Business Ethics - Discretion

As an independent business owner, ethics are extremely important to me. Their importance is one of the reasons I joined the Southwest Character Council. Other reasons include accountability and the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals. One, final reason is the monthly character spotlight; every month, the Council examines a particular characteristic in detail.

This month, the characteristic is discretion. According to Webster, discretion is "the quality of being discreet." That definition is a little lackluster, unless you know the meaning of "discreet." The word "discreet" is an adjective and refers to someone who shows "good judgment in conduct and especially in speech." Ah, now we're getting somewhere.

The Southwest Character Council also focuses on the importance of being discreet in one's speech; they state that discretion "is recognizing and avoiding words, actions, and attitudes that could result in undesirable consequences." The opposite of discretion is recklessness, a lack of self-control and a refusal to guard one's tongue. The inevitable result of recklessness is obvious; we all have heard Vice-President Biden's "foot-in-the-mouth" news clips. That example is somewhat humorous, but I am sure we all have experienced times when we should have controlled our tongues better. What were the results of losing control? In some instances, it has hurt a family member. In others, it has meant the loss of reputation or, possibly, work.

Hello, February!

I can't believe that it's the first day of February. It seems as though it should still be December. I ask you, "Where did January go?" The truth is, the month went by in a blur of work, interviews, Bible study, and hanging out with mis amigos. I'm sure I wasted a good amount of my time as well, which is an area in my life that I'm addressing. This month, I want to be more aware of how I'm spending my time. I'm not saying that we can't have a lazy day once and again; I do know that we all need days where we chill. After all, we wouldn't be able to function without a day of rest (which is why God created the Sabbath). Yesterday is the perfect example of "rest": I went to church, which was followed by lunch (more about the restaurant later - delicious!) and a visit to the art museum with one of my girlfriends, and more fellowship (several hours, actually) with her and another friend. If I could make a comparison, it was a sort of spa treatment for the soul. Lol.

Ephesians 5: 15-7 (NAS) tells us, "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." I want to challenge myself and you to evaluate how we're spending our time. Are we wasting our time with idle thoughts? Are we constantly busy? Neither way of spending time is correct; we need to have balance - enough work and enough rest - so that we can walk wisely, making the most of our time.