major religion are filled with precepts and principles about honesty, justice, fidelity, compassion, and charity that leave no doubt about the role ethics and personal virtue should play in our daily lives.

In his fine book The Business Bible, Rabbi Wayne Dosick tells of a soapmaker who challenged a rabbi: “What good is religion? It teaches honesty, but most people are dishonest.”

The rabbi answered, “My dear soapmaker, religion – like soap – only works when you use it.”

The ancient truths and enduring values embodied in traditional religions are much more than guidelines or suggestions about how to behave. To those who profess religious belief, moral and ethical behavior is not an option. It’s a mandate.

To practice the rituals of a religion and to claim reverent identity without scrupulous concern for the moral teachings of that faith is like going to a fine restaurant and eating the menu rather than the food.

It’s also blatant hypocrisy. Integrity is about wholeness – the unity of beliefs, words, and actions. I’m not saying you have to be devout to be ethical. I’m saying if religion is important to you, so is ethics.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (8)

Roy, a service rep, is told one of the salesmen forgot to send an order for window blinds to the factory and, as a result, they won’t be available for another ten days. Roy is asked to call Jenny, the customer, and tell her the blinds won’t be delivered on the date promised.

Roy has a decision to make: What should he tell the customer?

Telling Jenny the real reason will likely infuriate her and cause her to demand a refund or deep discount. This isn’t a good result, so he devises a plausible but false excuse that shifts the blame onto Jenny’s credit-card company. He even makes himself a hero by convincing her he did everything possible to solve the problem and, though his company wasn’t at fault, he convinced his manager to give Jenny a 10 percent discount for her inconvenience.

Jenny is angry at the credit-card company and upset about not getting her blinds, but she’s impressed with the professional way Roy handled the situation. Her loyalty to the company is actually strengthened.

Should Roy be praised or penalized?

The case for praise is that he took a lemon and made lemonade. He turned a bad situation into a good one, and no one was hurt (except, maybe, the credit-card company – and who cares about them?). His little white lie yielded great dividends and was well within the norms of business.

The case for reprimanding or firing Roy is that a good decision must be ethical as well as effective. He was dishonest and, whether his solution worked or not, a company that values trust should not permit dishonesty to be used as a problem-solving tactic.

If you were Roy’s boss, what would you do?

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (6)

More often than we like, most of us face choices that can have serious and lasting impact on our lives. Do we go along with the crowd? Do we tell someone off, quit a job, or end a relationship? Unfortunately, these decisions are not preceded by a drum roll warning us that the stakes are high. Even worse, we often don’t have a lot of time to figure out what to do.

It’s no surprise that most bad decisions – the ones that mess up our lives – are made impulsively or without sufficient reflection.

Ancient proverbs warn us to “Count to ten when you’re angry” or “Think ahead.” But anger and the lack of preplanning are only two factors that can impede excellent decision-making. Fatigue, fear, frustration, stress, and impatience also create obstacles to wise choices.

Just as we learned to look both ways before we cross the street, we can learn to systematically analyze every important decision-making situation to allow us to arrive at conclusions that are both effective and ethical.

Each decision, therefore, should start with a stop – a forced moment of reflection to help us clarify our goal, evaluate the completeness and credibility of our information, and devise an alternate strategy, if necessary, to achieve the best possible result. Stopping also allows us to muster our moral willpower to overcome temptations and emotions that could lead to a rash, foolish, or ill-considered choice.

While it’s great to have a day or two to sleep on a problem, or even a few hours, many situations don’t afford us that luxury. But a pause of even a few moments can often be enough.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you to think ahead because character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (2)

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, two-thirds of the world’s population, including almost everyone in the Continental United States and Europe, no longer see a starry sky where they live.

The reason: City lights prevent us from seeing much more than a canopy of gray shadows. What a pity. In rural or remote areas with little or no artificial lights, about 2,000 stars can be seen on a clear night, and the experience can be breathtaking.

Whether we credit God or physics, how can we avoid the conclusion that our cosmos is governed by forces that dwarf anything our simple species can muster? How can we not feel like transitory snowflakes in a universe that measures time in billions of years and space in trillions of miles?

At the same time, a star-filled sky can be both empowering and inspiring. It can cause us to ponder the meaning and purpose of our lives, and it has ignited the imagination of poets, philosophers, theologians, and scientists for centuries.

It’s bad enough that the technology of contemporary civilization prevents us from seeing the extraterrestrial stars. It’s worse when we allow the shallow values and frenetic pace of modern society to prevent us from seeing and following the aspirations and principles that are our own internal guiding stars.

Every day we’re challenged to rise above petty office politics, senseless family conflicts, negative emotions, and unbridled ego so we can live our lives large and be worthy of our place in the universe.

We may not be able to see the stars by looking up, but if we close our eyes and look inward, we can find and follow the best within us.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Posted by Josephson Institute Editor at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Leave a Comment (1)