Leadership and Sales BLOG

I've been thinking about character this week. Why is how we treat others so important? Is there a difference between our professional character and our personal character?

The old saying goes that you should "treat others as you would want to be treated". That's easy to do on the playground. Don't punch people you wouldn't want to be punched by. As you get older it seems as though the lines blur a bit. Is a contract a binding, solemn agreement etched on stone? Or is a contract something in which we look for the "lines between the lines", hoping to ferret out language that serves us at any given moment? Does it matter if a contract is between two entities, like corporations or water districts? What about a contract between a "little guy" and a monolith?

Don't you hate blogs that only ask questions?

I used the quote "Character is who you are when no-one is watching" the other day in a blog posting on my fatherhood site http://dadspeaker.blogspot.com/ and it generated quite a response. The idea of having a character "Angel" posted on your shoulder at all times sounds tiring. Who wants to be eternally on their best behavior? I find that it's easier to be that Angel in my personal life than it is in my professional life. Somehow when dollars enter the picture, my inner pit-bull kicks in and I want to defend my turf and wallet at all costs.

My sense is that when these questions take center stage in my mind, it's a distinct message that something is amiss. My character is being tested and while I want to believe that I'll always do the right thing, the temptation to do the wrong thing is overpowering. For me, the ultimate test is whether I can look my sons in the eyes and tell them I acted in a way that I am proud of. If I try to live two "characters", one professional and one personal, I'm afraid keeping my good deeds balanced with my conscience will be too great a mental challenge.

Guess that answers that question!