respect | Lorne Rubis

Why People Love Dodge’s “Farmer” Commercial

201312 Feb
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Posted inBe Respectful

Key Point: Most of us really want to celebrate virtues like those displayed by the authentic, genuine, hard working farming community. The most popular 2013 Super Bowl commercial was Dodge‘s celebration of the American farmer and what they stand for. Pundits like the Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan, have positively commented on Dodge’s connection to RESPECT for this group of people; something we don’t hear much of these days. If you haven’t seen the commercial, please watch it here.

Of course Dodge wants to sell its products to farmers. But talking about the value provided by their customers rather than transmission torque is refreshing. What does this have to do with you and me?

I was born a farm kid. I watched my parents live the Character Triangle every day. There is no doubt where my value set comes from. If you lived on the farm, self-accountability meant putting food on the table. You essentially survived based on what YOU did, not what you felt entitled to receive. No one auto-deposited a check to your bank account. A farmer also learns to respect everything around him/her. The environment and farmer must work towards mutually reinforcing goals. It is amazing how much grain and animals have to say (not literally of course), but through how the cycle of life works. If you are not present and attentive, something dies or gets damaged. That’s why many farmers who have rarely travelled out of their county know so much about the world at large. Nature teaches them every day. And if you aren’t abundant thinking as a farmer, you will be the ultimate victim. The very essence of farming is about growing and sharing. But the weather, commodity pricing, disease, trade wars, etc. are out there teaching the meaning of humility daily. A farmer has to give back and pay forward because always being on the take will suck the nutrients out of future growth.

Character Moves:

Even if you’re a city slicker like I am now, why not think and practice the essence of being a great farmer? What are you growing and giving back to the community? How do you live “farmer’s values” in the work you do?
Farmer’s aren’t perfect. As an group, they can be notorious complainers, but of course we are not about perfection. What we care most about is purpose, adding value, living with character, having an impact, and inspiring others.
Summing up a solid farmer: Do it now, be nice and give more. And that is the Character Triangle. And while Paul Harvey, the voice of the Farmer commercial, has long passed; his words and their meaning are eternal. And so are the values of the Character Triangle.

Farming in The Triangle,

Lorne

THE CHARACTER TRIANGLE COMPANION: A 30-DAY KICKSTART TO BUILD AN EVEN BETTER YOU

20132 Feb
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Posted inCharacter Triangle

For the past few weeks my blogs have addressed some key ways to set your 2013 on the right path – from exploring the notion of Eudaimonia to avoiding burnout at work. Much like the one-off, annual strategic planning of yesteryear, I appreciate that New Year’s Resolutions have evolved into a more dynamic and on-going process.

Sure, January is always an excellent time to focus on our health and wellbeing, especially if the holiday season involved some overindulging. Naturally, the beginning of the year is a great time to think about personal and professional goals for the months ahead. Unfortunately, if you are like 25 percent of the population, you may have given up already. Check out this nifty infographic from via Mediabistro.

The good news is that if you’ve faltered a bit over the past few weeks, you’re certainly not alone. And don’t be discouraged because personal growth opportunities don’t end in Jan. In fact, now is the time to revisit what you want to accomplish. Take a moment to check in and identify what is going well and what isn’t. Would you welcome an approach to a personal development system that is sustainable? Read on.

One of the biggest reasons people fail on the resolution front is that they haven’t established a foundation for success. Studies show that long lasting changes occur when we shift our habits. You may recall that I wrote about the importance of building keystone habits a few months ago. Making a resolution alone isn’t enough to achieve results; you must turn those goals into positive new habits. When you understand that an effective resolution is a behavior change and a process, you can see how this, along with benchmarks and measurements along the way, become crucial. So this year, I want to give you a reliable method to drive continuous, sustainable, personal improvement.

I am pleased to announce the launch of my new eBook, The Character Triangle Companion: A 30-Day Character Kick Start to an Even Better You. It is designed to help you focus on one of the key principles (Accountability, Respect or Abundance) for 30 days, providing you with the framework to refresh your outlook, improve your relationships and get things done. The best part about it is that you can apply it continuously.

Even better and exclusively on Amazon, it is FREE to you, friends and family BUT ONLY until Feb. 6. After that it will be widely available and retail for $8.99. Click here to download the FREE eBook and get started today.

If you choose to accept this challenge, best of luck to you! Enjoy your 30 days and if you can make the time, let me know how it’s going by emailing me, lorne@lornerubis.com, Tweet @LorneRubis, and/or post to my Facebook page. Here’s to making 2013 a year of sustainable personal character development for an even better you.

Resolution Evolution in the Triangle,

Lorne

Would You Win in an Attribute Contest?

201220 Nov
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Posted inCharacter Triangle

Key Point: Attribute talent wins! One of the common questions I get from people at all levels in organizations is, “When will all the chaos stop? When will we get past all the change going on?” My response is, “NEVER.” Some days or months may be less or more hectic than others but the whirlwind will not stop or slow down. I actually believe that turbulence will increase. The reasons? We will experience even more of the following: Intense global competition, constant technology revolution, rapid innovation, and unpredictable geopolitical turbulence. A business model or revenue stream… Even an organization… Can disappear in a breathtaking few months. No value – no money – no work. Literally nothing is certain, except “death and taxes” as the old saying goes.

So here is an assumption about people and work I deeply believe in: The competition for top talent will become more ATTRIBUTE intense than ever. I do expect to hire very smart people who are exceptionally proficient in performing certain skills. But a great formal education is table stakes to just get in the talent competition pool. However if I can hire a hungry, self-accountable, respectful, abundant thinking individual who is capable of connecting, translating, collaborating and creating… WE THRIVE and SUCCEED in a sustainable way! Why? People with these attributes realize THEY are the key to defining and contributing to success. They are mega collaborators. They do not depend on somebody leading “change” because improvement, growth, and personal change management is built into their mindset. This type of talent is happy to be engaged AND engaged to be happy! They expect to navigate through tough challenges and even seek out that kind of environment. Agility helps define who they are. They are content and yet realize good is the enemy of great. And the better lead the organization, the greater leverage and value results from this attribute talent.

Character Move:

When you think about how much you’re improving, think about describing it in terms of attributes along with numeric results. The good news is that the distinguishing variables to find these desired attributes are not necessarily resident in any particular age, gender, IQ, size, shape, GPA, University, country, or region. They are evident through results and behavior.
Self-evaluate and build a development plan on the following attributes: A. Self-accountability, B. Respect, C. Abundance, D. Hunger, E. Connector, F. Creator, G, Translator, H. Catalyst, I. Collaborator. These are not necessarily ALL of the right attributes but they are a great list to work from.
If you were asked to provide a story as evidence of how you have displayed each of these attributes and achieved results that have had an impact and inspired others, how would you do? If you haven’t been asked to do so, expect that you might in the very near future.

Attributes in the Triangle,

Lorne

Remembering the First Time

201217 Apr
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Posted inBe Respectful

Key point: Do you remember the first time you entered the doors of the organization you are currently at? The anticipation? Anxiety? Excitement? Every time we enter the work place, whether the first time, last time or every day in the middle, we leave an impression and something behind. There is only one first time, so whether it’s the initial time through your work place or a customer’s door, seize the opportunity with purpose and intent! If you have been at it a while, declare today a “first day” and walk in again with the end game in mind. Declare who you are, what you believe in and what you will leave behind by your actions.

On April 16 I was blessed with another first time. I walked in the front door, rode the elevator to the top floor and began. Getting ready started weeks ago but it was truly “game time” on Monday. Here’s what I had to anticipate. Everyone I interact with would make an initial assessment. My priority was to have my antennae finely tuned. I needed to be present and sense everything around me. So I will be purpose driven in being the best possible listener. My eye contact, firm handshake, smile and professional demeanor are important but the most significant action is measured by the depth and meaningfulness of questions I ask. And then demonstrating an acute level of understanding and empathy in collecting the answers. My ego needs to take a quiet seat on the back of the bus. I will find the best-placed seat for me by listening carefully to every rider and deeply caring about their well-being.

Character move:

If you want to have a great first day, you need to start by taking a picture of your desired last day. What will they say about your contribution and legacy the day you leave? Paint that picture of the value you will leave behind with as much specificity and clarity as possible.
Begin day one by making every interaction a conscious one. Make a contribution by listening with fierce understanding. Remember every person counts… Beginning with the parking attendant. You are a scientist, investigative journalist, and artist. Bring all your skills and talent to the forefront.
Remind yourself that it is a privilege to serve and that the team you join is also fortunate that you are bringing your talent and energy too. It is the mutual, respectful exchange of oxygen between you and the organization that drives a sustainable, rewarding relationship.
Begin every day like it’s the first. Stop and reflect at the end of the day. Write down how you moved the “ball forward” that day… Sometimes a little… Sometimes a lot!
Give yourself a little room going in. No one expects perfection. And not everyone will be nice, play fairly or care about you. What matters most is how you think and act. The rest will take care of itself eventually, and the end day will be reasonably close to what you envisioned and declared on day one.

First time and The Triangle,

Lorne

Character Triangle

Our character is exclusively ours. We define it by how we think and what we do. I believe that acting with Character is driven by what I call the Character Triangle.

What, exactly, is the Character Triangle (CT)?

The CT describes and emphasizes three distinct but interdependent values:

Be Accountable: first person action to make things better, avoiding blame.
Be Respectful: being present, listening, looking again, focusing on the process.
Be Abundant: generous in spirit, moving forward, minimizing the lack of.