To All Graduates: Maxims for Life and Living

To All Graduates: Maxims for Life and Living

Darrel L. Hammon                                                                           

Very little stirs me more than going to graduation seeing the graduates march in as we stand and watch them, feel the joy they are feeling, and know they have worked hard. For the past two years, we have been out of the country, and I have missed attending graduation and speaking. Thus, I have decided to give a graduation speech to any of those who are graduating.

I still remember Pomp and Circumstance and walking with Ricky Hall, two by two, toward our seats in the Rigby High School gymnasium. I remember walking across the portable stage and receiving my diploma from Mr. Wright, our high school principal. I remember Reid Later singing the song he had written for this special occasion. I have attended many of my high school reunions. Many have changed; some have not. Yes, we don’t have as much hair as we used to.

What will matter most from now until the day you die is how you have risen from your initial obscurity to your status in the world–whatever that might be. What I have personally discovered is my yearbook did not, thankfully, define my ultimate destiny. It may define the ephemeral and the now but not the eternal and future.

When I was in high school, I was not the best basketball player– although I wanted to be–I didn’t ever hold any class office. I was not elected "Most Likely" to do anything. I was one of those students who went to class, got pretty good grades, did okay on the ACT, made people laugh, had a date to all of the proms, performed service, worked part-time, and tried to do what I needed to do. My counselor did not encourage me to go to college, and if I did, I should stay away from language arts (English).

Do you know what I discovered along the way: I am doing pretty well, despite high school. During those last few months of high school and subsequent post-high school days, I figured if I set some good goals, focused on achieving them, and actually accomplished some of them, I could probably make something of myself.

Your graduation is a time of reflection, a time of reminiscing, a time of goal setting, a time of tears and saying goodbye, a time of looking a far off and seeing yourself better than you were when you started this educational journey back in kindergarten.

Over the past several years, I have developed a few maxims that I wish to share with you. Take the ones you want and use them and discard the rest or make up some of your own like I did. Whatever you do, make sure you do it well.

Maxim 1: Being a pioneer instills in you leadership skills

 Many of your parents and grandparents were pioneers in this country. They were the first to set a plow or build a house or build irrigation ditches or build roads. In essence, they were the first to do anything and somehow survived. I suspect, though, they did not think much of being pioneers. They knew they had a job to do, and they did it just to survive. We revere them. But the real question is this: What are people fifty to seventy years or even ten years from now going to say about you as leaders?

Over the past couple of years, maybe longer, you have heard this phrase numerous times: “Young people, you are the leaders of tomorrow.” Many of you, perhaps, are sitting there saying, “I’m no leader, and I doubt I will ever be a leader.”

Sorry, my young friends, it is true. All you have to do is look at the demographics and the trends for the past fifty years and the trends for the next twenty years. At some point in time, sooner for some and later for others, you will have to step up and don the mantle of America’s future leaders. America is graying, meaning the bulk of people currently in the workplace will be leaving soon, and someone will have to step up and take the reins of the future. Guess what: You are the ones who will have to do that. Are you ready? Probably not, but you will have to begin now, developing the appropriate skills so you can take over. You need to obtain more education, more experience, a better attitude, and definitely the ability to learn and adapt quickly and be flexible in today’s ever-changing marketplace.

               

Maxim 2: Lifelong learning will enhance and perhaps save your life.

Several years ago, a mature woman of 78 years old decided to return to our college to earn her GED, her high school equivalency. Because of family and financial challenges early in her life, she was not able to graduate from high school. Instead, she had to work to help her family. When I asked her why she was returning to school at such an age, her reply was simple, yet profound: “I have waited 60 years to earn my high school diploma. I want to earn it so that my grandchildren will understand the importance of education.” Her husband was wonderful. He was 84. Each morning, he drove her to the college, dropped her off, and then went to coffee with his friends. He loved having his wife go back to school. He quipped, “I tell all my friends I am dating a high school chick.”

Like many of you, she understood the importance of education and the acquisition of knowledge. She felt her responsibility was to pass the torch to her grandchildren. And she did.

Maxim 3: Read and study from the best books because learning begets knowledge and knowledge begets understanding and understanding begets a better view of the present and the future

Some of you are thinking right now, “Man, I don’t like to read. And I definitely don’t like to study. After today, I am done with this nonsense.” If this is the case, how in the world are you going to participate successfully in this ever-changing world? I suspect, though, that all of you love to read and you love to study and you can’t wait to get home to re-read some of your school notes and the rest of the Shakespeare tragedies and comedies you didn’t quite finish this semester.

Many of you remember the movie Stand and Deliver, the story of Jaime Escalante, the little Boliviano who taught math at a high school in East Los Angeles, played by James Edward Olmos. Mr. Escalante taught a group of young people who really didn’t think they were ever going to amount to much. They came from the barrio where people didn’t expect them to amount to anything. Then, Mr. Escalante began to work with the burros to help them pass the Advanced Placement math test. They worked hard. They stayed after school. They came on Saturdays. They sat in a hot room with no air conditioning. To the dismay of the many of the “look-down-my-nose-at-you people, they passed. But before they could celebrate their success, they were confronted by the C word: Cheating. The people who gave the test said everyone cheated so they would have to take the test again. After feeling sorry for themselves, they took the test once more but this time under great scrutiny. Guess what: They passed.

I was able to sit in a conference, almost on the front row, when Jaime Escalante stood as the keynote speaker. He was marvelous. What marveled me most was his discussion about a poster that he had in the back of his room in LA. It read: “Free, free, free–knowledge. Bring your own containers.”

Knowledge is freer today than it ever has been. With one little, maybe two, clicks you can access vast resources of data, information, more information than the world has ever seen to this point. And new knowledge is still growing faster and faster each and day.

Learning and gaining knowledge to me means relevancy: knowing something that I learn will be beneficial to me because it has some relevancy in the real world. Knowledge, then, is learning to pick up bales of hay and understanding why it is imperative to stack them so tightly together so that the stack won't fall down during a strong wind storm; learning is becoming acquainted with giving sick cats or dogs or calves the proper dosage of medicine so they won't die; learning is understanding why you have to obey your parents when you think going to the party would be a whole lot more fun than staying at home and taking care of your sick sister because your mother needs a break; learning is understanding why your mother makes your make your bed and clean your room and mow the lawn and weed the garden and take social dance and take keyboarding, chemistry, physics, home economics in the same year; knowledge is learning how to pound a nail straight or packing peaches just so in a bottle; knowledge is understanding, finally, that fractions are really a part of real life, especially when you only need ½ of a  1/4 teaspoon of something; knowledge is coming to the realization that Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird is a model citizen and a good father; knowledge is learning a trade or skill or obtaining a degree so that you will be able to function in an ever-changing global society; knowledge is learning that any subject we learn can be tied to another subject; wisdom is finally understanding that we are responsible for our own learning.

Maxim 4: Giving back to your community will increase your capacity to appreciate others plus help you grow and develop into a conscientious human being

One of the things I hear today from young people is this: I am bored to tears. Coming from a farming community of 596, I have an extremely difficult time with this phraseology. It seemed I had plenty to do. If I didn’t my dad made sure that I had very little discretionary time. So, what can you do to become “unbored”?

 Become a part of your community–no matter where you live. All of you in this room possess one of the most fundamental abilities: You have the ability to give of yourself. I suspect most of you rush home after school, do your chores, complete your homework, and ask for more to do–just because you are great young people who want to make a difference.

As you leave these hallowed halls this afternoon, make a pact with yourself: “I....(your name) promise that I will give back to my community, no matter where I live, by giving what I have to give: my time, my energy, myself.”  Historically, it has always been easy to write out a check or hand someone some money. What is most difficult is giving service time.

Maxim 5: Remember who you are and from whence you came (Remember your roots)

As some of you reflect today, I suspect many of you have your parents, grandparents, maybe even great grandparents in the audience this afternoon. Do you know from whence they came? Do you appreciate what they have done for you? A nuclear scientist once said, “If want to make things hard for your children, make it easy for them.”

Whether you believe it or not, your ancestors want you to do well. Your posterity wants you to do well so that they will have a place to live, an equally free place.

Maxim 6: Be honest in your dealings with your fellow compadres

Some years ago, a good friend of mine told me a story that illustrates this point. She had been mistaken for someone and she had to call the airlines to take care of the problem. She said that “the airlines were fairly up front. A representative explained the bureaucratic, corporate mentality.

“We make mistakes, Mrs. Thomas, he told her, “and when we do...we lie. Most of our mistakes are with baggage. The worst case we ever had was on a flight from New Orleans to Miami. A fully loaded baggage cart fell over. At the bottom of the pile of suitcases, we found a smashed dog carrier with a dead dog inside.

“We couldn’t tell the passenger we killed her dog, so we said, ‘We’re sorry. We lost your dog but don’t worry. We’ll find him.”

“We called every dog store and breeder in the Miami area until we found a dog of the same size and color. We bought a new carrier, transferred the dog’s tags and delivered him to the owner. She was happy when we called to tell her we had her dog, but when she came to the door she began to scream hysterically.

“What’s the matter?” our man asked.

“That’s not my dog!” the woman yelled.

“What do you mean, that’s not your dog,” the man said indignantly.

“My dog was dead. I was bringing him home to be buried” (Johnnie Thomas’ graduation speech to MCC students May 3, 2003).

Be honest!

Maxim 7: Be grateful for everything you have and show that appreciation at all times, in all places, and in all things.

 Please look behind you. Your parents, families, cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, teachers, and others are in attendance because they support you. I suspect many of them have been your biggest cheerleaders during your growing-up years. Others are here because they, perhaps, didn’t think you were ever going to get through and wanted to be here to personally witness this auspicious event and collect on their long-standing bets. Yes, these are your fans, and they are cheering for you. As life continues on, more people will become your cheerleaders: your supervisors, your co-workers, your administrative assistant, your spouse, your children, and a host of others. Be sure to show them gratitude for what they have done to help you, no matter how large or how small. And do not disappoint them.

               

Maxim 8: Just do the do!

The bottom line is this: Just do what needs to be done, don’t complain about it, and do it well. I suspect many of you have heard your parents say, sometimes in tones not flattering to the English language: “How many times have I told you to clean your room, take out the garbage, put your dirty clothes in the laundry room, be nice to your sister or brother, wash your hands before coming to the dinner table, and host of others.” Just do the do.

May you remember this day, the last step and the first step.

May you remember the years you spent getting through high school and college. Unfortunately, the learning process is not over–yet–and never will be. It is incumbent upon us, therefore, to encourage and keep alive the questioning spirit, to learn and continue to learn everything possible about ourselves, our fellowmen, our universe, and our God” (Hugh B. Brown, in Conference Report, April 1968, p. 101; or Improvement Era, June 1968, p. 34).

May you take with you along your educational journey huge containers and fill them up along the way with those things that will help you grow and progress and help you become everything you set out to do.

Remember that “[you] are the final generation of an old civilization and the first generation of a new one” (Heidi and Alvin Toffler (1994) in Creating a New Civilization: The Politics of the Third Wave, p. 21).

May you remember: For those who say it cannot be done, need to get out of the way for those of us who are already doing it.”

Thus, go out and get the job done and do it well. Happy learning! And good luck! 

The Professional Courtesy/Etiquette: Letting the Candidates Know They Didn't Get the Job

The Professional Courtesy/Etiquette: Letting the Candidates Know They Didn't Get the Job
Darrel L. Hammon
 
You just interviewed an incredible pool of good candidates, some of them more than once. You finally pick “the one” and make an offer. After the offer has been accepted, what should you do with the other really good candidates who didn’t receive a final offer?

Often, in today's society, we use text, e-mail, and letters to let candidates know they weren't selected. Professional courtesy or business etiquette dictates that you call those who were interviewed and let them know.

Those who interview potential candidates do it differently. Some interview via the telephone; others interview via the old-fashioned way: They actually invite you in for an interview. Whatever the method, there is a time-honored way of replying to those who do not make it to the corporate office or to the college campus.

First, a little about the interview process.

Often, in today’s marketplace, candidates for positions go through a preliminary review by a committee, made of various people who represent different parts of the company. Frequently, large corporations and colleges hire a consultant to shift through the mounds of potential candidate applications. The consultant then hands over a select group of candidates to the selection committee who then creates a “semi-finalist” list. This list may contain five to ten candidates, sometimes more but more often than not fewer than ten candidates.

The semi-finalist list may be called for an interview over the phone with either the entire committee or a select group of the actual committee. Usually, the interview may last for an hour but not much longer. The committee has a set number of questions for all candidates so the committee can see how all candidates answer the questions. The candidate may be given some time to ask a question or two at the end of the interview.

Once the semi-finalists have been interviewed, the committee begins their deliberations as to whom they would like to “bring in” for final interviews. The committee may use a matrix by which they “score” the candidates, based on a series of indicators that they have either devised or the company’s or college’s human resources office has devised for this particular purpose. From these deliberations, an even more select group of candidates is slated for additional interviews as “finalists.”

Ultimately, the finalists will come to corporate headquarters, an off-site meeting place, or on-campus to interview with a variety of potential groups: the committee, team members, faculty and staff, community members, the company’s HR department, the board of trustees, the foundation, and others. Once these series of interviews are completed, the Committee will begin deliberating again, probably using another matrix, to determine who the final candidate they will be recommending to the board or to corporate.

Now, that the semi-finalists and finalists have been interviewed, and the finalist approved and offered a job—and hopefully accepted—it is appropriate to contact those who were not selected but who were interviewed. In today’s society, some people have resorted to e-mail, text, or a simple letter, letting people know they were not selected. My belief is that these three methods are not appropriate and should be discarded. But they are better than not receiving any type of communication.

Unfortunately, some companies never contact their candidates after an interview. I know several people who had interviews, some of them two interviews, and were never contacted to tell them one way or the other. And when the potential interviewees called or even emailed, nothing. Absolutely nothing! That is definitely bad form. Many of these people said, “Is that the way they treat their employees?” We hope not.

We need to remember that most candidates spend a great deal of time preparing for the interview. They spend hours on the company’s website and read through the plethora of information often found on a company’s website, they visit with people who might know something about the company, they create questions and possible answers, and they even rehearse question and answers with a colleague or a family member.

It is no wonder, then, when candidates go through the preparation stage, the interview stage, and the waiting stage, there is some obligation on the part of the company to do their part and “reach out” to the candidates who don’t receive an interview. It’s called “courtesy.”

My suggestion is this: If you or a committee has actually visited with the person, it is professional courtesy to make a telephone call and personally tell the person that he or she was not selected. From personal experience, I may not have enjoyed making the call, but many, many candidates have thanked me for making the call.

Next time, you interview a candidate, and he or she does not make it to the top job, call them, let them know the situation, and make some type of contact. You bring closure to the entire interview process. Maybe most important, you will create a positive image of your company and of yourself as a caring company and leader.

Ten Tidbits of Wisdom

Ten Tidbits of Wisdom

Darrel L. Hammon, Ph.D.

Ten Tidbits of Wisdom illuminates ways to increase the happiness in your life and to gain a greater focus, whether you are an eighth grader or young adult, or an adult wanting to gain greater wisdom and insight into your life. Ten Tidbits of Wisdom should be shared with the teenagers in your life who are "gently maturing" or those looking to change their outlook on life.

Interestingly, in order to capture some tidbits of wisdom or suggestions, I conducted an informal survey, using Facebook, e-mail, and the good old fashioned one-on-one visit, and asked people these either one of the following questions:

§  “Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently at the end of my 8th grade year?”

§  “Remembering back to your 8th year, what do you wish you would have known then?”

Suggestions or Tidbits of Wisdom—I suspect that you may have heard of some of these before. I would like you to share with you ten “tidbits of wisdom” that I have gleaned from my conversations from friends.

Tidbit #1: Hang on to your shorts because change is going to happen; so you’d better be prepared—I had lunch not long ago with a group of employees, those who had been at my place of business for a long time and a recent graduate who came to work for us last year. We had a long conversation about how technology has changed, from the maintenance department to the copy center to payroll to the classroom. And I suspect if you were to visit with your co-workers and parents, they would say the same thing. But you need to capture the basic fundamentals of learning in order to learn more. There is nothing more frustrating than realizing what you didn’t learn and should have learned. Fortunately, if you are smart, you will learn it now and continue learning throughout your life. To help you, “seek advice from people who have accomplished what you want to become. Believe or not, successful people love to share their experience.” By doing all of these things, you will not become obsolete.

Tidbit #2: Don’t let your yearbook dictate how your life is going to end up—This is an interesting one. I don’t know about you, but when I look back on my yearbook and see “me” (all 165 pounds and sporting cool black-frame plastic glasses), I often wonder: “What were you thinking? What were you doing? Why?” Plus, I have to admit: I do look at the popular crowd then and think of what they are doing today. What I have personally discovered is this: Sometimes at your age you get pigeoned holed and then think you can never crawl out. The bottom line is this. Don’t let people pigeon hole you. Don’t let your yearbook dictate your life. So what if you aren’t named “the most likely to succeed.” Neither was I; but I didn’t let that stop me from plowing forward and doing what I knew what I could do or should do.

Tidbit #3: See beyond the end of your nose—At times, especially when we are young, we tend to think of the world has being today only, not necessarily tomorrow. Even at your age, you can look a bit more far off or into the future. I think with some of the career pathway discussions the nation is having, your teachers and counselors will be visiting with you re: your future and how you can connect to a career pathway. Yes, you have a future, despite what some people say. You just need to be more aware of what that might be. Prepare now. Work at it. Develop great skills. Try lots of stuff. One young woman responded on Facebook: “I know it is hard to get through to kids to not live in the here and now but to look to their future. Now, for me, I wasn’t going to hear it but today that would be my biggest wish. To go back and see that some friendships and boys and other things needed to be put on the back burner. I believe that you need to do the best you can in school because it will carry on for you and college; and even though that seems like years away, it really isn’t."

Tidbit #4: Pick the best friends possible—One of the most important decisions you will ever make is to pick good friends and colleagues, the ones that will help you rise above the challenges that you face and then help you move forward along a successful life and hopefully a successful career. So-called friends who continually tear you down, tell you that you cannot ever succeed, bully you into doing things you don’t want to do, or create a contentious environment are not your friends and probably never will be your friends. On the other hand, good friends will buoy you up, strive to help you when you are in need, and will create an environment where you will feel like you can succeed. Ironically, I started first grade with people who continued to be my friends throughout junior high and high school and through today. My friends were good friends. We played basketball together. Most of us became Eagle Scouts. Most of us served missions for our Church. We double dated. We completed service projects together. We rode motorcycles together. We had each other’s back, pushing each other forward when the road seemed tougher than we expected. We attended each other’s weddings. All of us went to college, not all to the same college. But we all graduated, and today we possess multiple degrees. We all had great children—or so we think. In essence, my friends helped me to become what I am today. I see too often, however, young people as well as young adults whose friends lead them down paths from which there is no return or a very long return to normality. Then, at 40 years old, they return to school. They have been badly bruised with life experiences that have thwarted their goals and dreams when they were 14, 15, and 16 years old. Are there regrets? Definitely! Choose wisely.

Tidbit #5: Keep your nose clean—One of the respondents said that at his 8th grade graduation, the principal called the boys and their parents into the library. Once there, he told the parents that they each had to pony up $200 to replace the glass that had been broken out of the Library, and he suspected these young men. The respondent said that incident changed the way he looked at things. He learned to “stay out of trouble.” It is easy to do stupid things if you just people lead you astray. To keep your nose clean, you have to be a leader and do the right things. I know you will be a lot happier if you do.

Tidbit #6: Believe more in yourself and not let yourself be swayed by peer pressure—This came up in a variety of conversations. It seems that today—as well as when we were young—peer pressure forced some to make decisions that were not good ones. One of the largest challenges in life is finally understanding that you control your life. You make the choices; you are accountable for what you do. In my vernacular, you are the puppeteer of your own life. When you allow someone or something else to dangle your strings, you will be manipulated, and you will never be free, you will never accept total responsibility, and your life will never be yours. One of the respondents, now a junior high Spanish teacher, said: “I would say that your friends in jr. high are not everything. That you probably won't even remember most of them when you're 25. So don't base your worth on how popular you are, but how many good decisions you make and people you're kind to.” So, ultimately, your life depends on the choices and decisions you make. Make good ones.

Tidbit #7: Write in a journal and make goals—I visited with an older gentleman this past weekend after he told this amazing and delightful story when he was just a boy and how he attempted to catch some pigeons. Afterwards, I asked whether he had written that down for his children and grandchildren. “No,” he said, “I have it right here” as he pointed to his head. I suspect you have probably witnessed your colleagues and maybe even your parents as they grow older that they forget things. And I suspect you have forgotten some really cool stuff that happened when you were younger. For me, I only wish I had written some of early experiences down somewhere, like in a journal. That’s where you write your goals and your dreams and then report to yourselves at the end of the year how you are doing. If you are doing it now, then begin writing in a journal, keeping track of what you have done and where you want to go. You will treasure what you write as you grow older.

Tidbit #8: Think before you do anything—I suspect you have heard this before, maybe some of you more times than once or twice. Often, some people have a tendency to declare: “I can do anything I want.” While that is true, often we don’t think about the consequences that are attached to doing anything you want to do. Plus, when you think about things and weigh the options, chances are you probably may not make that rash decision and create more problems that you really want. Thus, you won’t stick your foot in your mouth and feel foolish for making the wrong decision.

Tidbit #9: Learn a foreign language—Why in the world would someone say this? First of all, we live in a global society, and times are a changing. For me, I learned a whole lot more about English—remember I am an English teacher—learning Spanish than I ever did in school. Why? Because other languages require you know about indirect objects and pronouns and verbs and nouns because they change, depending on the gender and the number. Since I have learned Spanish, I have used it in every single job I have ever had. People say if you learn three languages you are trilingual; two languages, bilingual; one language, you are an American. It is my opinion that we begin teaching foreign languages in first grade and continue forward.

Tidbit #10: Be a vigorous participant in everything you do—What do I mean by this? I don’t mean being passive or even passive aggressive, which has become the norm in so many lives today. Being a vigorous participant is taking hold of something and seeing it through. Being a vigorous participant means that you raise your hand in class, ask questions. Being a vigorous participant means that you go to meetings, volunteer to be a part of things, and complete the task. Being a vigorous participant means that you need to “work hard.” As one young mother wrote: “They are now going into 9th grade. There is NO slacking off! Beginning now, every grade you get will be seen on the application you submit to your the colleges you apply to. Realize that, although 9th grade may not seem like such a big deal, it actually will be a determining factor in how you succeed the rest of your high school career. Be involved in all school activities. Focus. And remember, EVERYTHING COUNTS!” You just need to do the do….

Finally, I truly believe that as you move on with your life, open your eyes, and look for the good in everyone and try to be the best you can be, your very best—not hers or his or theirs—your life will be happier, more complete, and more balance. But in the end, it’s really all up to you.

Ten Straight Forward Principles of Leadership and Living

Ten Straight Forward Principles of Leadership and Living

Darrel L. Hammon

Have you wondered how to sift through all of the leadership material printed to discover the basics of leadership? Here are ten straight forward principles of leadership and living to help guide you.

For the past several years, we have been continuously confronted with the phrase: “You need to learn leadership skills.” Or “Take a Leadership class.” And then when we research what it means to be a leader, we encounter numerous books and articles about what a leader is or should be. I have personally discovered that following ten “Principles of Leadership and Living” encompass the majority of the leadership skills that we all seek.

Principle #1: Be kind, gracious, and compassionate. In our society today, it seems that kindness has somehow seeped out of our lives. We are way too hard on each other and especially ourselves. When you show kindness, graciousness, and compassion, people see you differently and act differently around you. They connect more readily with you.

Principle #2: Be a vigorous, positive participant in everything you do. As a former teacher, I discovered students who participated more learned the most. Sometimes, it is just easier to sit back and let things happen. But being a vigorous participant will show your boss and your colleagues that you do want to accept more responsibility.

Principle #3: Don’t make a fuss over small things. One of the challenges many people face is that they see the minutia, focus on that, and then fail to see the bigger picture. Yes, you need to take care of the minutia, the “things” in your life, but you also must keep focused on your goals, the bigger picture.

Principle #4: Remember who you are and why you are. One thing that happens to many people as they move up the ladder of success is that they fail to remember their roots. In essence, they forget who they are and change into something or someone that they are not, and people can see the difference. One must remember who you are and why you are doing anything. If you do, you stay ground and connected to those whom you need the most.

Principle #5: Develop a vision in your life. We hear this all the time, but it is true. We must develop our path and then stick to it. People complain about their lives, but when asked what are their goals or vision, they don’t have them. Thus, it is important—yes, even imperative—to “see afar off” to see what you really can achieve.

Principle #6: Chose well and wisely by setting goals and keeping them. Once your vision is in place, you need to create goals and objectives that are measureable and ones you can achieve. Once that vision is in place, you are on your way.

Principle #7: Seek leadership skills and be a leader in everything you do. Take note of good leaders: your bosses, your co-workers, your clergy, a mentor, or anyone that you consider a good leader. Read different books (check out your local library for good reads) about leadership. Don’t try to implement the skills all at once. Take one at a time and see what happens.

Principle #8: Strive to do your best, your very best. One of the leaders I admire most is Gordon B. Hinckley. He continually urged all of to do “your best, your very best.” But what is our very best? We must remember that everyone is different and possesses varying skill sets. You must decide on who you are (see Principle #4) and strive each day to become the best you can be.

Principle #9: Seek to better yourself through learning. It is one thing to say you want to be a better leader. The difference between someone who says it and someone who is hinges on the person who is constantly seeks learning. That learning doesn’t necessarily have to be in the classroom although there are great programs at your local community college or university on leadership. Reading and studying good leadership material will help you achieve your goals.

Principle #10: Always look for the good in everyone. This one may be the most important. When we look for the good in others, we tend to reach out instead of always focusing on ourselves. Remember, when we focus too much on ourselves, we forget about the big picture and what we are all about.

Overall, becoming and being a good leader takes work and consistency. The only way to become a good leader is begin doing what you know and seeking opportunities to adopt leadership skills.