Arms sales
Some big retailers have curbed sales of assault weapons, but others are sticking to their guns.
Psst. How ya living? Living a life of character and integrity isn’t so much about doing the right thing or wrong thing, but living right.
So says Rick Rigsby, renowned author and motivational speaker who keynoted the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium’s annual awards luncheon last week at the Jim Thorpe Events Center. Some 400 attended.
“Don’t judge. Show up early. Be kind. It’s never wrong to do the right thing.”
The insights were among the wisdom shared by Rigsby, 62, an ordained minister and former TV journalist who, at Texas A&M University, taught communications and mentored the Aggies’ football team. He is the author of the book “Lessons from a Third Grade Dropout,” which is based on successful behaviors modeled by his father, who left school in the third grade to work on his family’s farm in Texas, and his mother, who grew up in Okmulgee.
Rigsby last Wednesday invited attendees to remember their grandparents, who undoubtedly never rushed and were never in a hurry, yet were never late.
He was right on target about mine. I could count on both sets of grandparents showing up at 9:30 a.m. sharp Christmas
morning every year at my house in Midwest City. I fondly remember standing at my front door eagerly watching for them.
Conversely, today, there’s a drought in character and integrity, Rigsby said. Our “shallow, superficial workplaces” include leaders who don’t listen, distracted employees, and people who, through wardrobes and neighborhoods, are too concerned with trying to impress others and how they look.
After serving in World War II, and embracing integration, Rigsby’s dad moved from Texas to California, where he worked 30 years as a cook for the California Maritime Academy, leaving the home at 3:45 a.m. to arrive at work at 4 a.m. for his 5 a.m. shift.
“It’s better to be one hour early than one minute late,” Rigsby’s dad taught him and his brother, impressing on them that they should value those they serve above themselves.
“If you don’t inconvenience yourself everyday, you’re not a leader,” Rigsby said. “Your goal should be to make an impact at every level, and to be better today than you were yesterday. It’s the best way to grow your influence.”
You’ll never impact people if you make it all about you, Rigsby stressed.
Among other things, leaders need to say what’s on their minds, build trust and micromanage less. Oftentimes, it’s more about what not to do as leaders than what to do, he said.
Based on employee appreciation surveys, leaders — above all — need to be forward-thinking, decisive and the opposite of self-righteous, he said.
The biggest takeaway, for me, from Rigsby’s speech is this:
How you do anything is how you do everything. So true.