Wednesday; August 19

           The other day I was looking at some quotes about leadership and came across something intriguing attributed to Warren Buffet.  According to this article, the very successful businessman observed, “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities:  integrity, intelligence and energy.  And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”.  I really like Buffet’s commitment to hiring people of integrity, but I believe that this quote goes deeper than a search for good employees, I think it also applies to making good friends.  When we choose our friends and influential acquaintances, what do we look for?  Do we want to hang out with people who will buy us stuff?  Do we want to be around people who make us feel good about ourselves?  Do we seek out those who agree with us all the time?  As we evaluate our relationships – especially our close relationships – we need to consider the big picture of how they will influence us.  Are they good people?  Are they smart enough to keep us mentally stimulated or even teach us things we don’t know?  Does their zeal for life provide a positive charge to us? 

          It is tempting to choose our friends mainly by those who are willing to hang out with us, but since personal influence is such an important part of our lives, let’s make conscious, purposeful choices in our closest friendships.  Sure, we can be affable people who try to get along with everyone, but when it comes to allowing others to influence us, let’s make good choices based upon the best foreseeable outcomes.

         Think About It!

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