We are limited by three things in life:
1- The knowledge, understanding, wisdom and skill we possess in our minds.
2- The principles upon which we build our lives and make our decisions.
3- The net worth of our character, which is what we do and say, which is rooted on our integrity, which is who we are.

To determine our net worth, we must build the asset character traits and eliminate the liability character traits.
On a regular basis, I will begin posting a short overview of asset and liability character traits for your review. Email me and let me know what you think.

Alertness versus Carelessness

Alertness: A Job WELL Done

Alertness is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as:
1- the quality of being alert; paying close and continuous attention
2- being watchful and prompt to quickness in observing and acting;
3- briskness, activity, nimbleness.

The word is formed from “alert”, which comes from the Italian “all’erta” (on the watch, on the height; 1618)

While at work, it is easy to simply go through the motions, particularly if the job entails menial repetition. However, the quality of that work will not be as valuable to an employer as the work done by an alert employee.

You are not a machine, machines cannot reason, solve problems, or create without human imagination. Being alert at work means that your focus is on the task at hand, and the majority of your mental capacity is focused on the completion of your to-do list.

What is the difference between the work of an alert employee and the average employee?
The difference is the end result.

The alert employee can:
1- evaluate the work process, seeking better ways of doing things.
2- can effectively communicate what needs to be done to others.
3- hear instructions, understand and follows through effectively

Is it possible to be productive and delivering what your supervisor requests if you are not alert enough to read an email thoroughly? What about calling someone if you have questions, and asking good questions? These are all things that require extra effort on the part of the employee, but will be sure to make you an invaluable coworker.

In essence, the alert employee gets things done, and can help others to do them better.
This person is obviously an asset to any company.

Carelessness: A Job Poorly Done

In an age where precision is expected from nearly everything, whether it is the new Blackberry that your company bought or smart weapons deployed in war zones, there are people still stuck in the rut of mediocrity.

In fact, you probably work with them. It is easy to picture carelessness at work. Perhaps a coworker prints a 700 page report and fails to refill the printer with paper? Maybe you can think back to an email to a client that had a major spelling error?

Professionalism and alertness are obvious antonyms to carelessness.

Specifically, the detriments to being careless at work include the following:
1- Taking sufficient care; negligent; a careless security guard
2- Lack of forethought or thoroughness; a careless mistake
3- Lack of consideration; a careless or thoughtless remark
4- Indifferent or heedless; careless of the consequences

Carelessness leads to accidents, theft, and sloppiness because there is not an adequate attention to detail given to the assignments. (28% of Americans are careless with reciepts.” Paymentech Study 2002)

In addition, products may be presented haphazardly making clients less likely to commit to purchasing something that appears to be supported by a company that employs mediocre workers.

Carelessness leads to distrust amongst co-workers. The fact that someone may not be trusted to follow through/do something right the first time will certainly affect the way you are perceived, especially by supervisors.

Carelessness will limit your success in the workplace. It will damage your character. Employers will not promote someone whom they cannot trust to strive for precision in their assignments, knowing that they will have to have someone edit/redo whatever was assigned. This is how carelessness leads to inefficiency. Having to rework projects a second or third time will decrease the value of the final result because of the resources wasted on sloppy or incomplete work.

All Kingdom significance is gained by an active, recurring pattern of the abiding Word in our lives: Revelation, Inspiration and Application.

1. Revelation: Engaging the truth.
All of life and truth come to us by revelation of the Word. Since the word is alive and powerful, it demands acceptance or rejection. Revelation about blessing is usually accepted with enthusiasm. However, when revelation is about change that will cost us, we sometimes become paralyzed by the price to pay. Engage the Word.

2. Inspiration: Embracing the truth.
Truth will challenge our citadels of thought error. It will inspire us to act. Acting on truth usually requires change. Change is actually the constant in life. Only the Word, after a period of abiding, can create change. Embrace the Word.

3. Application: Employing the truth.
Spiritually unemployed: Those who do not employ the truth of life. They know of Jesus, about Jesus, can speak things pertaining to Jesus, but have not employed His Word to work for them. The Word of God employed in our lives will create Kingdom significance.
Employ the Word.

This pattern is true of every aspect of our lives.
True of our marketplace positions. True of our ministry. True of all relationships. With the continuing, repeating pattern of revelation, inspiration, and application active in our lives, we will mature in the Word and be able to do great exploits of significance for the Kingdom of God.

One of my favorite scriptures:  ² Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3John 1:2

“Prosper in all things” means to succeed in business affairs; help on the road; have success in all daily tasks. “Be in health” means to be totally sound and whole. “Even as you soul prospers” means our success is corollary to spirit and soul health. Here we find “balance”, a place of peace and blessing has priorities. To accomplish balance of our trinity nature we must find God’s priorities for our life. Priority is the key to a life of balance. Obtaining and maintaining a life of balance requires putting our trinity in priority. Even though we have three parts and each are important there is a priority that will bring balance…and balance will bring peace.

Great dream, great vision. Great vision, great destiny.  All great visions are birthed from a grand dream. Dream big, bold and beautiful. There are five keys to great dreams. One, you cannot forget it. Two, it is about others. Three, it takes more than you can do by yourself. Four, you cannot let go of your dream. Five, you are willing to die for your dream. When your dream meets these five keys, get ready for the birth of a great vision!

Integrity is who you are at the core of your being. It’s is the real you in the depth of your soul. Character is the fruit of integrity. It ripens into words and actions. A person’s words and actions define their character and reveal their integrity. If you want to know a persons integrity, listen to their words and watch their actions. You will find their character and thus their integrity among the choices of both. In my lifetime, there has not been any capital of culture unscathed by a gross lack of integrity revealed by damaging behavior. Think about the leadership scandals in religion, education, commerce, government, media, entertainment or the arts.

We have a dearth of true leadership today. Leadership built upon true integrity and character. I call it a new name. It is what we really need. It is LeaderTrust.