What’s Your Temperature?

The average body temperature for humans is widely acknowledged to be 98.6°F (37°C).

When do we actually take our temperature? These days it is quite common and often mandatory for employees to have their temperature taken when entering employer premises. Enter a clinic and receptionists have us fill out a form concerning how we feel or what symptoms we are exhibiting. The nursing aide calls your name and one of the first tasks performed is taking our temperature.

Every time I visit wonderful mom in her assisted living facility I take my temperature and fill out a form. Today I’m guessing most airlines ask passengers to take their temperatures prior to boarding.

How often do we take a temperature of our minds and souls? If we are responsible for our journeys, answering the following questions might provide some enlightenment and illumination:

1) Who am I?
2) How do I feel?
3) What am I doing?
4) Where am I at?
5) What does it mean?
6) What is my purpose?

Ladies and gentlemen, this is called taking a temperature reading. It is one of the most important exercises we can undertake at no expense. At the very least I’m going to suggest that a quarterly self-examination take place.

You and I are responsible for our happiness and fulfillment. We cannot point our fingers at anyone else. We are the captains of our ships; let no one deter our direction and claim our routing.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Practice the Golden Rule.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

#happiness#purposeinlife#valuesmatter#fulfilment

The post What’s Your Temperature appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

A pandemic is upon us, an invisible enemy of all people. This is no time for despair but a time for hope and action.

After ten months of writer’s block and a feeling that my message might not carry personal value; I dropped the pretense with the idea that now anything could help many.

The following is essential to defeating this growing threat:

1) Be accountable and responsible for washing hands and wiping down surfaces.

2) If you are sick, not feeling well, or just not quite right, stay home and rest. Others are counting on you to be sensible and do the right thing. This is no time for self heroics.

3) Create value in your workplace and be highly flexible. As some employers are temporarily shutdown or have reduced workers, the ability to see opportunity via new roles or alternative work hours becomes more valuable.

4) Our attitudes build the anecdote to crushing despair. Take action and remember what Winston Churchill said, “Keep buggering on.”

5) Pay it forward by helping others who have less and or need assistance. This is helps stem despair and provides hope.

6) Don’t give up or give in to the invisible enemy. We can collectively triumph by working together fulfilling our best potential as humans.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post No Time For Despair-Just Hope appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

“My life is changing, I’m in job transition, I’m at a crossroad, or I’m uncertain about what path I should be on.”

Welcome to the circus of life where predictability and fulfillment is anything but. I have experienced all of the above; my mission today is to allay your fears while confronting the reality of unique situations.

My friends, before we jump into the above four areas we need to convey one key premise: transition is largely a state of mind and feeling vs. physical change.

1) “My life is changing.” Confront change and embrace it. Does anyone seriously want a static life? Was it exciting when you received your first paycheck? How about graduating from high school or another level beyond? How did you feel when you got married? Were you overcome with joy at becoming a parent? Our lives constantly change and are in flux; squash the fears and celebrate the moment.

2) “I’m in job transition.” You are not alone by any stretch and this will not be a one-time event for most people. It is vital to stay active with social media, relevant industry groups, and continue to network. Think about where you have been, where you’re at, and what is the next door to walk through via the image I provided above.

3) “I’m at a crossroad.” We all sooner or later must confront the reality of a challenge. The choice is one of fear, uncertainty, doubt or we attack with zeal and optimism. The confrontation is never as bad as we make it out to be. Think pragmatically about solutions and break down them into high value responses that you can manage daily.

4) “I’m uncertain about what path I should be on.” You are not alone and with the exception of a few people like Jesus Christ, Joan of Arc, and others, we cannot expect to have instant illumination and clarity about our paths or purpose. Transition is never as simple as some make it out to be. I urge you to write your purpose statement.

“My purpose is……………………………….” Think about who you are, what you are all about, and what/whom you truly value. This is truly an extraordinary inner process that will allow you to take a purposeful next step.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post Transition In Our Personal & Business Lives appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

As a boomer I was fortunate enough to have two loving parents who stayed together through thick and thin. Our nuclear family was strong and values driven.

Thanks to Mom and Dad I was quickly indoctrinated into proper grammar and use of the English language. More importantly, they emphasized being polite and having manners.

Respect, consideration, and courtesy ruled our household. Our family was values driven and per our generations on the rise.

Today, when I gaze out at planet Earth I see a landscape that is far different than the one I grew up with. Simply put, we are witnessing the fall of parenting.

With no further adieu, I believe the fall of parenting is directly related to a non-existing nuclear family and or one that is separated.

While divorce rates are slowly decreasing, the following statistics are still disturbing and numbing:

1) Almost fifty percent of marriages end in divorce or separation.

2) Researchers estimate that forty-one percent of all first marriages end in divorce.

3) Sixty percent of second marriages end in divorce.

I’m not saying that marriage is the end-all solution where children are involved; I am saying that a nuclear family has a better chance of teaching kids values. Specifically, it is imperative that biological or adopted children are taught respect, consideration, and courtesy. They need a loving home with parents as role models.

Human relations have never been more polarized. What can we attribute this to? While no acclaimed sociologist or psychologist, the fall of parenting must be a significant and contributing factor.

As some of you know, I officiate various youth sports including boys and girls basketball. Two weeks ago at a major tournament I was a referee involved with seventh grade boys.

One of the boys had been complaining most of the game and I warned him and his coach to stop it. Shortly after, he received his third foul of the game and cursed at my partner.

It was ugly and hateful language and could be heard around the gym. My partner walked this player over to the bench ejecting him from the game; only to then be confronted by the boy’s father who was an assistant coach.

I first hand witnessed the fall of parenting. The parent and the boy were screaming at my partner and they were asked to leave the gym.

As a father of two boys, I couldn’t help but be distracted for the remaining minutes of this game totally disgusted with the horrible conduct I witnessed. Sadly, the other parents stood still doing and saying nothing.

Ladies & gentlemen, we can no longer turn a blind eye to the fall of parenting or the behavior resulting from it. We can do a lot better, our time is now, and our kids deserve better.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post The Rise & Fall of Parenting appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

It’s time to find your purpose if you are asking who am I and what am I doing?

The self-awareness and the discipline to keep exploring this question is the key first step in wrapping your head and soul around finding one’s purpose.

Unless you are Joan of Arc, who experienced visions from three Saints at the age of thirteen, consider yourself in the majority group of humans who have struggled with identifying what their purpose and meaning is.

I’m going to submit that it is indeed a rare event when purpose arrives by way of a lightning bolt. My friends, the discovery of purpose is typically a process of simply living.

As this author knows and has amply experienced, there is nothing easy about living.

You see, living is largely acts of doing. We eat, we sleep, we work, we read, we interact, we think, we fret, we stress, and we just do stuff.

What does all of this stuff mean and is it fulfilling or not?

That is the magic question and why we all need to find our purpose now.

Get a legal pad out and write a purpose statement. Think about who you are, what are you doing, and what/who do you truly value.

This critical exercise will help you formulate your purpose; the working foundation of our moral compasses.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post Find Your Purpose Now appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

The magic formula for this must come from parents who are united philosophically, pragmatically, and enforce what they value.

I have always loved sports and kids. As such, years ago I decided to officiate a number of youth sports.

Recently I was a referee for seventh grade girls and boys basketball games. The gymnasium was packed with parents and grandparents vocally supporting their kids.

It is always our expectation to officiate fairly, impartially, and show respect for all parties. The stage was set for an evening of ethics and proper conduct.

Within a few minutes of the first game starting both coaches from one team became animated, waving their arms, and started complaining about certain calls being made or being missed. My partner and I heard them out, asked them to stay in their designated bench area, and issued a verbal warning.

Unfortunately, their actions revved up the parents setting the stage for poor ethics and improper conduct.

What happened next? A parent stood up in the stands and shouted out, “It’s your job to make the right calls…you have to make that call and protect our kids.”

My partner who was closest to this parent asked him to leave the gym and assessed a technical foul to the home team. After years of officiating youth events, I have never seen a parent asked to leave an event. It was a sad moment to say the least.

What must we do as parents, teachers, coaches, and leaders moving forward?

1) Respect, consideration, and courtesy is the foundation for conduct.

2) Ethics is most effective when there is a culture of accountability and enforcement.

3) Parents must understand that athletics is not about them, their feelings, or their former memories. It is about encouraging kids to have fun and learn to play a team sport the right way.

We can do better than this and must set the right tone and values for our kids. Otherwise, we are encouraging them to take matters into their own hands without repercussion or penalty.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post Ethics & Conduct Begin With Parents appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

One of the most difficult challenges in our personal and business lives is communicating value.

There is an art to providing value; it is learned behavior that focuses on others, their needs, and is worth something to them.

All too often in today’s business environment there is a presumption of value. Making an assumption like this is slippery and a colossal waste of time.

For almost four decades I have provided clients with some variation of products and services. What I have learned is that the perceived benefits we think are important mean nothing without showing the client what value you have for them.

On the receiving end of pitches or proposals, I have trained myself to first say so what?

“If the product and services offered do not have personalized value for me I am not interested in further discussion.” It is that simple.

There are thousands of life and business coaches out there telling us how important it is define our brand. Without denigrating them and some are hacks, telling another human what you do is the opening move in the game of life.

More importantly is the ability to define what we do and convey the potential value of our work to others. Ladies and gents, that is how we are ultimately paid.

Building lasting relationships is not only dependent on creating value but also being ethical in all dealings. There is little room or time for complacency; able competitors will eat your lunch.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post So what? The Value For Me Is? appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

How many times in a week is some advice directed at you?

There is something inexplicable about humans; DNA that compels them to constantly offer opinions structured as questions. When it comes to advice no interrogative word is more common than why.

Is there any value to advice that typically costs nothing and promises so much benefit? It depends on the source, the content, and what the potential payoff is.

“People who tend to give advice are normally the ones who ignored it to begin with.”

It is fair to conclude then, that most advice lacks in common sense and practical application.

The following steps may be useful when advice flies at you like an arrow with a definitive target:

1)     Who is the person dispensing the apparent wisdom and what relation do you have with them? If I know little about you and what you value, there is little chance that I am going to absorb any thoughts you throw my way.

2)     What is the person communicating and what are they really asking you to do? Most advice I have heard has a variety of subtle messages; but the real question becomes what action is another human asking us to take? It is vital we understand this or we risk embarking on an irreversible and greasy slope that may deliver grave risk to us.

3)     What is the potential payoff of the advice and what will it mean for me? It is so important to place a value on what is being likely said to you, and the strength of a moral compass can dictate where it truly fits into our lives.

Be wary of that old phrase that seems to be ageless: “If I were you…..I would consider.” Guess what? You aren’t me, I am perfectly imperfect, and am certain on some level that I can seek out trusted advice on my own without too much assistance.

The 15th century British philosopher, Robert Burton, said “Who cannot give good counsel? Tis cheap, it costs them nothing.”

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post Advice Is a Greasy Slope appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

Few things are more important in life than momentum.

Its significance is often misunderstood and surely understated; yet essential to achieving personal and business success that is purposeful.

Momentum is derived from the Latin word movere meaning to move. It is the”impetus and driving force gained by the development of a process or course of events.” The task for all of us is establishing some momentum in our personal and business lives that provides a platform resulting in success and room for growth.

All too often in our lives we are subjected to metrics that gauge results. I urge all of you to reject this notion on some level. The path to personal and business success goes through momentum.

Like the physics chart depicting mass and velocity, momentum is comprised of two key components: psychological and functional.

1) Psychological- momentum cannot occur without enthusiasm and the right blend of octane in one’s tank. Being positive and enthusiastic provides the correct framework to making things happen. As my late father use to say, “Fly high soaring, fly low boring.”

2) Functional- we often hear how important goal setting is. While a fan of this on some level, I believe it all too easy to plan ahead rather than focusing on what matters today. Set goals with standards that are high. Do at least one thing each day that has substantial personal or business value and you have established momentum.

Gratitude is so important to keeping momentum going. Gratitude is acceptance of help, willingness to help others, and a key component to establishing selfless conduct.

Thankfulness helps cement momentum and a key to effective human interaction. Thankfulness promotes respect, consideration, and courtesy paving the way for new dialogue. New dialogue creates fresh opportunities.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post Why Momentum Really Matters appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.

The way to a purposeful and happy life is finding the proper ethical keys.

More meaningful doors are opened to us when are ethical keys are visible and consistently in daily play.

Where do our ethical keys come from? They come from our moral compasses that drive daily actions and decision making.

It’s not hard to look around and spot individuals who seem to be grounded in their values; they make it a point to consciously not stand out and be seen. As a result they are the ones we most respect and wish to emulate.

The following short list represents some of the most important ethical keys required to achieve personal and business success:

1) The gratitude key- this one represents acknowledgement of other people who have proactively assisted us to improve ourselves. Gratitude is acceptance of help, willingness to help others, and a key component to establishing selfless conduct.

2) The thankful key- this one represents a desire to sincerely thank others for the most simple acts in human interaction. Thankfulness promotes respect, consideration, and courtesy paving the way for new dialogue. New dialogue creates fresh opportunities.

3) The humility key- this one represents self-realization of who we are, where we are, and what we stand for. It derives from gratitude and thankfulness resulting in our moral compasses tilting toward ethical conduct.

Think of these three keys as a powerful triangle. Each line is strong and attached to the others resulting in symmetrical balance.

When they are operating it is a road map for a purposeful journey.

My friends please remember this: respect, consideration, and courtesy matter a lot. Treat others fairly, decently, and equally.

Build your moral compasses carefully and always monitor them daily.

You know the battle cry: do your best each day. No one can ask more or less from any of us.

All the best/blessings, Mark

The post Finding Our Ethical Keys appeared first on Business Ethics and Leadership Coaching with Mark Faris.