Magnificent people performing magnificently, at
their best while under a crisis - what values guided their
remarkable problem-solving, conflict resolution, and
behavior choices? These values were first discovered when I
researched the mythology of the Tuskegee Airmen. They were later to
also be found in other very special heroes of peace. Go to my
selected heroes
page for a listing
of the heroes I have researched possessing these qualities.
1.
(Behavior)
Govern yourself by never allowing another’s behavior to
negatively influence your conduct. Your actions are always
your responsibility; they are never another’s fault.
Determine your behavior from your values, from the kind of
person you want to be -- never from how others behave toward
you.
2.
(Change) Encourage
positive change, not through criticism, but through your
continuous achievements of excellence for all to witness.
When criticized by others, offer continual examples of
excellence as your only response.
3.
(Vision) Envision
things as wonderful as they can be, not as they are, and
then strive to create positive change toward these
envisioned goals. All great accomplishments started as a
vision that others could not see.
4.
(Obstacles) Realize that obstacles are not
barriers to your goals, but opportunities for growth and
challenges to enrich your self-confidence by mastering new
skills. A person having reached a goal without overcoming
obstacles has learned nothing and accomplished even less.
Conquered obstacles are the only qualifying credentials of
heroes and a measure of one's commitment and leadership.
5.
(Self-esteem) Enhance one’s self-esteem, not from
the opinions of others, but from the compassionate causes
one has embraced and the perseverance and courage expended
toward their resolve.
6.
(Compassion)
Give simply to increase the amount of goodness in the world
-- often without recognition or reward. Give more to others
than you receive in return, and carefully sustain this
inequity as a distinctive characteristic of your leadership.
7.
(Courage) Honor and
respect fear, for it alone offers you an opportunity to
demonstrate courage.
8.
(Perseverance) Never
give up. Most perceived failures are not failures at all,
but instead successfully completed stepping stones toward a
goal. The only time you can fail is if you quit pursuing
your goals.
9.
(Trust) Honor all
commitments and obligations to everyone. Your pledge should
be as meaningful to a king as to a beggar, for the value of
a commitment is determined from its source, not to whom it
is directed.
10.
(Conflict) While
engaging your adversaries, always maintain their dignity.
This is the only road to lasting peace.
11.
(Character)
Without regard to consequences, courageously fulfill the
obligations of being human by revering all life, defending
the righteous, promoting peace, inspiring compassion,
protecting the environment, spreading joy, and sharing your
assets* with those less fortunate.
12.
(Judging) Observe, but never judge. Seek out the differences in others and then
celebrate them, for such diversity** is the true potpourri
of humanity and will enrich you with the knowledge and
wisdom of the human experience.
13.
(Recognition) Serve enthusiastically as a
spokesperson for the accomplishments and concerns of others.
Attentive leaders crusade for the injustices, issues, ideas,
and achievements of those less able to speak for themselves
and give ample recognition for their origin.
14.
(Values) Uphold
this Value System, especially under adverse conditions, not
to please someone else, but to honor the unfaltering
principles within you, to validate your character as the
type of person you want to be, and to gradually realize the
awesome potential of being human.
*assets =
One’s
strength, capacity to help, capacity to protect, capacity to
defend, and capacity to rescue. One’s abilities, education,
talents, insight, wisdom, labor, knowledge, wealth,
belongings, property, and any similar thing that can be
utilized to bring benefit to another.
**diversity
=
one’s abilities, interests, talents, experiences,
beliefs, customs, culture, points-of-view, rituals,
influences, networks, assets, and any beneficial
characteristic distinguishing one person from another.
Based on the values, conflict-resolution, and
problem-solving abilities of world heroes of peace
