PRIMARY NAVIGATION ZONES
INTRO
REPORT
MAGAZINE
PROFILES
RADIO
MART
ASSIST
MAGAZINE navigation:
INFO
ISSUES
AUTHORS
SEARCH
Currently viewing:
Issue 2 > Be a class act.

Be a class act.

Priscilla Chan explores the merits of quality & integrity.

Influenced by Takuni's 'The Rule of 5', I took Jack Canfield's 'The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be' (from which Principle #55 'be a class act' caught my eyes, and touched my heart).

Remember the 'Chicken Soup of the Soul' series (created by Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen)? In 'The Success Principles' Canfield (this time, together with Janet Switzer) shares a total of 64 'success principles' in great detail. My favorites include:

  • Decide what you want (#3).
  • Act in spite of fear (#15).
  • Practice the rule of five (#23).
  • Transcend your limiting beliefs (#33).
  • Stay focused on your core genius (#39).
  • When in doubt, check it out (#52).
  • Be a class act (#55).
  • You get what you focus on (#57).

Indeed, from time to time I would pull the book out to re-read a chapter or two—especially when I'm in some kind of situation and don't know yet what to do. There's always some good advice. Today, 'be a class act' caught my eyes again.

In every society, there are 'human benchmarks'—certain individuals whose behavior becomes a model for everyone else—shining examples that others admire and emulate. We call these individuals 'class acts'.

Dan Sullivan, The Strategic Coach.

According to Sullivan, the characteristics of a 'class act' are:

  • Live by your own highest standards.
  • Maintain dignity and grace under pressure—this includes: imperturbability in the face of chaos; calmness that gives courage; a quality of certainty.
  • Focus and improve the behavior of others.
  • Operate from a larger inclusive perspective (have a deeper understanding and compassion for the humanity of others).
  • Increase the quality of every experience.
  • Counteract meanness, pettiness and vulgarity (by courtesy, respect, appreciation, gratitude and generosity of spirit).
  • Take responsibility for actions and results.
  • Strengthen the integrity of all situations.
  • Expand the meaning of being human.
  • Increase the confidence and capabilities of others.

Sounds commonsensical (but demanding)? Maybe. What is essential is always very basic—but basic doesn't mean easy. There could be a huge gap between knowledge and action.

And, I do believe that what goes around comes around. We gain trust, when we live with integrity. We are respected, when we respect others (and ourselves). We are loved, when we send out love.

  next page »

Page  1  |  2  | all pages

« PREVIOUS ARTICLE  NEXT ARTICLE »

ISSUE 2 CONTENTS »

Currently viewing:
MAGAZINE > issues > 2 > Be a class act.

You're viewing the un-styled version of this site in which the content is displayed without the design structure. This may be because your browser doesn't support the Web Standards for which this site is designed.
Please consider upgrading to a more modern browser—we support Internet Explorer 6.x and newer, Firefox and Safari; other browsers may or may not work.

[For your convenience, in modern browsers this print-version of the webpage should have links underlined and show the destination URL in brackets.]