Most companies have elements called Values.  Typically, Values are those key or core attributes that define a company’s foundation… its commitment, its beliefs, and its unwavering mode of operation.  My own company, for example, has had the same three values for over 100 years:

• Quality – an unwavering commitment to quality
• Integrity – integrity in everything we do – this is our foundation
• Service – consistently delivering value to our customers, providers, and patients

Without question, these three elements, if done well, can differentiate a great company from a mediocre one.

Values for our personal approach to work and life can drive us toward excellence or greatness, as well.  Have you taken the time to identify your own personal values?  Notice, I didn’t say “develop” your personal values.  Values are how you naturally behave.  They are your core, your foundation.  Others can see your values in how you make decisions, treat others, or behave in a crisis.  Do you know which “values” define you?

Recently, a colleague received information on the values established by another company and shared them with me.  This company states that these are the values that determine “…who gets rewarded, promoted, or let go.”  I thought it would be good to share these nine values.  See how many of these you exhibit well:

1. Judgment – you make wise decisions despite ambiguity; you identify root causes and get beyond treating symptoms; you think strategically and can articulate what you are and are not trying to do; you smartly separate what must be done now and what can be improved later.
2. Communication – you listen well, instead of reacting fast, so you can better understand; you are concise and articulate in speech and writing; you treat people with respect independent of their status or disagreement with you; you maintain calm poise in stressful situations
3. Impact – you accomplish amazing amounts of important work; you demonstrate consistently strong performance so colleagues can rely upon you; you focus on great results rather than on process; you exhibit bias-to-action and avoid analysis-paralysis
4. Curiosity – you learn rapidly and eagerly; you seek to understand our strategy, market, customers, and suppliers; you are broadly knowledgeable about business, technology and entertainment (Note: this is an entertainment company); you contribute effectively outside of your specialty
5. Innovation – you re-conceptualize issues to discover practical solutions to hard problems; you challenge prevailing assumptions when warranted and suggest better approaches; you create new ideas that prove useful; you keep us nimble by minimizing complexity and finding time to simplify
6. Courage – you say what you think even if it is controversial; you make tough decisions without agonizing; you take smart risks; you question actions inconsistent with our values
7. Passion – you inspire others with your thirst for excellence; you can intensely about our success; you celebrate wins; you are tenacious
8. Honesty – you are known for candor and directness; you are non-political when you disagree with others; you only say things about fellow employees you will say to their face; you are quick to admit mistakes
9. Selflessness – you seek what is best for the company rather than best for yourself or your group; you are ego-less when searching for the best ideas; you make time to help colleagues; you share information openly and proactively

So, how do you stack up?  Would you be successful at this company?  The values listed above are good ones for us all to consider and, whenever possible, emulate.  What would our company be like if every employee exhibited these every day?  Amazing, I would guess!

Have you considered what values define you?  Thanks for striving to make life better for others.   Have a terrific day!

Today is the ninth and last inning of The Porch’s baseball series at the start of the 2016 season. Today, we look at the important concept of “It ain’t over till it’s over”. So, here is the full line-up for the series:

· First Inning: Everyone has a chance!

· Second Inning: Patient pondering, then frantic action!

· Third Inning: The aggressive team is often the winning team

· Fourth Inning: If you can hit….

· Fifth Inning: Many singles are better than one solo home run

· Sixth Inning: A strong bullpen is key

· Seventh Inning: Time to stretch

· Eighth Inning: Rally time!

· Ninth Inning: “It ain’t over till it’s over”

Yogi Berra, Yankee Hall of Famer, is said to have uttered, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” He was referring to the ninth inning of baseball games. Baseball is the only sport which does not use a time clock to determine the end of the game. A baseball team is never defeated until the last out is made in the last inning. Thus, there is always a chance… you are never out of the game until the very end. The largest ninth inning deficit appears to have been on April 24, 1901, in their first American League game, when the Detroit Tigers scored 10 runs in the ninth inning to beat Milwaukee, 14-13. Teams have had comebacks with as many as seven runs in the ninth inning to win within the last few years. These comebacks confirm what Yogi said about not giving up until it truly is over.

Persistence to the end… this equally applies to us in the business world. I’m sure you have seen project teams work diligently until the very end, then let loose ends trip them up with the finish line in sight. There is this human tendency to relax when victory seems assured. However, as in baseball, driving to the final out – until the final box is checked – is critical to our success. How many of you have seen someone work diligently on a project at home and even finish the project, but leave the final clean-up to someone else? I have told the story before of my acquaintance that built his own house from the ground up. He worked almost night and day to construct the house. They moved into the house with only the final few trim projects yet to complete. However, it took him many months to motivate himself to complete the last few activities.

Below are three quotes that I think sum this up very well:

“Do it again. Play it again. Sing it again. Read it again. Write it again. Sketch it again. Rehearse it again. Run it again. Try it again.  Because again is practice, and practice is improvement, and improvement only leads to perfection.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

“No. Don’t give up hope just yet. It’s the last thing to go. When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope.”
― Pittacus Lore, I Am Number Four

“You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it’s enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

The bottom line is this… As long as you have hope, desire, and the ability to keep going, you still have a chance to win or be successful. Don’t give up! Finish the race! If there is just a flicker of hope within you, victory is still possible. Keep going!

For you NON-baseball fans, thanks for tolerating this baseball series. It’s over. Have a terrific day… perhaps, even a “top ten” day!

Today is the eighth inning of The Porch’s baseball series at the start of the 2016 season. Today, we look at the important concept of “Rally time!”. So, here is the full line-up for the series:

· First Inning: Everyone has a chance!

· Second Inning: Patient pondering, then frantic action!

· Third Inning: The aggressive team is often the winning team

· Fourth Inning: If you can hit….

· Fifth Inning: Many singles are better than one solo home run

· Sixth Inning: A strong bullpen is key

· Seventh Inning: Time to stretch

· Eighth Inning: Rally time!

· Ninth Inning: “It ain’t over till it’s over”

In baseball, there comes a point in every game where one team must rally (that is, come from behind) or face defeat. A rally often means you must overcome significant obstacles, such as an extremely sharp pitcher, defensive errors, or an inability to get a clutch base hit. But, when you are able to come from behind to win, the victory takes on greater significance and meaning. A come-from-behind win often means you have “snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.”

There are times in our private or work lives when we, also, need a rally. There are days or weeks or years in which things do not go our way and we need to come-from-behind. We need to overcome those obstacles and snatch that victory in our personal or work situation. You can see this from the quotes below:

1. “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” – Booker T. Washington

2. “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” – Walt Disney

3. “The fact of being an underdog changes people in ways that we often fail to appreciate. It opens doors and creates opportunities and enlightens and permits things that might otherwise have seemed unthinkable.” – Malcolm Gladwell

So, how about you? Is it “Rally time!” Today is a good day to make it happen. Have a “top ten” day!

Today is the seventh inning of The Porch’s baseball series at the start of the 2016 season. Today, we look at the important concept of “Time to stretch”. So, here is the full line-up for the series:

· First Inning: Everyone has a chance!

· Second Inning: Patient pondering, then frantic action!

· Third Inning: The aggressive team is often the winning team

· Fourth Inning: If you can hit….

· Fifth Inning: Many singles are better than one solo home run

· Sixth Inning: A strong bullpen is key

· Seventh Inning: Time to stretch

· Eighth Inning: Rally time!

· Ninth Inning: “It ain’t over till it’s over”

In baseball, a time is traditionally set aside in the seventh inning for the audience to stand up and stretch… this is called the seventh inning stretch. A stretch after sitting for a couple of hours is good to refresh and reinvigorate going into the final two innings of the game. Stretching the legs helps restore circulation and provides new life. Taking a break from the action is often needed to provide new energy and enthusiasm.

In life and in our work, a “seventh inning stretch” can also be helpful. Taking the time to reflect, refresh, and reinvigorate is often needed to provide us with the energy and enthusiasm to be our very best during times of impending stress or activity. There are four aspects of a “seventh inning stretch” that are important to incorporate into our refreshment time:

1. It must be intentional – A “seventh inning stretch” is never a surprise. It is planned at a specific time and place and is very predictable. In the same way, our “stretch” should be intentional — planned and predictable. We need to set aside a time when we can set our work aside and clear our mind. Getting enough sleep, taking that relaxing vacation/holiday, taking a walk a couple times each day, and having lunch away from your desk are examples of intentional ways to refresh your body and mind.

2. It requires that we do something different – A “seventh inning stretch” is not merely doing the same things the same way and expecting a different result. By definition, a stretch involves standing up, shifting our mind, and, perhaps, even singing a song. Give it a try!

3. It may involve re-connecting with others – Usually, the “seventh inning stretch” time involves talking or conversing with those around you at the baseball game. A few moments of light conversation does wonders to help refresh us. I am always amazed at individuals that never take the time to greet others or clear their minds with talk with coworkers – how can they maintain focus without a mind-clearing period?

4. It should be a time for fun – A “seventh inning stretch” is always accompanied by laughter, smiles, and good times (even when your team is losing). Why? It is because it is a time shared with others with similar interests and goals. Even if your workload is horrendous, taking the time to communicate with others will provide refreshment that might make you even more productive afterward.

So, when you find yourself bogged down at your desk with more work than you can get done in a day, consider taking that “seventh inning stretch” that can actually help you be more productive, more accurate, and more collaborative with those around you.

Thanks for making my world a better place! Have a great day!

 

Previously on The Porch, we talked about the importance of three key values: integrity, quality, and service.  We discussed in some detail the definition and important attributes of someone living a life of integrity.  We also looked at its importance in business.  Today, we look at the second of these values – Service.  We will explore what it means as an individual and what it means to our business.  We will look at service from an outside perspective and inside.  I hope that at the end, you’ll be re-motivated to ensure that service is important and a value that you will adopt in both your work and private life.

Service is simply defines as the action of helping someone.  There are three key elements of this definition:

• Action – service is not a passive activity, it is active.  It is something we do, not think about or consider.
• Helping – service is offering a favor, kindness, or something else that makes a difference to that person.
• Someone – service is all about others, not self.

So, when we look at service in terms of this definition, it is something we do for others that makes a difference to them.  It is not at all about us.

“He thought how sad it was to be an Animal who had never had a bunch of violets picked for him.” ― A.A. Milne

What are the key attributes of an individual that has adopted the value of service in his/her life?  You might get a better idea of service from the quotes listed below.  To me, service has five key elements:

1. Meeting the needs of others – Service is important to not only our customers outside the company, but our customers on the inside.  We all have internal customers – individuals or groups that rely upon what we do.  Providing excellent service in every aspect of our job makes a difference to those needing our products and to those needing our best work sent to them.  Being service-minded means that we always want to deliver what we say we’ll deliver on the schedule promised.  A strong focus on service helps establish our credibility and integrity as both a company and us as individuals.
2. Service benefits others, as well as, our company – When we deliver as promised, many benefit.  Certainly, our customers benefit.  Their systems make assumptions on service risk and they build safety stocks of critical medical products based on their confidence in us.  When we fail to deliver, it costs them money PLUS we could jeopardize the health or safety of our ultimate patients.  So, there is a significant benefit externally when we provide excellent service.  We also enhance our reputation as a company that can be relied upon in the future.
3. True service has no boundaries – When we serve others, we do so without artificial boundaries or biases.  We should serve others simply because we want to make a difference to them.  When we serve those unable to help themselves, we meet their needs PLUS we help give them hope.  I have a soft spot in my heart for our elderly.  It breaks my heart when our older adults spend their days, weeks, and months in care homes without ever having visitors or others to simply spend time with them.  Doing something special for someone that can never pay you back, makes a difference to them… and us.
4. Service to others is a differentiator – In our businesses, being the company providing the best service often is the deciding factor for who gets the business.  Likewise, being the person that seeks to serve others is often the key factor in building relationships.  It is not every person that lives their lives with a bias toward serving others first.  When you seek first to meet others’ needs, your own are often met in ways you never could have expected.
5. Service has a price; lack of service has a greater price – Yes, it does require a financial cost to have the best service.  But, the payback is often many times greater than the investment for our business.  Likewise, the price for service to others is often our own sacrifice.  However, when we give to others, the payback is usually much greater than anything we could expect.  Similarly, the lack of service or lack of desire to serve can leave a company struggling or an individual absorbed in his/her self-pity or aloneness.

How does this make a difference to us?  Certainly, service can be a differentiator to our customers.  If everything else is equal, they tend to go with the supplier that offers the best service.  Service to other functions within the company is important to help them do their job well and on time.  Finally, being an individual that strives to serve others and improve the lives of those around us, can make a difference in that person’s life AND it can change the way we view the world.  I have heard it said and experienced it for myself that when I am feeling the lowest, seeking to intentionally serve someone else can change my whole perspective from the focus on my problems to meeting their needs.  And, nothing can encourage us more when we are at that low point than having someone else pull us up.

The Golden Rule, do to others as you would want them to do to you, still is true today and it applies well to our need and desire to serve others well.

Let’s have a terrific and productive day!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here are a few quotes on service that might be of interest to you:

• “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”  – Mahatma Gandhi

• “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” – Douglas Adams

• “You need an attitude of service. You’re not just serving yourself. You help others to grow up and you grow with them.” – David Green

• “We are all here to be a service to those who can’t be a service to themselves. We can give people hope and more reasons for being human.” – Dionne Warwick

• “A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large.” – Henry Ford

• “For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice – no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service.” – John Burroughs

• “The most important service to others is service to those who are not like yourself.” – J. Irwin Miller

• “Always render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.” – Og Mandino

• “The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being.” – Lee Iacocca

 

• “Earn your success based on service to others, not at the expense of others.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

___________________________________________________________­____________________________________________________

 

 

Today is the sixth inning of The Porch’s baseball series at the start of the 2016 season. Today, we look at the important concept of “A strong bullpen is key”. So, here is the full line-up for the series:

· First Inning: Everyone has a chance!

· Second Inning: Patient pondering, then frantic action!

· Third Inning: The aggressive team is often the winning team

· Fourth Inning: If you can hit….

· Fifth Inning: Many singles are better than one solo home run

· Sixth Inning: A strong bullpen is key

· Seventh Inning: Time to stretch

· Eighth Inning: Rally time!

· Ninth Inning: “It ain’t over till it’s over”

In baseball, the bullpen is the group of “back-up” pitchers that provide relief for the starting pitcher when needed. Why is this group of pitchers called the bullpen? One of the more likely theories goes like this: In the 1800s, a few innings after a game started, fans could get tickets at the box office for a big discount. But cheap tickets came with a, er, catch: you had to stand in a roped-off area off to the side of the field in foul territory. So the fans were treated a bit like cattle in a pen. When this area became the spot where pitchers warmed up, once relievers became part of the game, the name stuck.

Having a designated group of “back-up” pitchers is important in baseball to ensure that you always have a fresh pitcher throughout the game to give yourself the best chance of winning. When your starting pitcher weakens (or tires, or loses effectiveness, or becomes injured), you bring a fresh pitcher into the game. Thus, remain as strong as possible with a strong pitcher in the game. The bullpen pitchers actually finish the game most of the time and the team’s final pitcher is often called the closer.

Similarly, we need to maintain a strong bullpen in our own life or work operations. Having individuals that can pick you up when you become weak, or hurt, or ineffective helps ensure that we stay on pace and on target. Here are some example of having or developing a strong bullpen:

· For leaders, one of our primary responsibilities is to create more leaders that can carry on when we are not present or available

· Having friends that can lift us up when we experience struggles in our life

· Ensuring that every critical function or activity in our work is backed up by individuals that are trained and ready to carry the ball

· Knowing that you aren’t alone when you get that life-changing phone call

· Having redundancy in our operations or on our teams to ensure that critical issues do not shut us down

· Identifying and developing our own backfill (this also helps ensure that we don’t miss on promotional opportunities because there is no backfill for us)

· Serving as that bullpen ace to back-up your own teammate, a friend, or a family member when they need you most

A strong bullpen is often what differentiates a winning baseball team from a mediocre one. Similarly, have our own strong bullpen can make the difference between heavy burdens that we carry alone or that light load shared by many.

Have a great day and thanks for making a difference.

Today is the fifth inning of The Porch’s baseball series at the start of the 2016 season. Today, we look at the important concept of “Many singles are better than one solo home run”. So, here is the full line-up for the series:

· First Inning: Everyone has a chance!

· Second Inning: Patient pondering, then frantic action!

· Third Inning: The aggressive team is often the winning team

· Fourth Inning: If you can hit….

· Fifth Inning: Many singles are better than one solo home run

· Sixth Inning: A strong bullpen is key

· Seventh Inning: Time to stretch

· Eighth Inning: Rally time!

· Ninth Inning: “It ain’t over till it’s over”

Everyone loves to see a home run! And, every baseball player enjoys hitting them. As a kid, my friends and I were always having contests to see who could hit the ball farther than anyone else. During our recess baseball games, the target was to see who could hit a home run on the roof of the school. When I think back to my baseball escapades, many of my favorite memories are those involving home runs. However, some of my most important baseball memories are those that involve singles. I remember that we won a conference championship once with a single barely out of reach of the second baseman. Home runs are dramatic, but a string of singles can make the difference in the game.

Colin Powell once said, “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” Though we all want to be successful in those big events or big projects or big initiatives, we develop the culture of excellence as individuals or as a company through those everyday small things… those day-by-day things that define who we are.

I once hosted a European regulatory inspection. In the first hour of the inspection, the investigators asked to visit the men’s dressing room where employees dressed into clean uniforms. The investigators asked to actually look into a few of the lockers. We obliged (with individual employee approval) and the investigators merely looked in without further comment. Later, we asked the purpose of the visit to the dressing room and locker inspection. The investigator said that it was his experience that if the dressing room is neat and clean and if employee lockers are orderly, they would invariably see care and pride in the work environment. By doing the little things well, the important things – such as product protection, following procedures, and documenting well – would also be well done. If we develop habits in the small things, we will see excellence in the big things.

Everyone wants the “big assignment.” Everyone wants to hit that home run at work. Everyone wants to hit the ball farther than everyone else. However, we also need everyone to make a difference with the small things. By doing those small things well, they add up to big things. Many singles add up to more than a home run with no one on base.

Have a fantastic day!

Today is the fourth inning of The Porch’s baseball series at the start of the 2016 season. Today, we look at the important concept of “If you can hit….”. So, here is the full line-up for the series:

· First Inning: Everyone has a chance!

· Second Inning: Patient pondering, then frantic action!

· Third Inning: The aggressive team is often the winning team

· Fourth Inning: If you can hit….

· Fifth Inning: Many singles are better than one solo home run

· Sixth Inning: A strong bullpen is key

· Seventh Inning: Time to stretch

· Eighth Inning: Rally time!

· Ninth Inning: “It ain’t over till it’s over”

One of the true statements that applies in baseball at all levels is, “If you can hit, there is always a place on the field for you.” In short, this means that, because an excellent hitter is not in plentiful supply, the coach will always find a way to ensure that the excellent hitter is in the game. Every team values a strong offense and, thus, makes every attempt possible to keep those strong offensive players in the game.

In our business, the same principle applies, “If you are a top performer, there will always be an attempt to keep you in the game.” In other words, your pathway to job security and marketplace value is your performance. If you provide great value to the company, you will be recognized and avenues of opportunity will always be before you. I have heard it said (and, I have actually said this myself about some of you on this distribution list), “I believe that __________ (he/she) could do almost any job in this company, if given a chance!” When you have or find that kind of person, you must value them, nurture them, and demonstrate every day how much you appreciate them! And, when you become one of these individuals, you can work with confidence knowing that you have a bright and exciting future.

So, if you can hit, there will always be a place for you! Make yourself that person! And, have a magnificent day!

Today and for the next couple of Fridays we will look at three key values — Integrity, Quality, and Service. These values may be more important today than ever before. Integrity is that value that so clearly permeates who we are that we simply cannot compartmentalize it. We are who we are whether at work, at play, or with others. A few quotes on integrity are listed at the bottom to help you see how integrity is viewed by others. So, everyone has something to say about integrity, but what is it? How can you define it? What does it mean to us today? To me, I think integrity mostly falls into these 5 buckets. A person with integrity will:

1. Inspire others by doing the right thing no matter what

The classical definition of integrity is living the right way, whether in public or private. Integrity is having a standard for living that you will not compromise. It is holding fast to your view of “true north” and staying the course regardless of the hurdles or the severity of the storm. I’m reminded of an example of integrity in the life of a friend of mine. He is a salesman. And, as is true with so many in his field, it is very competitive. Sometimes, salesmen may be tempted to cut corners or do things that might be deemed borderline. My friend said early in his career that he would not cross some lines. Despite being different than others, he has done very well. He has the respect of others for taking a personal stand. And, despite some opposition from others, he is often the top performer in his field. In the face of many temptations to compromise his personal values to get ahead, he maintains strong convictions that he will do the right thing no matter the outcome. I deeply respect him for that. He has integrity. A person with integrity will always to his/her best and inspire others to do their best… no matter what opposition is faced.

2. Live as though this is the only day you’ll ever have

Four days after my 16th birthday which include a surprise party and dozens of my friends attending, two of my very good friends and one of their mothers were killed in a tragic accident on the way home from basketball practice. One of the guys was my brother’s best friend. This was my first experience with this kind of loss. I was devastated and still think of them every February 10. This event changed me. It made me realize that tomorrow isn’t promised. I was with my friends at practice one minute and they were dead an hour later. Thus, I need to treat every situation, every conversation, every interaction with others as though it might be my last chance. I believe that having this viewpoint, makes a difference in how I treat others, how I handle commitments, and how I live. A person of integrity finds a way to cherish today and make the most of every opportunity. When you may not have a second chance, it gives you a new respect for doing things right the first time and dealing with others properly.

3. Respect others and always be kind

As we have said here before, “There is never a time when kindness is not warranted.” And, you can add respect to that. Answer this question, “When you think of a person with integrity, do you also characterize that person as a kind person?” An individual that thinks lowly of others, disrespects others, has unreasonable biases, or treats others unkindly could never make my personal “Integrity Hall of Fame.” If everyone believed and lived the principles expressed in the Golden Rule (“do to others as you would like them to do to you”), our world would be a very different place.

4. Be courageous

Part of always doing the right thing, is having the courage or boldness to actually do it. A person of integrity will stand strong in the face of opposition. This person is a mature oak in the storms that come. We need individuals that will challenge the status quo, that will stand up for what is wrong, or that will hold leaders accountable when needed. Integrity, by definition, is not compromising and this often means we put ourselves at risk. Courage by one always results in more courage for others, too. When you see one individual take a stand, you will likely see others join. You might be surprised how many others share your commitment to integrity, when given a chance. And, courage begets more courage… once you have taken a stand or demonstrated integrity, it becomes easier.

5. Serve others

I cannot think of integrity without thinking of service or selflessness. One of my favorite quotes is by John Wooden:

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”

Perhaps it is unexpected that service to others would be on my list of characteristics of integrity. But, to me, serving others is essential as a leader, as a parent, as a friend… in every aspect of life. Most people fall into either the category of “giver” or “taker”. No one in the “taker” category would enter my personal “Integrity Hall of Fame.” A person with integrity is one that lives to make life better for others. It is a person dedicated, not to his/her own desires, but to adding value to others. A person with integrity will do what no one else wants to do, go where no one else wants to go, or be that force of comfort needed to allow others to move forward. A person of integrity will be the first one reaching to pull you up when you fall.

So, I hope you have a better appreciation of integrity in your life and in our workplace. Let’s embrace it and aspire to demonstrate it in how we live and work. The quote below by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. speaks largely to me when I think of how I live and what integrity really means:

“Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.”

_________________________________________________________________

A few quotes on integrity that might help you better formulate your definition:

· “With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.” – Zig Ziglar

· “If you don’t have integrity, you have nothing. You can’t buy it. You can have all the money in the world, but if you are not a moral and ethical person, you really have nothing.” – Henry Kravis

· “Integrity means that you are the same in public as you are in private.” – Joyce Meyer

· “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.” – Oprah Winfrey

· “Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn’t blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won’t cheat, then you know he never will.” – John D. MacDonald

· “It is true that integrity alone won’t make you a leader, but without integrity you will never be one.” – Zig Ziglar

· “One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.” – Chinua Achebe

· “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” – W. Clement Stone

· “You are in integrity when the life you are living on the outside matches who you are on the inside.” – Alan Cohen

· “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden

______________________________________________________________

Thanks for all you do. Let’s together honor the Value of Integrity. Have a super day and wonderful weekend!

Today is the third inning of The Porch’s baseball series at the start of the 2016 season. Today, we look at being aggressive. So, here is the full line-up for the series:

· First Inning: Everyone has a chance!

· Second Inning: Patient pondering, then frantic action!

· Third Inning: The aggressive team is often the winning team

· Fourth Inning: If you can hit….

· Fifth Inning: Many singles are better than one solo home run

· Sixth Inning: A strong bullpen is key

· Seventh Inning: Time to stretch

· Eighth Inning: Rally time!

· Ninth Inning: “It ain’t over till it’s over”

Being aggressive in baseball means you take more risks with your base running, you take more chances with your pitching, and you tend to work more for the big inning than play small ball (translation: you let hitters swing away more instead of bunt or hit behind the runners — it is OK if you do not understand the delicate nuances of baseball — just get the point that you can play less or more aggressive). Rarely, is an “aggressive” team a consistently losing team. It can happen, but often being successfully aggressive results in more confidence which results in better performance.

In the same way, there is a balance in our work between being too aggressive versus too conservative. For example, waiting until you are 99% confident in the answer may be too late when being 80% would have provided a perfectly good result. Or, taking some risks in R&D may be worth it to attain first-to-file status… often meaning the difference between a so-so product and a $1B blockbuster! Identifying and taking appropriate risks is an essential part of every job at our company. We all must assess risks, balance those against the benefits, and take needed action. We cannot work in a “zero risk” world. For example, if we never tolerated any risks, we would never release a batch of product for shipment.

So, just like in baseball, we need to be aggressive when needed. Being first can often make the difference. Making a decision, even when you might not have all the facts, may be prudent in some cases. Look for those opportunities to have an “action default” rather than a “pondering” nature. Be bold; be courageous. As we have said before, be a warrior, not a worrier!

Let’s make this a terrific and enjoyable day!