Christine M. Riordan, Ph.D.

A Vote For Integrity

Christine Riordan — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 15:09:13 +0000

Integrity is yet another attribute of extraordinary individuals. Integrity-abiding individuals prove they can be trusted because their inner values never waver, demonstrating that they’re exemplary because of their unshakable ethics and honesty. Some go above and beyond to display their commitment to integrity, even when it’s contrary to their own self-interest.

For instance, Andy Roddick, the No. 1 seed at the Rome Masters in 2008, identified an inbound mark on the clay made by the ball he’d hit. This led to his victory being overturned. Roddick’s ethics were so thoroughgoing that he was willing to risk a loss in order to do the right thing. The beyond-the-call-of-duty honesty made him recognizable as an upstanding individual. Often, individuals with integrity bring that trait to the workplace, making it a richer and more dependable workplace for everyone.

Extraordinary people ultimately win by making the right and, sometimes, difficult decisions. They win because integrity Is the backbone of character and strength.

“An Introduction to Integrity” is the fifth post in a series published around the “Dare To Be Extraordinary” address, shared at the independently organized TED event, TEDx Adelphi University. The preceding pieces are “An Introduction to Extraordinary,” “An Introduction to Passion,” “An Introduction to Courage,” and “An Introduction to Resilience.”

Christine M. Riordan, PhD, is the 10 th president of Adelphi University in New York. Her writing focuses on diversity and inclusion, leadership effectiveness, and career success. Follow her on Twitter at @Chris_M_Riordan.

An Introduction to Courage

Christine Riordan — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 16:05:02 +0000

Courage isn’t easily won, it’s something that one has to fight for; it means coming face-to-face with things that are frightening, things that are outside of normality –and choosing to say yes. It’s easy to feign bravery, but just as easily, we can curl into the fetal position like the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz. However, there are instances when our goals are tested, when people need us the most, and that’s when we demonstrate unknown strength. Like the cowardly lion, we tend to find that we had the courage all along when standing against all odds, proving to be extraordinary.

Extraordinary people are stimulated by the notion of risk-taking, they’re drawn to the idea of stepping out and being bold. Even shy people can be extraordinary, finding the courage to step up in front of thousands. The most unlikely people choose to be NBA players, astronauts, television producers, and CEOs. The decision to take risks and make bold choices is often rewarded.

In the face of overwhelming odds, companies have remained successful. Starbucks, for instance, has done this. One of my favorite books happens to be “Onward: How Starbucks Fought for its Life without Losing its Soul.” It tells the story of the company’s executives, and their journey toward continued success despite the threat of risk, public failure, and personal failure after experiencing a 42 percent stock drop following the onset of the recession.

Rather than give up, Schultz, the chairman, returned as the CEO; he closed stores across the U.S. for 3 ½ hours to retrain baristas; he invited people to email him directly, and immediately received 5,000 emails, and he launched Starbucks’ first national advertising campaign. He raised wages and offered healthcare to employees, he compensated loyal customers with rewards cards; and he did it although no one thought it could be done. He warmly laughed in the face of naysayers, because courage had won. Having faith in one’s own intuition is more important than presiding fear or doubt. Fear and anxiety are normal in challenging situations, but Nelson Mandela said it best, when he stated, “courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”

“An Introduction to Courage” is the third post in a series published around the “Dare To Be Extraordinary” address, shared at the independently organized TED event, TEDx Adelphi University. The preceding pieces are “An Introduction to Extraordinary” and “An Introduction to Passion.”

An Introduction to Passion

Christine Riordan — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 15:23:18 +0000

Passion is an attribute that’s fastened to the tool belt of an extraordinary person. The drive, the interest, and stimulation are essential when building toward something great. When that interest and investment is to be directed toward work, success becomes inevitable. After all, truly extraordinary people are passionate about their work. It’s that zeal and enthusiasm that inspires and motivates colleagues to perform better, to move beyond what’s expected.

While some cynics roll their eyes at the commitment of extraordinary individuals, others will be marked by their nature and dedication. By constantly demonstrating passion through positive behavior, they attract others, pulling them into the belief of winning character and charm.

A friend of mine once shared a story about a camp counselor she had during his youth, an older man who met each person with an identical refrain each morning: “Good morning! It’s a great day to be alive!” Year after year, the man met grumpy demeanor with a smile, and his obvious passion was something to emulate, something to make any business a success.

Any company that exceeds when it comes to customer service obviously possess passion. Not only this, but these companies recognize that passion is imprinted onto customers after customer expectations are met. Also, a wise business will seek out customers who are unsatisfied. They’ll work to exceed expectations, turning the disgruntled into loyal fans. Fundamentally passionate businesses understand that minds can be changed through demonstrations of passion because customers tend to gravitate toward those who practice the art of passion.

“An Introduction to Passion” is the second post in a series published around the “Dare To Be Extraordinary” address, shared at the independently organized TED event, TEDx Adelphi University. The preceding piece is “An introduction to extraordinary.”

An Introduction to Extraordinary

Christine Riordan — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 18:29:13 +0000

Embracing your inherent “extraordinary” nature can be difficult.

If it wasn’t, there would be no conversations around the questioning of confidence and esteem, and there would be no short supply of brazen and bold individuals who are fearless and ready to do something that’s outside of the realm of ordinary. The act of embracing “extraordinary,” daring oneself to be something or do something outside of one’s comfort zone can be revolutionary, it can be remarkable.

Consider what the word extraordinary means: special, exceptional, and unique –and that’s just to name a few. That’s a word that’s often applied to heroes, leaders, game changers, entertainers, and political greats. For more than two decades, I’ve conducted research on leaders, and about 8 years ago I found that these leaders and heroes all have five ordinary things in common: passion, integrity, courage, resilience, and confidence.

These five traits can be practiced independently, but as a collection, these items fuel success. Passion is instrumental for work and life. Integrity is essential for trust in personal and professional relationships; courage is necessary for overcoming obstacles; and resilience is the buoyancy, allowing you to bounce back when knocked down. Finally, confidence, the most fortified attribute, is precious and important for acceleration and sustainability.

“An Introduction to Extraordinary” is the first post in a series published around the “Dare To Be Extraordinary” address, shared at the independently organized TED event, TEDx Adelphi University. The pieces that follow are “An Introduction to Extraordinary,” “An Introduction to Passion,” “An Introduction to Courage,” “An Introduction to Resilience,” “An Introduction to Integrity” and “An Introduction to Confidence.”