Malcolm GauldTo paraphrase John Lennon, “Cancer is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I guess it’s what also happens while you’re writing other blogs. Now I’ve got two of ’em, and lately I’ve been pretty focused on the other one. It’s a Substack blog/newsletter called Catheters with Balloons, and you are welcome to subscribe for free: https://catheterswithballoons.substack.com/
But switching back to this Thoughts on Character blog, the opening line from a 1991 Van Morrison song — “I’m Not Feeling it Anymore” — pops into my head: “Have to get back, have to get back the base.” Although I have had a number of bases throughout my life, one has been with me since 1968:
Ever since my Hyde student days, these 5 Words have been my True North. When it comes to living up to them, I remain a work in progress, and sometimes I have to make like “Van the Man” and “get back the base.”
Back in my school days at Hyde, I don’t recall the faculty trying to impose specific definitions of these words on us, but I definitely recall them talking about them: All. The. Time. I also recall them sprinkled throughout the humor of the school, sometimes in an irreverent manner, but I have come to appreciate that phenomenon as critical to maintaining a strong culture. Humor enables buy-in, especially by allowing the rebel — Read: The Majority of Teenagers! — to surrender reluctantly.
These days, we’ve added some explanation to the words, a sentence for each one:
Over the years, I’ve picked up some quotes and lessons that have helped me keep “the base” close to the forefront of my consciousness. Thought I’d serve up a few here.
COURAGE
I have long said, “It all starts with Courage.” There’s a reason why this word shows up first on “the shield.” I’m also all in with Nelson Mandela: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”
After 70 fairly secular years, I have recently become a man of prayer, twice daily, in fact. My morning prayer includes the Serenity Prayer. It helped me get sober 41 years ago and keeps me serene today. I try to focus on the three qualities it highlights –Acceptance, Wisdom, and Courage — and then keep that focus throughout the day.
INTEGRITY
Honesty is critical, but by itself, we’re left with words, often apologetic ones. Integrity kicks things up a notch with the inclusion of actions in the mix, putting what we do on equal par with what we say.
LEADERSHIP
For years, I have started each month with two quotes at the top of my desk calendar.
“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” – Warren Bennis (1925-2014)
Warren was a — if not THE — pioneer in the field of leadership studies with distinguished tenures at MIT and Southern Cal as well as U Cincinnati where he served as President. He was also the father of Hyde alum Will Bennis ’87. When I wrote College Success Guaranteed (2011), I asked Warren if he would review the final manuscript. He not only did so, he invited me out to his Santa Monica home to discuss it at length. Will never forget that meeting with him.
“Leadership is a behavior, not a position.” – Pearl Kane (1940-2019)
Pearl was the longtime director of The Klingenstein Program at Teacher’s College, Columbia University where I was honored to study as a Visiting Fellow in 1995. I have since remained eternally grateful and proud to have been mentored by Pearl. (When I would visit her at her Columbia office in the years following that fellowship, she would sometimes stand, grab her coat, and exclaim, “Don’t sit down, I haven’t had my walk yet.” So, we’d stroll campus together, walking and talking. Cherished those times!)
CURIOSITY
“I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity… an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all, compassion.” – Kurt Hahn (1886-1974)
Hahn was a German educator credited with founding the Outward Bound schools.
I have always loved that adjective “enterprising” preceding the word “curiosity.” Hey, ask a question in class and I’ll give you points for curiosity. However, go out there and find the answer… that’s enterprising curiosity.
CONCERN
Although Hahn’s point about compassion gets at Concern, I have also long been inspired by a single sentence from Horace Mann (1796-1859), a hero to this history teacher, who concluded his tenure as president of Antioch College with this message to his graduating class: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”
If I ever win the Power Ball lottery, I will do what Milton Hershey did with his money. If there is ever a Hall of Fame for those who creatively combine capitalism with philanthropy, his founding of the school that bears his name would make Hershey a shoe-in first-ballot inductee. Here are two quotes from him that help me with Concern:
1. “It isn’t what you leave your children but how you leave them.”
2. “One is only happy in proportion as he makes others feel happy.”
Onward, Malcolm
