Humble Isn’t Just a Word – It’s an Atmosphere
Our virtue of “Humble” according to the dictionary of Google means “not being proud or arrogant, or having a sense of low self worth.” Not bad, and probably how most would define the word, but honestly the dictionary and internet fall short in their definitions here in my opinion. Being humble is so much more. […]
Knowledge: The Good, the Bad, and the Curious
Team, This week’s virtue is Knowledge, which we define as being the experts in our industry. And as someone who didn’t exactly crush it in college (I dropped out), I can tell you firsthand: expertise isn’t about degrees or titles. It’s about curiosity, consistency, and always asking, “What don’t I know yet?” In my case, […]
Dependable: The Virtue That Builds Trust and Reliability
Dependable – We do what we say we are going to do, every time, no exceptions! This virtue points out the behaviors that exemplify characteristics such as being trustworthy, steadfast, stable, and reliable. A great example of dependability is found in Civil War history. General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson was a West Point graduate and […]
How True Candor Strengthens Teams and Trust
Candid: We graciously tell the hard truth and demand to hear it from others. When we meet someone for the first time and get to know them, part of understanding who they are is knowing their personal history. For example: I work with a guy from Long Island named Jim – knowing this about Jim […]
From Grit to Results: Thousands of Jobs Completed
Gritty is the practice of getting things done the right way, no matter the obstacle, circumstance, or situation. Have you ever observed a colony of ants in action? The colony is divided into various castes or ranks. The backbone of any ant colony is made up of the worker ants. These little fellas forage for […]
Know Yourself, Grow in Knowledge, Strengthen Your Team
Why is knowledge a virtue? According to our virtue statement we will be the experts in our industry as knowledgeable people. Often, what I thought I knew was actually what I needed to know or maybe I didn’t really know what I thought I already knew. Even more than that, the person I thought I […]
Humble: Thinking of Yourself Less, Others More
Humility is the practice of being modest and respectful. It means recognizing that no one is superior or inferior, and being open to learning from others. True humility involves acknowledging our strengths and limitations without arrogance or self-deprecation. Pride vs. Humility: “…the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all […]
Dependable—Not Natural (for me), But Necessary
Team, This week’s virtue is Dependable, and it’s one I have to admit doesn’t come naturally to me. Our definition is simple but powerful: We do what we say we are going to do, every time, no exceptions. That’s a high standard, and I’ll be honest—I haven’t always been the guy who picks up the […]
Having the Courage for Difficult Conversations
Is it better to continue avoiding difficult conversations, settle for suboptimal results, and experience shallow relationships or have the courage to tell the truth, truthfully with grace? Hopefully that is a rhetorical question! True candor requires being honest, sincere, gracious, plain spoken, earnest, forthright and courageous. For many of us it can be challenging to […]
Saying Yes to Every Challenge
“Gritty” has become a popular term in our culture to describe a person or an athletic team. Even the pro hockey team the Philadelphia Flyers mascot is named “Gritty,” which instantly makes sense to us because hockey is a sport that embodies how our athletic culture views this word. What other team sport can you […]