新世纪大学英语综合教程2课.docx

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1、新世纪大学英语综合教程2课Why Character Counts Stephen R. Covey 1) Some time ago I was asked to consult for a bank that was having a problem with employee morale. I dont know whats wrong, complained their young president sadly. Bright and attractively capable, hed risen through the ranks only to see his institut

2、ion faltering. Productivity and profits were down. He blamed his employees. No matter what incentives I provide, he said, they wont shake off this gloom and doom. 2) He was right. The atmosphere seemed poisonedwith suspicion and lack of trust. For two months I ran workshops, but nothing helped. I wa

3、s stumped. 3) Finally, in more casualconversations, the truth emerged. The boss, who was married, was having an affair with an employee. And everyone knew it. 4) It wasobvious now that the companys poor performance was caused by his conduct. But the greatest damage this man was doing was to himself.

4、 He was thinking only of his own pleasure and satisfaction disregarding long-term consequences. Moreover, he had violated a sacredtrust with his wife. 5) In a word, his failing was one of character. What Really Matters 6) Character is made up of those principles and values that give your life direct

5、ion, meaning and depth. These constitute your inner sense of whats right and wrong based not on laws or rules of conduct but on who you are. 7) They include such traits as integrity, honesty, courage, fairness and generosity which arise from the hard choices we have to make in life. So, wrong is sim

6、ply in doing wrong, not in getting caught. 8) Yet some people wonder if our inner values matter anymore. After all, hasnt our noted bank executive succeeded in every visible way, despite his moral failing? 9) This question demonstrates a dilemma of our modern life. Many have come to believe that the

7、 only things we need for success aretalent, energy and personality. But history has taught us that who we are is more important than who we appear to be. 10) During the nations first century and a half, almost everything in the literature of success and self-help focused on what could be called the

8、character ethic. Such eminent figures as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson made clear their belief that we can only experience true success and happiness by making character the guideline of our lives. 11) After we moved into the industrial age and after World War I, the basic view of success s

9、hifted to what we could call the personality ethic. Success became more a function of charm, skills and techniques that lubricate the process of human interaction. Rather than struggle with difficult issues of right and wrong, we turned to making things run smoothly. 12) Some of that philosophy expr

10、essed itself with harmless but superficial mottoes, such as smiling wins more friends than frowning. Other ideas were even deceptive, faking interest in others hobbies so they will like you, for instance. 13) With a value system based solely on skill and personality, we find heroes in athletes, musi

11、cians and in powerful business executives. But despite the admiration we feel for these achievers, we shouldnt necessarily look upon them as role models. While skill is certainly needed for success, it can never guarantee happiness and fulfillment. These come from developing character. Start at Home

12、 14) You can begin to build character at any age. The key is learning how to look within to work inside out. 15) With the inside-out approach, private victories precede public victories. These private victories are simply promises you make to yourself and others and then keep. 16) Day by day, as you

13、 make and keep increasingly challenging promises, you will be making deposits in your character account. What begins as great effort will eventually become a habit. And as you get into the habit of building character in the smaller areas of your life, your ability to develop character strength in mo

14、re important spheres will grow. 17) Private victories therefore lead to your larger public victories. For instance, to gain more freedom to think and act in your job, you must first be a more responsibleemployee. To create a happy marriage, first be the kind of person who generates love, generosity,

15、 dependability and trust. 18) Theres no more essential ingredient for character growth than trust. Whether it is trust we earn from colleagues or a spouse, it is built slowlyover time in an infinite variety of circumstances. 19) Another way to build character is to admit your mistakes. Character is

16、revealed in how we handle things that go wrong. 20) The best opportunities to build character, however, are within our families, where we are constantly tested and most vulnerable to lapses. True character begins at home. 21) Often we sense that we can get away with things around those who know us b

17、est, who will love us regardless of our conduct. This can end up destroying our character and our relationships. How often have we heard of someone who is an excellent employee but treats his or her spouse like a piece of furniture? 22) All our relationships follow the patterns of life; they have up

18、s and downs. This is why our families provide a critical measure of our character and the opportunity, again and again, to nurture it. 23) What became of the bank president who was involved sexually with an employee? When I confided to him what I knew of his affair and the effect it was having on hi

19、s staff, he ran his fingers through his hair. I dont know where to begin, he said. 24) Is it over? 25) He looked me directly in the eye. Yes. Absolutely. 26) Then begin by talking with your wife, I answered. 27) He told his wife, who forgave him. Then he called a meeting of his staff and addressed t

20、heir morale problem. I have found the cause of the problem, he said. It is me. I am asking you to give me another chance. 28) It took time, but eventually the employees morale, a sense of openness, optimism and trust improved. In the end, however, the executive was doing himself the greatest favor. He was finding his own path to character.