Just a quick thought today. I am excited that so many young African American professionals are striving to start their own businesses, have their sights on the top executive suites in business, government, entertainment and industry. But like the old-timers in my hometown of Princeton, NJ used to tell me, one of the most important qualities you can have as a successful professional is a good name.
Many people have attended great universities, hold influential titles and positions, live in prestigious neighborhoods, drive luxury cars, have all the new technical toys, and a large national and even global following, but none of these should ever be confused with having a good name.
The professional world has a lot of so called executive "stars," but offline many rarely lives up to the hype, deliver very little besides slick talk and a well sculpted image, their word is not their bond, they often can not shake your hand and look you square in the eye.
Like many of you I enjoyed the concepts and strategies presented in the book Good to Great, written by Jim Collins. The problem is that many professionals, regardless of their color, want to jump a critical step and be Great, without first achieving the more fundamental accomplishment of being Good.
Coach Herman Edwards of the NFL's Kansas City Chief's, once mentioned in a television interview that when he was a boy his father once shared the penetrating words of wisdom, "I don't have a lot to give you son but a good name, what you do with it is up to you."
Do you have a "good name", is your credit good with other people, whether it is measured in financial, personal, professional or even spiritual capital? The world has enough slick professionals, some of us need to go back to the basics and realize the value of having a good name.
Let us know what you think.
Kim R. Wells
1 comment:
Absolutely. Always keeping your word is not only the right thing to do it will bring you opportunities that would not exist if you didn't. This is fact.
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