Hello Everyone!

I begin this issue of Ethically Speaking by extending a big thanks to the many friends who e-mailed their kind reviews of my new website at speakingofethics.com. Visits to the site and e-newsletter subscriptions continue to increase, and my plans are to steadily expand content and add additional multimedia resources.

Whether appearing on college campuses or at corporate events, I meet a variety of fascinating people during my travels, many of whom have encountered their own ethical dilemmas. Each month, I will reflect upon what I've learned and share my experiences. I will also provide insights into the latest developments and trends in ethics education and how to manage ethical challenges in your businesses or personal lives.

I Can See Clearly Now

As an Ethics Fellow for the University of Florida Poe Ethics Center for Business Ethics, I'm in Gainesville several times a year. A few years ago, two hurricanes hit the area within eight weeks.

I arrived in town shortly after the second hurricane steamrolled through, having knocked down everything the first hurricane missed a few weeks prior. After a friend picked me up at the airport, we started down the freeway. Our speed quickly climbed to 80 mph. Feeling sick, I asked him to pull the car over immediately.

Visibility was so poor through the front windshield, I questioned how he could drive at such a high speed. After his initial shock to my response, he realized the windshield was, in fact, in extremely poor condition. I exclaimed, "It's four feet from your nose, and you can't see how bad it is?"

His response has stayed with me ever since.

The first hurricane had sailed a rock into the windshield, chipping it badly. Although he had every intention of fixing it right way, after a series of delays he continued to make a "mental note" to get the windshield fixed. With each passing day, the condition of the windshield deteriorated, but it was never fixed. The problem was ignored, until he didn't even notice it anymore.

This is a great example of how we sometimes have every good intention to repair or fix something in our own lives, but as time goes on, we somehow choose to ignore the obvious and keep moving ahead.

The slippery slope of unethical behavior doesn't start with a giant leap in the wrong direction. It's often a series of small compromises that accumulate and create larger ethical dilemmas.

Beware of the condition of your windshield at all times.

Follow Your Passion

A recent survey showed that only 33% of Americans are passionate about their jobs. How many people can look back to their youth and say they honestly discovered and pursued their passion?

When I poll my audiences about this, usually 1-in-3 can honestly say they have faithfully pursued their passion. That figure is astoundingly low. If we aren't passionate about what we devote a majority of our time to, why are we doing it?

What is passion? To me, it's the desire to burst out of bed in the morning with such eagerness, that we can't wait to experience the day. I often tell my student audiences that I almost feel guilty about my successful speaking career. For me, it's not work, it's my passion.

If you follow your passion, you'll never work a day in your life, getting back five days a week. A wonderful gift we can give ourselves.

Write to Relieve Stress

Feeling stress lately? Who isn't? But what good does brooding really do for us?

I once had a wonderfully insightful friend who knew I was going through a difficult time in my life. He suggested I start writing - simple, thoughtful, honest writing.

His method was to write down his deepest feelings about a subject, often pages and pages of heartfelt emotions. This helped him focus, clear his head of useless thoughts, and get to the heart of his emotional issues.

Usually, after writing for long periods, he would just toss his work in the trash. The goal wasn't to compose a literary masterpiece, it was to clear his mind. His outpouring of negative emotions allowed positive emotions to prevail.

I've used this system to relieve my own stress for years and can tell you firsthand it really works. But to be most effective, you must be honest with yourself. After all, it's just you, the paper, and the pen.

It's not the stress that destroys us, it's how we respond to it. Don't let it prevail and acknowledge that everyone has stress in their lives. Recognize it, confront it, and write about it.

Often times, you'll discover that stress doesn't deserve the real estate it occupies in your mind.

We Salute You

I travel in and out of the Atlanta airport several times a month. I am always impressed by the cadre of military soldiers preparing for deployment. It's quite a spectacle to see them line up on the 2nd floor terrace, and then march through the main terminal with a civilian leader. As they progress around each turn, the leader announces, "Let's hear it for America's heroes!"

Inevitably passersby applaud loudly and cheer them on. What a great scene to inspire patriotism and support for our service people. Do them and yourself a favor and thank each one you come across for their service to our country.

Until next time,

All the best,

Patrick

For information or to schedule
a live appearance, please contact
me at (619) 981-1911 or
patrick@speakingofethics.com

Upcoming Live Appearances:

Feb. 13
Keynote Presenter
Financial Planning Association
New Orleans Chapter

Feb. 26
Keynote Presenter
Technology Tools for Today Conference
Dallas, TX

Mar. 13
Keynote Presenter
Association of Health Underwriters
Indianapolis Chapter

Mar. 16
Keynote Presenter
Virginia Tech University
Blacksburg, VA

Mar. 26
Keynote Presenter
Utah State University Partners in Business
Logan, Utah

No Fooling, New Audio CD Available April 1, Book to Follow

After nearly every presentation, I'm asked if I have online or printed resources available. Check back at speakingofethics.com on April 1 and order my new Audio CD online. Also, I anticipate my new book on business ethics will be available by July 1. More updates in upcoming issues of this newsletter.