Take a Look at C-Span. SKip the Flu.

As life goes I suppose it was my turn to get a spring bug and to spend a week at home feeling lousy. As I began to feel better, I spent a few days watching C-Span on T.V.  I watched Congressional Committees involved in national security, national defense and foreign affairs; I watched the Security Council of the United Nations; and I watched the British House of Lords. Flu can be a terrible thing.

I have to admit I was fascinated by democracy in action. As your President, I have a hand in ensuring that our democracy and governance system operates at a high level, just as the Chairs of Congressional Committees or the Security Council conduct the affairs of their groups. I was struck by the parallel elements  and by how much can be learned by watching these bodies in action.  The similarities were obvious. The following characteristics were common to all groups.

Preparation:
Those who spoke in these forums were thoroughly prepared for the task. They had a command of their material and a command of the limits of their knowledge.

Patience:
Many of the questions posed for those who testified seemed to serve the person asking the question, and many questions seemed pesky. Yet each person who responded was patient to a fault. Never were there outbursts or challenges.  

Respect:
The parties to these forums demonstrated terrific respect for every person or group involved. Even adversaries  were treated with absolute respect, which seems remarkable in a time when war and economic upheaval are in the forefront for all nations.

Commitment:
Those who testified or were in positions of authority appeared to share a strong sense of commitment to their belief or to the great good of the process in which they were involved.

Excellence:
Those involved at the highest level of public life advocated for principles associated with full disclosure, integrity and openness.

These characteristics of preparation, patience, respect, commitment and excellence seem to be fundamental to a democracy that places great value on the individual and the rights of citizens. The comparison to the home inspection profession is obvious.  

Our profession embraces education and preparation of the practitioner at the highest level. We value our continuing education programs, whether our member is a fledgling or has a long history of experience.

One of the hallmarks of the truly professional among us is our ability to demonstrate patience with those who would challenge us or strive to cause us to perform at a level less than our standards require. In my life as an inspector, patience is tested as I battle against pressure to be mediocre to satisfy demands of the marketplace. As a leader, patience is often tested when leadership is questioned and challenged by membership.

Mutual respect will always be a challenge for inspectors, as we struggle with those who hold opinions and views that differ from our own. Disagreeing agreeably will always be a challenge, the best in our world do it well.

Commitment is a daily challenge, both within leadership and within my life in the field. The necessity to read and study the affairs of our Society, plus the need to keep abreast of the changes in technology and codes is constant. Most challenging is the commitment to be open to new ideas and ideas that are not palatable.  

Excellence is wonderful human aspiration. Several years ago, I shared an office with a friend with a great mind and good education. He often said what he feared most in his professional life was mediocrity. That fear was discernible in his always polished work. He sometimes observed that it never occurs to many people how well something can be done. Those are not the folks I observed on C-Span.

I made it through the flu and don’t recommend it, but watching people at the highest level of governance turned a miserable week into an inspirational experience, and provided an opportunity to profit from great examples of folks who work within the democratic institutions of our world.

Take a look at C-Span. Skip the flu.