Decency

When George H.W. Bush passed away late last year, many of us were riveted to news shows that recapped his life and a memorial service that heartened even the most steadfast stoic.  I found the words and stories and remembrances informative, enlightening, and even funny at times.  What struck me the most was how decent the commentaries were, from both sides of the aisle.  It’s interesting how we can take people to task, sometimes mercilessly, when we don’t agree with them.  Maybe reflecting on someone’s lifelong accomplishments, instead of one-off disagreements, is a better way to live each day.

I watched a CNN New Year’s Eve program where two reporters were interviewing comedian Dave Chappelle.  They couldn’t help themselves from asking him how he felt about things in Washington DC.  Chappelle reflected for a moment and said he really wanted to think positive thoughts and help bring people together in 2019.  He deflected the question and probably disappointed the program’s hosts, but he was right in staying positive and rebutting an opportunity to be negative and political.

What struck me about George H.W. Bush was how everyone agreed about the decency of the man.  His focus on family, friends, and country were inspiring.  What struck me about Dave Chappelle was how fair and decent and wise his comments were when probed about the state of our politics in Washington.  Maybe the lesson here is to focus on being more decent in how we act and what we say, and to focus on what we can agree on, rather than on what divides us.

Here are a few Business & Life Tips to think about….

Business Tips:

• We sometimes get so focused on the direction we have set that we forget about the objective. Take some time to reflect on the goal.
• The challenge facing the younger generation of a family business is how to maintain tradition while needing to move beyond it.
• For reasonable people, the root of most disagreements lies in differing assumptions and expectations of decisions, actions, and results.

Life Tips:

• Reflect on what is truly important in order to transition from achieving success for ourselves to achieving significance for others.
• Fair is not always equal, and equal is not always fair. Live by fairness, even if at times it puts you at a disadvantage.
• Only a fool fails to listen to wise counsel. Learning to be open to advice is a virtue you should embrace and nurture.

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