By: Lori McMullin, APR
Director of Business Operations & CommunicationsCenter for Business Excellence
Like many around the nation, I watched the inauguration a few weeks
ago. There were many eloquent
individuals; a poet, star-powered singers and the wife of a slain civil rights
leader, to name a few.
The takeaway I remember most was a mantra of sorts quoted by Senator
Lamar Alexander as he set the tone for Vice President Biden’s and President
Obama’s swearing in. Alexander quoted
the six simple words author Alex Haley, most notably known for “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,”
lived by. These words were, “Find the good and praise it.”
This philosophy can start with simple things. Like, the time when I came
home to find my husband had taken the thawed ground turkey meat and made a
pasta dish instead of leaving it for me to make the intended turkey burgers. The major upshot was he made dinner! Yes!
Or, maybe, some details on a work project are not managed by my staff
the way I would, but the end- result is still outstanding. Instead of possibly being annoyed, I should
celebrate the fact that I didn’t have to do everything! Get my point?
To me, find the good and praise it means, “Stop being overly critical
and holding others to unrealistic levels.
Check out their perspectives.”
Otherwise, we miss out on a lot of great things and, quite honestly,
build up unnecessary toxicity.
Now, you must decide what these words mean to you. To help on this journey, here’s an excellent video clip I discovered on
how to find the good in others.
Our kids need more of this type of praise. We all have to find more opportunities to put this in practice. Often we miss the prime opportunities staring us in the face. We all have to make a more conscientious effort. We as adults do need to feel these six words. We can start with our co-workers we see every day and our immediate family.
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