My Mantra for Life both Professional and Personal

Gloria Barnett
Lori Smith
GL 400

December 1, 2009

Leading with Integrity in Today’s Work Environment

All companies require great leaders to enjoy long-term success. Today it is nearly as difficult as ever before to achieve success in the world of business. Greed and corruption have taken such a strong hold that many have lost sight of the best recipe for long-term sustainable success.
Miriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines integrity as “the quality of being complete or undivided. It implies trustworthiness.” Trustworthiness is a direct result of honesty. It is important to value honesty, as honesty speaks of one’s very nature. Success will be earned by the great leaders who lead using integrity as their moral compass.

To dissect and define integrity, to bring it from within oneself, and to make integrity a value that can be demonstrated at every level of the work environment should be the goal of every leader wanting to have remarkable results. A leader must be reliable, consistent worthy of trust and respect. How does one become a great leader? Leadership is innately a natural part of each and every person; one must take the time and have the confidence to tap into the greatness of all that can be achieved.

Most every person wants to be ethical, credible, and honest; this reflects human nature. The hard part is having clarity of a personal goal and holding oneself accountable for every step of the process. Great leaders make everyone, including themselves, accountable first, then collectively the entire team can enjoy satisfaction in a job well done and success seems to happen without fail. Everyone should make it a habit to approach all tasks within their lives with integrity.
As listed on pg.75 the book “Lincoln on Leadership” by Donald T. Phillips, some of Lincoln’s principles for living with integrity are listed as follows:

Ø Refrain from reading attacks upon yourself so you won’t be provoked.
Ø Remember that truth is generally the best vindication against slander.
Ø Do the very best you know how, the very best you can, and keep doing so until the end.
Ø The probability that you may fall in the struggle ought not to deter you from the support of the cause you believe to be just.
Ø Give your subordinates a fair chance with equal freedom and opportunity for success.
Ø When you make it to the top, turn and reach down for the person behind you.

Leaders lead best when they are servants and when they are willing to give back to others. An effective leader will take the time to completely listen to others, even if others are not comfortable expressing their personal point of view. A truly effective leader will take the time to ask each member of his or her team to fully explore options that can contribute to their collective success. A leader who leads with integrity must be brave and unafraid of confrontation, for integrity shows greatest under pressure.

According to Robert K. Greenleaf on pages 150 and 151, in his book entitled, “Servant Leadership: a Journey Into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness”:
“I cannot visualize a world without leaders, without those who better see the path ahead taking the risk to lead and show the way. What reason is there for accepting the constraints of a society except that therein the more able serve the less able? One way that some people serve is to lead…Leaders may be completely honest about their leadership, that which makes them more dependable and trustworthy than most, is their intuitive insight, which cannot be fully explained.”

Good leadership can only be as effective as the foundation that it was built on. A great leader will create a culture of effective goal setting and achievement. Nothing should ever be promised unless the organization can deliver the goods or services promised. The goal should be to over deliver whenever possible. This can only be achieved if every department within the organization is motivated with the same goal in mind.

Although it can be extremely difficult, one must make the right decision to do the right thing no matter the consequences. Integrity never involves manipulation or greed. If integrity is exercised in every aspect of one’s work on a consistent basis, success will certainly be the end result. The behavior of a leader must match his or her personal beliefs. A strong focus on the importance of consistency, in both word and deed, especially in the face of adversity, is a necessity of great leadership. Organization is the key to expressing integrity, because it is not enough to simply have the intention to do the right thing. Policies set by a leader leading with integrity will serve as a model of the organization’s values and credibility.

One must hire knowledgeable candidates that have high levels of competency to promote a trusting work environment. An effective team will be required to seek and successfully complete continuing education in their fields of service. A great leader understands and appreciates the importance of education for the betterment of the organization. An exceptional leader will be certain to learn from his or her team without feeling threatened or insecure. Managing with perfectly defined priorities and with values utilizing a clear objective is less stressful and far more productive than managing without a formula to emulate.

A leader should always acknowledge and show appreciation for the contributions of others toward the common goal. Building a reliable team is an important ingredient to affect positive change in the workplace. Each member of the team must have the potential to do his or her job with confidence. When the task at hand has clearly defined guidelines to be followed, an adept team member will be able to approach and complete the task with confidence. It would be unreasonable to expect a team member to do a job well unless their leader offered him or her access to all of the necessary tools.

If one were to assume that nothing will ever go wrong in business, he or she will be greatly disappointed on a regular basis. It is better to realize that nobody is perfect. Things can and often times do go wrong regardless of the amount of effort put into preventing failure. The important thing is how the team corrects the situation when things do not go as projected. Leading with integrity requires a clear mission of helping others, and implementing a process to resolve conflict utilizing specific rules. When these steps are followed, a just result is sure to be the outcome. Clear and concise guidelines enable team members to respond swiftly and decisively without ever compromising their own integrity.

A sense of humor is a very important attribute of a great leader. Even if his or her sense of humor is perceived as being a bit on the dry side, this can reveal a leader as a real person who understands that life is real. When a team can laugh and enjoy life while in a work environment, less stress and lighter spirits will be enjoyed by all. Seeing humor in others is important. Perhaps he or she may have a bit of a quirky personality, so what? A great leader will embrace other’s perceptions. It is okay that others see humor in what is different in one another. The important thing is that malice is not the intent.

As stated by Dave Johnson, founder and principle author of “Seeing The Forest”, and a blogger at “Speak Out California,”
“A company (or industry) makes a tremendous amount of money by scamming us, screwing us, stealing from us, killing us, poisoning us, destroying our environment or some other thing that one way or another a working democracy would stop immediately…So it's very simple, really:…no influencing public opinion in any way whatsoever…no predatory marketing of their own products, marketing that influences our culture, marketing that makes us feel bad about ourselves, marketing that makes us feel bad about others, marketing that insults us and marketing that makes us think we should want things that we shouldn't!..So it continues. And we all get poorer while they get richer.” (Johnson)

Batrushollweg International dedicated research efforts to create and validate an assessment that measures a leader’s propensity to exhibit integrity. Their findings concluded the following:
Ø Employee theft and fraud cost the average business 1-2% of its sales.
Ø 23% have given product or service for a discount against company policy.
Ø 18% have manipulated data to make results appear better.
Ø 29% repeatedly ignore misconduct of subordinates. (Batrushollweg pgs. 2,4)

If more business and political leaders were to lead with integrity as a design principle, our national economic state would be much stronger, and as a people we would be less divisive. Integrity is not a certain personality trait or set of ideas. Integrity guides decent people that are open to moral excellence. All should approach their jobs and lives every-day with integrity. One should have a moral compass for guidance and follow it. IT is necessary to have strong moral values to rely on when important decisions need to be made. A leader must have courage under fire. If all decisions were made for the greater good, one would have nothing to fear in spite of criticism.

Achievable goals must be clearly defined as written rules, policies, and procedures. Consistent behavior that matches one’s beliefs as a leader will define that leader with integrity. Clear objectives, as well as accountability, reflect the true character of an illustrious leader. It is important that he or she be mindful of social influence; let it be known that your standards and policies are representative of the organization, and they must be adhered to by every member who wants to share in the success of the team.

As stated by Patricia Schaefer in her article entitled “The Seven Pitfalls of Business Failure and How to Avoid Them.” Patricia reports poor management as the number one reason for failure.
“Unless they recognize what they don’t do well, and seek help, business owners may soon face disaster. They must also be educated and alert to fraud, and put into place measures to avoid it.” Ms. Schaefer goes on to add, “A successful manager is also a good leader who creates a work climate that encourages productivity. He or she has a skill at hiring competent people, training them and is able to delegate. A good leader is also skilled at strategic thinking, able to make a vision a reality, and able to confront change, make transitions, and envision new possibilities for the future.” (Schaefer)

As stated on page 107 by Donald T. Phillips, in his book “Lincoln on Leadership,” it is important for every manager to remember:
Ø If you are a good leader, when your work is done, your aim fulfilled, your people will say, “We did it ourselves.”
Ø Try not to feel insecure or threatened by your followers.
Ø Always let your subordinates know that the honor will be all theirs if they succeed and the blame will be yours if they fail.
Ø If your commanders in the field can’t be successful, neither can you or your executive staff. (Phillips pg. 107)

The results are boundless when leading effectively with integrity. Truthfulness promotes confidence, confidence promotes credibility, and when one is perceived as having credibility, others will then be drawn to them for their products and services. If a leader focuses solely on him or herself, others will view them as narcissistic, manipulative, and self-centered. Many will choose to avoid doing business with an organization they feel is lacks integrity. An organization known for its integrity usually attracts the best candidates to join its team. Do the right thing, and the right thing will happen. It will be easy to be effective when you operate with grace and have a clear mission to help others. Make a conscientious decision to move forward as a transformational leader, and to maintain a pattern of alignment between positive words and positive deeds. Success will be earned by the great leaders who lead using integrity as their moral compass.

Semester Break is Breaking ME!!!

Finally a break! For what? To do my best and get caught up on everything that I am behind on. Christmas with six children including in-laws and five grandchildren requires a lot of work!!! I am gonna enjoy it, but it sure is wearing me out!!!!

I accomplished what I wanted to, I have maintained a 4.0 GPA and am on the Dean's List. I hope that this helps with my eligibility for grants and so forth. My final paper and presentation was on a topic that is very important to me. I decided to post the paper for anyone interested, mostly because I want to keep it as part of my progress. I am so grateful to my husband for being patient with me as I spend so much time working on my education. He has some health issues that he is working on as well and feels since life insurance not to mention the expense of health insurance is so high that my education will better serve me for a sustainable future. It is really hard to say what is the truth sometimes, but this for us is clearly the truth. I hope you take the time to read my paper, I sure enjoyed the research and writing it. "Leading with Integrity"

Remember me? It has certainly been a ride...a long hard ride, like the first explorer's headed west and trying to cross the Grand Canyon! Okay, so I have spent a lot of time thinking that I must have learning disabilities. Still haven't decided if I do or do not! Regardless, I have somehow managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA.

I have been called an overachiever. Hmm... kind of seems rude for someone to say that to me. The thing is, this cost a lot of money and I'm the one paying for it. Yes, I want a better than "good" grade, I want to learn everything that I can. I am here for me, for my future and it is taking everything that I have. I am not complaining, in fact I am just grateful that I have the opportunity.

I said that I would give the good, bad and ugly of this. I'm not shy so here we go! I am disappointed that I have friends and worse yet family that find it difficult to make a single positive comment about this HUGE endeavor. I am sad that I feel sad that I only have a couple of people that appreciate that I make A's. Hello.....I was told by my guidance counselor that I am not college material when I was just 16 years old. Seriously, let's try to be a bit more supportive and mindful of how our actions can effect others.

I didn't even know that I had a rather high IQ, until I received my transcripts from high school....28 years after my graduation. I was self conscious just walking across the stage to receive my high school diploma in 1981. I was a teenage mother, kind of a no count. I might be pushing 50, but I am finally realizing that it really isn't too late to become what you might have been.

My goal is to be a better example for others, especially others that share my history. I really wish that I had a clear understanding of my lack of self confidence and how to overcome it. These things are simply mysteries that reaveal themselves when the time is right I guess. My plan was to keep this blog updatted on a more regular basis, I just didn't get that I was going to be so limited on time. Sorry guys, but when the choices are study for a test, write a paper, or to work on my blog, I think that it should be obvious that I have a pretty clear priority and that is to do well in school. I have a break comming up soon, perhaps I can get you caught up on some of the most amazing things that I have learned. Regardless of the fact that I have been able to travel to many wonderful places in the world, now I am really becoming educated. Thank you God for whatever it is that you have gently placed inside of my heart, I will continue to learn to better understand it and to put it to the best use that I can.

First paper autobiography...why not just add it!

Gloria Barnett
World Religions and Religious Perspectives GL 411E-412E
R. Wayne Perkins, Ph.D.
August 31, 2009
The world was first blessed with my presence July 29, 1963. I was the youngest of five children born to my parents Sherman and Mayme Orange. Although our parents were both from Central Kentucky, our home has always been in Evansville, Indiana. We were very fortunate to maintain a strong connection with our parent’s hometown. Country living is one of my favorite aspects of my childhood.
It was normal for our mother to have our bags packed on Fridays so that as soon as dad got off work we would head to Kentucky. Every weekend seemed like a vacation. I mention all of this because the time we spent running, playing, fishing and camping without any worries, helped to form who I am today. Neither of my parents attended, or much less graduated, high school. During the late forties in Muhlenberg county many students did not earn a high school education. Some, including my father, never completed elementary school. Most obtained jobs as quickly as possible to help support their families. Some chose to move from their respective family homes to lessen the burden on their parents. This is what my father did at age fifteen. He moved to Evansville and lied about his age to obtain employment. Later he returned to his hometown to retrieve and marry my mother his childhood sweetheart.
With lots of love they began a family within two years of marriage. My father worked in a factory while my mother often worked as a cook in various restaurants. For reasons that I can only guess, I never remember my parents taking a real interest in my education. Maybe my parents were exhausted from raising my four older siblings. Perhaps my parent’s limited education may have hindered their ability to be positive role models regarding my education. One thing is for certain, a strong desire to learn was not instilled in my very formative years. I never developed a true appreciation for education until I was in my sophomore year of high school. Although I began to focus more on learning I had a limited amount of self confidence and lacked productive study habits. In my senior year of high school I applied and was accepted to what is now known as, the University of Southern Indiana with dreams of becoming an elementary school teacher. It was just a dream that I felt was out of my reach. I knew that the expense was far beyond anything that I could possibly afford.
Oh, by the way I had a child while in high school and was living up to my responsibilities with a great amount of seriousness. Had I known at the time of the assistance available for a single mother pursuing a degree; I might have taken full advantage. My parents did teach me perseverance, the importance of a positive work ethic, and to be a good person that makes a positive contribution to society. With these attributes along with my strong ability to effectively communicate I have achieved success in my career.
By the time that I was twenty I held a respectable position as a shipping system specialist for Pitney Bowes, which was a fortune three hundred corporation. A few years later when personal computers were becoming a part of everyone’s work environment, I joined one of the most prominent computer sales firms in the area, Van Ausdall and Ferrar. I was the first in the company to sell a network computer system that consisted of fourteen work stations. This career path led me to be on the road constantly which was not in the best interest of my family.
With my work schedule at that time I found myself picking my son up from daycare only to take him to my mother’s home while I attended a meeting or did a presentation. The schedule was taking a major toll on my son and weighing very heavy on my heart. A friend told me about a job opportunity with a real estate firm that would allow me to work a normal office schedule in a position of administrative support to the realtors. This position led me to obtaining my Indiana real estate license. I was also promoted to a new position as an assistant to the president and vice president of the firm. Although I no longer traveled out of town, I found myself working many additional hours. With listing and showing homes, hosting open houses, I was basically working two jobs. I found myself neglecting my most important responsibility of being a mother. I feel money is not the most important thing, but when you fear not being able to meet the most basic needs of your family you come to realize that ultimately your survival depends on it.
To make life easier, I accepted a position with a local travel agency as a receptionist with the hopes of easing the burden. I was soon promoted to a travel agent position. Here we go again on another new adventure. This opportunity was the best fit for me and my family. This new career path led me to work with a wonderful group of women that have become my sisters for life. Each of these relationships helped to created some of the most beautiful threads in the tapestry of who I have become thus far.
As a travel agent I have traveled from Polynesia to Cairo. I never fathomed that I would ride a camel around the great pyramids or cruise the Nile. I traveled from Alexandria the northern most point of Egypt to ancient Abu Simbel very near the Sudan boarder. I have lit candles and prayed for my family in many basilicas and cathedrals throughout Europe including the Cathedral of Notre Dame. I have enjoyed these travels prior to experiencing much of my own backyard such as Alaska. Experiencing the world through travel has given me a better understanding of the world and my place in it.
In 1993 I married a very kind and loving man, Ronald Barnett. Ron encouraged me to take the adventure vacation of my dreams. This consisted of an eight day long rafting and camping trip down the Colorado River. The best part of the experience was that it cut all the way through the Grand Canyon during a full moon phase. Our first day on the water was my forty-first birthday. This adventure led me to overcome many fears such as my fear of heights. I climbed to amazing locations and experienced beauty beyond anything that I had ever imagined. I slept under the stars without a tent. I even became comfortable enough to climb above and dive into waterfalls in some of the tributaries. It was amazing to see the unbelievable amount of lush and tropical scenery. My expectations of this adventure were high, but the reality was far greater than I had imagined.
My years as a travel agent have not only allowed me to be there for my son, they have allowed me to open his eyes to the world. It has become my mantra to be aware that we are not only citizens of our community we are citizens of the world. Due to the rapidly increasing cost of medical insurance coverage I made a very difficult decision to leave my fulltime position as a Senior Travel Counselor with Haynie Travel. I chose to accept a position in residential property management to help oversee the development and management of Lakeshore Apartment Homes. I have continued to work as an independent contractor with the travel agency.
Since my decision to attend the University of Evansville, I have curtailed my commitment to my travel clients. My greatest priority at this time is to successfully complete the GL program and earn my degree. I am not certain where I anticipate this program to lead me. I do know that not having this degree has kept me from achieving greater success in today’s business world. I know that I have made great accomplishments and wish to continue to build my legacy.
I am enjoying being a wife of sixteen years and making wonderful memories with my children and grandchildren. I am excitedly facing the next three years of my personal growth. I look forward to learning, achieving and simply doing something so meaningful that is for me. I am afraid of the expense to the point that it nearly takes my breath away, all the more reason for me to make the very most of my investment.
My son Jeff Orange graduated magna cum Laude from this program just this last spring. It was Jeff as well as recent events in my life that has convinced me to join this highly regarded program. I am grateful for this experience and look forward to the next three years of learning and growing.

Today is the day!!!

My first class is tonight at 6pm. The history of religions of the world. Let's see what I know so far....I had planned (against my sons advice) not to purchase a $50 parking pass. My classes are at night, I can park right on Rotherwood...there should be no problems right? Soooo wrong, don't be cheap! Parking is a major issue....something that many of these youngsters already are aware of. The "free" parking is right in front of the dorms....hmmm yeah, I'm not gonna get to park there too often. Being frugal doesn't always get you the best result. So I have $50 less in my pocket today but will spend the rest of this school year NOT dealing with parking stresses.

Now to get on with the main objective learning and earning my degree! I am very excited about my first class and not even at all nervous about what to expect. I don't know why people keep asking me that. I "expect" to learn. So I think I'll listen take notes and focus on learning. I have found that we have a field trip the weekend of my grand-daughters birthday party. NOT something that I would ever consider an option to miss. I have made a very important promise to a very important person...me. I am taking the required weekend trip and planning a very special "event" to celebrate Kylahs Birthday personally. I'm certain that this is only the first of many inconveniences that I will encounter. I am also certain that the end result is going to be for the betterment of every aspect of my life....especially for my grandchildren. I hope to set a new and better standard for all of my family. Not to degrade what anyone has accomplished, because including myself we have accomplished a lot. Perhaps even more than we know or give ourselves credit for. I just want to see and experience a new horizon that will open doors for me and my life. I want to be an example to all of the children and adults in my family not of what I can do, but what we all can and really must do in today's world. I love my family more than they will ever know.

After losing my father this past February, I spent a lot of time reflecting on his life and thinking about what my life may become. I realized that I have power that I never knew I had. The power to build my own destiny. I spent a lot of time taking care of my father as he and I both knew that he was dying. For six months I used every ounce of my mental and physical strength to prolong his life and make every last moment of his life the best that it could be. He shared a lot of remorse for what he had not accomplished, I wanted to be sure that he was aware of his greatness and that we, his family and all of our accomplishments are a part of his legacy. On that subject we had many conversations. I am certain that when he took his last breath he took it in peace and comfort that he was a great man that did many great things. He told me I was "perfect", I know better than that. I made certain that what he saw in me was of him. So perhaps he was perfect! I love him and miss him every day. This is as I said for all of my family. We are gonna get better and do better...if it takes another ten years to figure out how. I never want to see another family member pass away without at least considering the option of taking the chance to be more than their reflection in a mirror. We can take what we see in the mirror combine it with all that is in our hearts and minds and achieve greatness!

Off to school!!

I guess I really knew it, now it is confirmed. Nothing special about me or my application that entitles me to any "real" financial assistance. That's okay...it is after all a business. I'll pay the price then end the debt as quickly as possible. I know what the value in this investment CAN be and I WILL put it to work for me and my family. There are so many pieces of our lives that reappear long after they have fallen out of view. I finally got to meet Angie the financial aid officer that has been helping me in person today. The first thing that she said was "Gloria, it is you!" I actually mentored her in the mid 80's when I was a representative at Pitney Bowes. She is only one year younger than me. She said that she recognized my "singing" voice when she first talked to me. That is funny in itself, although I am known to have a very distinct voice, singing has nothing to do with it I promise. I can cause real physical pain to someone just by singing. My last name is not the same as it was then and she wasn't sure if it was me. Anyhow, I remember her well and the very nice thank you note she sent me after our week together. Now she is my mentor per say. I signed the loan papers and away we go!

A little over a week away from day one and....

I found out today that not only am I not eligible for financial grants, I can only have up to $3,500 per year in interest free student loans....er should I say low interest that will begin accruing 6 months after my completion date. The balance can be financed at 6.5% that will begin accruing interest right away. I am so frustrated that the changes that we have been expecting are on the backburner while our financial system is being saved. Hmmm... meanwhile I have to pay this crazy amount that is far above my means at this time. I am moving forward with the commitment I have made. Not only am I moving forward to earn my degree, but to learn. Today, as every day, is the first day of the rest of my life. I want to cry...but choose to be strong and continue to move forward with this endeavor. The funny thing is that I am so conservative with money always being so careful to not overspend and I do this? Faith is all that I have to go on. Faith that I will not only earn a great education, but that I will increase my income quickly enough to pay all of this back as fast as possible and put this degree to work for my future. It may not be the best choice that I can make today, but I will make it the best outcome for all of my tomorrows.

I meeting with the financial aid office at UE tomorrow morning. There is a possibility that I have made an error in filling out the FASFA form. Hope that is the case. If so I soppose that it could be argued that I am not smart enough to go to college...as I was told in high school. I will chose to think that it would suggest that I NEED to go to college. I do have a sense of humor!!!

I almost cried today when I got the news....it wouldn't help. I just need to find the best way to finance this investment....I don't think the government option fits in with the best options of today. The current Stafford Loan program reflects an interest rate that has not been adjusted for almost three years. The rate was pretty much in line for that period of time....but today we have interest rates more within the realm of non-interest. Hopefully "Change" will come soon. This first year is going to be the most expensive. I'll follow up with a post as soon as I have a clear understanding of the investment that I will be looking at. I do this to perhaps help others and to give myself an opportunity to take a look back at where I started and how it all comes together. If you know me at all you probably have heard me say more than once that sometimes when we feel like it's all falling apart it often times is falling together. I am hoping for the later. If not I will find a way to put it together.