A friend of mine said: “The most important thing in an employee is character.” OK. Later on I heard the expression: “Character is destiny.” As I got a little older, I got it. A few stories may illustrate this.
I did a favor for a person. It was not a big deal for me. It was a much bigger deal for the recipient of the favor. I expected a simple “Thank You.” Didn’t get it. Do you think I’ll ever do this again? Yeah!
Why is this important? Consistent acts of courtesy are the social lubricant for getting things done at work and through life. We are going into a five to ten year economic tailspin. Employers are going to have the upper hand. Employers are going to be looking for employees who have high principles, demonstrate common courtesies, are ethical, and have good character.
If you don’t demonstrate it, you’ll be tagged as a high maintenance or worse unethical employee. This is career killer. The company can always get someone who knows right from wrong and has the common touch.
I’m surprised how many people don’t show common courtesy or have the common touch. What do you call this? So, I put this down as ‘Self Management.’ Or, how well we manage ourselves with good ethics and good principles.
Life Lesson Earned: Self management is a character issue. Your clients and boss pay attention to how you present yourself daily and how you deliver on your promises. Clean up your reputation and YouTube trailers. Your job depends on it.