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Introduction to Character
(Middle and High School)

Purpose: To introduce my students to this year’s character program and to motivate them to see  the incredible value of developing positive character. 

INTRODUCTION

Let’s do a little activity that may help us see the importance of learning something in school beyond the academics.

ACTIVITY

1) Ask students to finish this sentence, in writing, in several ways: "I hate it when people..." (Suggest: think of your relationships with brothers and sisters, parents, teachers, fellow students, people at work.)

Examples: “I hate it when people…

·         talk about me behind my back.

·         laugh at me.

·         push me in the hall.

·         boss me around.

·         distract me in class.

2) After a couple of minutes, have students share their answers out loud as
you or a student puts answers on the board/overhead. (Or, if they're
reluctant to share, have them turn their answers in so that you can read each
anonymously.)

3) Reflections. Say to the class, "This is what bothers you about other people. Now
let's turn it around. What you've just defined is what you don't want to be.
In other words, "Don't act toward others the way you don't want them to act
towards you." Does that make sense?

Do you think if you act these ways that it could affect your  future success in your business? With your life-mate? With your friends?"

4) Connect the traits with character:

I'd suggest that these bothersome traits are typically character flaws.
Maybe not all, but most. Let's see.

(Now, put up a list of character traits on the other side of the board and
let the students help to connect each irritating trait to a character trait. See list of traits at the bottom of this lesson.)

So, character education should help us with, at the very least, is to keep us from
being irritating jerks. If you come out of this school with top grades, but
you're an irritating jerk, you'll have trouble landing and keeping a job,
keeping your marriage together, keeping friends. Here are some quotes to
support this:

WHAT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE SAYING

(Show on PowerPoint or an overhead, one after another, quotes on the importance of
character.)

First, a quote from Warren Buffett, America's most successful investor, and one of the greatest business minds our country has produced. Here’s what he advises on choosing a business partner. As I read, raise your hand when you think he’s talking about a character trait. Buffett said, (parentheses are mine)

''I think you'll probably start looking for the person that you can always depend on (that’s faithfulness); the person whose ego does not get in his way (that’s humility); the person who's perfectly willing to let someone else take the credit for an idea as long as it worked (again, humility); the person who essentially won't let you down (that’s trustworthiness), who thought straight as opposed to brilliantly (that’s wisdom).'' (Quoted by Andrew Kilpatrick in ''Of Permanent Value'')

So, what’s Buffett saying about who you want to hire for your business? (You want people of character, not just degrees and skills.) And what does that tell us about our ability to get hired by top businesses? (We need to have a record of good character.)

And here’s one of the reasons Buffett says character is so important:

''Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you.'' (Warren Buffett, who became the 2nd wealthiest man in the USA by understanding and investing in great companies. From Omaha World Herald, February 1, 1994)

What do you think he means by that second statement? (If you’ve got a person with lots of energy, but flawed character, he’ll find a way to rob you blind and perhaps destroy the company. That’s what happened with Enron. Plenty of energy. Low on integrity.)

Here’s what Jim Collins, author of the popular business book Good to Great, says about companies that went from being good to great:

"The good-to-great companies placed greater weight on character attributes than on specific educational background, practical skills, specialized knowledge, or work experience." — Jim Collins, Good to Great

What does that tell you about success in business? (Put an emphasis on character if you want to be successful.)

Here’s another quote:

According to studies, "even in such technical lines as engineering, about 15 percent of one's financial success is due to one's technical knowledge and about 85 percent is due to skill in human engineering - to personality and the ability to lead people." (Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People, p. xiv)

Who can put that in your own words? What does that have to do with character?

And a final quote, this one by John D. Rockefeller , the world’s first billionaire and most successful businessman of his time:

"the ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee. And I will pay more for that ability than any other under the sun." (Ibid.)

According to this quote, what should you be working on if you want to get a good-paying job?

CONCLUSION

If we just teach you academics, but don't address the character issue,
we've not prepared you for a successful future. That's why we talk about
character around here. Think about these traits this week, and let's all
try to keep from coming across like irritating jerks.

Appendix: List of Character Traits