![Step One – Strategic Formulation ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],www.galenmcpherson.com Galen McPherson Intellectual Capitalist 832.298.4940 Vision Business Strategy Measures Business Results](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Recommandé
Recommandé
Contenu connexe
Tendances
Tendances (20)
En vedette
Similaire à Sogeti CapGemini Intellectual Capital Practice
Similaire à Sogeti CapGemini Intellectual Capital Practice (20)
Sogeti CapGemini Intellectual Capital Practice
- 1. A Potential Intellectual Capital Practice at Sogeti CapGemini A Starting Point for Consideration Vision Business Strategy Measures Business Results Business Processes Knowledge Processes Intellectual Capital
- 21. Galen McPherson Intellectual Capitalist It’s What I Do
Notes de l'éditeur
- I consider myself to be a life-long student. Sure I wanted it all to be over when I finished high school. But it wasn’t. I wanted it to be over when I finished college. But it wasn’t. When I was in pilot training. When I finished F-4 school. When I got my master’s degree. But it wasn’t. I have particularly focused on three subjects: success, leadership and motivation. What I have learned along the way, and that I continue to learn, has had a significant impact on the way I live, and to be quite honest, the way I live has had a lot to do with what I have learned. What we will talk about today is not some theory or idea, but real world rules that I have adopted and try to meet, sometimes not quite reaching my ideal, but never losing sight of the goal. This is your session, by the way, not mine. I know these rules – I have to, I made ‘em up. Or at least I discovered them. But for your part, if you are confused or uncertain, stop me and ask questions. Clarify and even challenge what you feel might be inconsistencies or even impossibilities. Among the many principles I have learned along the way, I would remind you as we begin this presentation: knowledge without application is useless. What good does it do to know something if you don’t put that knowledge to use? My goal today is to impart to you these Six Commitments for Success; my wish is that you will decide to act upon your new knowledge.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- Before we jump into the Six Commitments, let me get started by telling you that school is letting you down by not teaching you certain things, and I intend to fix that by explaining certain realities that school protects you from. These three truths will help to set the stage for the Six Commitments, so they are important. And this is not to run down the school system- they simply have so much to do that they “leave out” some very important lessons. #1 – Life grades on the curve. All through your schooling, right up through your high school graduation, you have been taught that below 70 is an F, 70-74 is a D, 75-79 is a C, 80-89 is a B, and 90 or above is an A. Or some similar scale- it doesn’t matter what the actual cut-offs are. I happened to have gone to a university that graded on the curve: all the grades were entered into the system, and the top 10% got an A, the bottom 10% got an F, the middle 30% got a C and the two remaining 15% sections got a D or a B, depending on the top or bottom. Now, one day, I took a test and I got a 67%, but the average grade in the class was 53%. It was a tough test obviously. So my 67% got me an A. And I thought that this curve thing was pretty darn cool. A couple weeks later, I took another test and got a 92%. The average score was 93%, so I got a C. Now, this curve thing sucked. But it got me ready for life. In the business world, if all of your competitors are doing 97% level “A” work, and you are doing 95% level “A” work, you don’t get an A because you are above 90- you get an F because everyone else is above you. How many of you have missed an assignment? Forgot to turn one in, or just didn’t do it? But then the teacher gives you another three days to turn it in for half credit. What’s your reaction? “Half credit stinks!!!” But here is how life works. Many years ago, the Kansas Lottery was instituted, and the State of Kansas put out requests for companies to bid on the advertizing contract for the Lottery. This contract would be worth millions to the company that won it. Bids had to be submitted in Topeka by 2:00 on a Wednesday afternoon. A company in Wichita was bidding, and they worked feverishly to make their bid package absolutely perfect. They got in their car and drove to Topeka, but fifteen miles outside of town, they had a flat tire. They changed it and raced to the Capitol Building in downtown Topeka, arriving at 2:06 PM. Who can tell me how much credit they got on their late turn-in? Not half. Nothing. They were not allowed to turn it in, at all!! And that is life: no credit for late work. And lastly is a story based on my own son’s experience: Geoffrey had a history exam on a Tuesday. When he got the test results back, he had scored a78, a good solid C. He came home and told me: “That’s not fair. I knew that chapter better than that. I should have gotten a B at least.” I asked him: “How much did you study the night before?” “I didn’t. Because I knew it.” “How much the night before that?” “Didn’t.” He was getting my drift. “So you think it is unfair that you only got a C on a test that you knew for a week was coming but you didn’t study for it.” When I put it that way, he had to admit that getting a C was probably pretty fair, considering the effort he put into it. And so you have it: Life is basically fair. The three truths that help frame the next six commitments that I will ask each and every one of you to make.
- I consider myself to be a life-long student. Sure I wanted it all to be over when I finished high school. But it wasn’t. I wanted it to be over when I finished college. But it wasn’t. When I was in pilot training. When I finished F-4 school. When I got my master’s degree. But it wasn’t. I have particularly focused on three subjects: success, leadership and motivation. What I have learned along the way, and that I continue to learn, has had a significant impact on the way I live, and to be quite honest, the way I live has had a lot to do with what I have learned. What we will talk about today is not some theory or idea, but real world rules that I have adopted and try to meet, sometimes not quite reaching my ideal, but never losing sight of the goal. This is your session, by the way, not mine. I know these rules – I have to, I made ‘em up. Or at least I discovered them. But for your part, if you are confused or uncertain, stop me and ask questions. Clarify and even challenge what you feel might be inconsistencies or even impossibilities. Among the many principles I have learned along the way, I would remind you as we begin this presentation: knowledge without application is useless. What good does it do to know something if you don’t put that knowledge to use? My goal today is to impart to you these Six Commitments for Success; my wish is that you will decide to act upon your new knowledge.