The Bedrock of Character…

When I was a kid in school, I once learned that it takes hearing or doing something seven times before it finally sticks. I assume that is the same for grown-ups as well. Therefore, we will never cease in speaking about our CORE Values. As you may recall, the way we determined our CORE Values came in a very unique exercise conducted a few years ago. During the drill, our senior leadership team was asked to name the people they would choose from Gorrie-Regan if we were starting over as a brand-new company. Very quickly, the whiteboard was filled with the names of our best and brightest. Our coach then asked us to list what traits were embodied by this group of people. This very list was the foundation of our CORE Values. Our first CORE Value is integrity.

INTEGRITY
•Always do the right thing.
•Act like everything said or done would be public.
•Always DO what we say we’ll do.

Having just lost my Dad, the lessons that he taught me are becoming even more important. I think the most important things he taught often came in the most nonchalant ways when he was not intending to impart a life lesson. One story I will never forget was a situation that happened to his childhood best friend. While they were kids, the friend’s father worked as a bank inspector and traveled the southeast in this capacity. Once, the friend’s dad was called back to a bank that he had already inspected. It turns out that an accounting error had been discovered and the initial report and associated deposit submitted were in fact wrong. It was the summer time and the young man rode with his father on the return visit. Together, they walked into the bank and before long were leaving with the new report and amended deposit. On the way home, the kid asked a question of his father, “Why didn’t you thank that man for what he just did for the bank?” The father then turned to his son and said that you never thank a person for doing the right thing.

This story made me realize that we should all do the right thing without expecting a “Thank you” in return. I heard my father tell that story many times and it comes to mind each time I think about our first CORE Value. We all have such stories from our lives, but I felt incline to share this one with you today.

Have a great day, and thank you for all that do.

Charlie