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    According to Thomas Aquinas, temperance governs the passions. This understanding of temperance comes from the Greek word sophrosyne or enkrateia, which simply means moderation. When we are temperate, we master our urges and desires and resist extreme behavior by using self-control and discipline. We train ourselves to do better and be better.

    One of the goals of temperance is to create balance in our life—what the Greeks called the "middle way." In the classic Greek myth, Icarus is the epitome of intemperate—when he flies toward the sun, his wings of wax melt, and he plummets to his death. His father, Daedalus, on the other hand, flies the middle way and stays safely out of trouble. No matter our situation, we can identify the extremes and locate the mean between them.

    It is not possible for us to always live a perfectly balanced life. Temperance simply asks us to make the right decisions and to do the best we can at any given point in time. Like wisdom, temperance converts self-awareness into action through discipline. Both temperance and wisdom are means rather than ends. Importantly, insight does not always lead to action. Even when I know I should move more and eat less, I don’t.

    How we spend our time and who we spend our time with matters. There is a strong relationship between stress and our interactions. People can literally make us sick or well. Exposure to chronic social stress for extended periods increases susceptibility to catching a cold. When we participate in supportive social networks, we enhance our immune system and resist disease.

    To dive deeper into the virtues, read the book Exception to the Rule.
    Back Temperance

    Goal

    Set a goal that matters to you. Make it both hard and realistic to achieve.

    Effort

    Devote your full concentration to the effort of working toward your goal.

    Coach

    Seek feedback from someone you know, like, and trust.

    Reflect, Refine, Repeat

    Virtue is more likely to become a habit when practiced regularly as part of striving for your goals.

    After reading the content on this page, click on each of the stories and articles below to dive deeper into your Temperance journey. Stories are teaching tools to help make sense of our experiences. They are among the most powerful influencers of culture and conduct. Articles provide convincing facts and information.


    Choose one or more stories or articles to share and discuss with your team.


    When you are finished here, move on to the next page to discover helpful individual and team activities.

    Goal

    Set a goal that matters to you. Make it both hard and realistic to achieve.

    Effort

    Devote your full concentration to the effort of working toward your goal.

    Coach

    Seek feedback from someone you know, like, and trust.

    Reflect, Refine, Repeat

    Virtue is more likely to become a habit when practiced regularly as part of striving for your goals.

    Example 1

    I remember working on one of the biggest projects this division had ever embarked on. There were multiple challenges relating to design and manufacturing and to make things really interesting; the competition said it couldn't be done. But we had this vision and were passionate about the product and were not to be discouraged. After long hours at the office and the encouragement and support of my supervisor, we were able design, patent and produce a high-volume component that was very lucrative for the division. Management was very appreciative of the work performed and gave plaques and other forms of recognition.

    Example 2

    The safety engineering team has been consistently voicing proper protection equipment when on the shop floor. As I had witnessed on one occasion, vendors would be out of uniform while servicing our plant, yet the safety team would still be there to ensure safety. A big plus that they have not become complacent.

    Example 1

    During a major acquisition and integration, our Group President was extremely respectful to me and the whole team. As a new employee to Parker, the Group President went out of his way to spend time with me. I was lucky enough to be located near his office. This gave me the ability to go to his office in person and do division reviews and other meetings typically held over the phone. He always took time after these meetings to talk to me and get to know me. Best of all he would mentor me and try and pass on his years of experience as a GM. I will always be grateful for this experience.

    He showed a neverending love for Parker and what it stood for. During his subsequent illness, he never complained and came to work every day no matter how bad he felt. The way he handled himself throughout this period inspired others to work harder and fight harder for what they wanted and believed in. He had extreme respect for his senior leadership. Even when he did not agree with their direction, once it was decided, he was 100% supportive of the decision and never looked back.

    Example 2

    Early in my career I worked for the General Manager at a non-U.S division. His leadership style was not always easy. He pushed the team through constructive confrontation, by challenging your opinion, yet also provided recognition and rewards. As I began attending staff meetings he took the time to meet with me afterwards and coach me on how I could learn to participate more actively and deal with opposing viewpoints.

    At the time he was very focused on technology needs for the division. Whether it was implementing new software to run in the office, introducing new technology to the sales team or building a stronger growth plan based on data mining and reporting, he encouraged all of the staff to get involved and empowered us to take on new challenges that required new skill sets. I had the opportunity to lead a team in the development of what would be our Data Warehouse on a SQL server. The access to all of our division data electronically revolutionized our ability to understand the business and start doing strong data based marketing growth plans. His vision and support made that happen.

    Example 1

    I remember working on one of the biggest projects this division had ever embarked on. There were multiple challenges relating to design and manufacturing and to make things really interesting; the competition said it couldn’t be done. But we had this vision and were passionate about the product and were not to be discouraged. After long hours at the office and the encouragement and support of my supervisor, we were able design, patent and produce a high-volume component that was very lucrative for the division. Management was very appreciative of the work performed and gave plaques and other forms of recognition.

    Example 2

    The safety engineering team has been consistently voicing proper protection equipment when on the shop floor. As I had witnessed on one occasion, vendors would be out of uniform while servicing our plant, yet the safety team would still be there to ensure safety. A big plus that they have not become complacent.

    What is the Strength-Based Leadership Survey and how does it work?

    The Strength-Based Leadership Survey is designed to improve your performance. There is clear evidence that as your character (who you are) strengthens, you get better at what you do.

    By providing input on your own character and assessing the feedback given to you by your colleagues, family, and friends, you will begin a journey of self-discovery and practice, which will build character and amplify performance in all areas of your life.

    What is a “Rater” and why is feedback important?

    People you know, like, and trust will be referred to as “Raters.” These are people who have your best interests at heart. This can include family, friends, teammates, bosses, colleagues, etc. These are the people who can confirm or help you confirm or gain new insights on how your strengths can enhance your performance. We all have blind spots, and asking for feedback from a trusted group of colleagues, family, and friends can lead to powerful insights and positive actions.

    What will you learn by using the survey?

    You will receive scores that compare how you rated yourself on each virtue and how others evaluated you. This information provides you with a way to evaluate how closely your self-image matches the image others have of you.

    What is the value of stories?

    In the survey you and your raters will be asked to share stories about your greatest character strengths organized by virtue.

    Stories are an entry point to understand how others see us and how we see ourselves. Stories have the power to transform us because they give us insights to see the world in a different way. Stories are also an effective learning tool. They can strengthen our relationships with others, forge new insights, and motivate us to change and grow.

    What is the Strength-Based Culture Survey?

    This Strength-Based Culture Profile is designed to identify your culture’s character strengths defined by seven classical virtues (Trust, Compassion, Courage, Justice, Wisdom, Temperance, and Hope). It will also help assess engagement levels and discover and understand the culture as experienced by members of the team. There is clear evidence that virtue increases engagement, teamwork, and collaboration.

    What will you learn by using the Survey?

    This Strength-Based Culture Profile will help you answer the following questions about the team culture:

    • Do members of your team feel they belong?
    • Do team members believe they matter?
    • Do team members feel they make a difference?
    • How is virtue working well in your culture?
    • How can you further strengthen and broaden the adaptive muscles of your culture?
    • Are the virtues of your team hidden in plain sight?

    How will we use the results included in the Culture Profile?

    Exploring the information included in the Culture Profile is an important first step in helping the team identify and understand the strengths that exist and find opportunities to grow together.

    What is the value of stories?

    In the survey you and your team will be asked to share stories about the team’s greatest character strengths organized by virtue.

    Stories are an entry point to understand how we see ourselves. Stories have the power to transform us because they give us insights to see the world in a different way. Stories are also an effective learning tool. They can strengthen our relationships with others, forge new insights, and motivate us to change and grow.