Character-Centered Principles for
Corporate Success

These MERIT Integrated Solutions character-centered principles for corporate success have been researched for over 15 years and applied in over 50 countries. They are universal personal leadership principles that can be implemented and applied in today's diverse workplace environment.

For purposes of simplicity and organization they are presented under the acronym MAXIMIZERS.

Attitude Principles

Make Things Happen - How to Change Habits and Your Personal Discipline

Teaches pro-active habit development and personal discipline. This principle deals with eliminating a victim mentality and taking responsibility for developing the kind of discipline and new habits that lead to healthy thinking and job performance. This principle gives a person an understanding that they are in control of their own attitudes and actions.

Achieve Personal Significance - How to Build a Strong Self-Image

Teaches how to build a strong self-image. This principle deals with the development of a healthy self-concept. The process of seeing your innate value and significance is balanced with the development of humility and the proper handling of criticism. Many personal conflicts and stress come from the improper view of oneself, which leads to an individual not maximizing his or her personal potential.

X-Out the Negatives - How to Deal with Fears, Problems, and Other Difficulties

Teaches how to deal with fears, problems and other difficulties. This principle addresses what a positive attitude is and how to cultivate it in multiple areas of life. Negative situations can cause stress that can demoralize an individual's performance. Stress and negative situations managed properly can be turned into positive experiences as long as one can identify the weakness exposed and then strive to overcome them.

Belief Principles

Internalize Right Principles - How to Live a Value-Driven Lifestyle at Home and at Work

Teaches how to live a value-driven lifestyle that reflects in work and at home. Learning to build a value system around foundational principles is crucial. Without such alignment the constant cognitive dissonance of wanting to do right, but not doing it becomes stressful mentally, emotionally, and physically.

March to a Mission - How to Build a Sense of Personal Mission and Purpose for Your Life

Teaches how to build a sense of personal vision, mission, and purpose for life. This principle addresses how to achieve the goals and vision that reflect in a person's ultimate desire. A clear sense of mission has been documented by research over the years as vital for personal wellness and preventing mental and physical illness. People lose hope when they don't have a sense of vision for their lives.

Commitment Principles

Integrate All of Life - How to Develop Personal Balance in Attitudes, Priorities and Goals

Teaches how to develop personal balance in attitudes, priorities, and goals. When individuals get out of control and lose balance, they become highly susceptible to distress, anger, fear, depression and even burnout. There is a deep need to rebuild personal balance for individuals to maximize their productivity, overall job performance, and personal contribution to the team.

Zero In On Caring For People - How to Listen, Confront, Empathize, and Coach

Teaches how to listen, confront, empathize, and coach. Research studies are quite clear. Poor relationships (relational conflict) are highly stressful and lead ultimately to mental, emotional and physical illness. Clearly, the development of relational skills such as listening, empathizing, resolving conflict, anger management, and encouraging others is essential to total health and productivity.

Energize Internally - How to Live a Character-Based Lifestyle

Teaches how to live a character-based lifestyle. People need to get back to this taproot principle of cultivating their character. As true character is developed, an individual becomes 'in sync'. Our outward behavior begins to flow from our inward character. That is true health and is the ultimate power base for real wellness.

Realign Rigorously - How to Make Mid-Course Corrections and Handle Constant Change

Teaches how to make the necessary mid-course corrections and to deal with constant change. Most people are constantly trying to prove the illusion that 'life is supposed to be easy'. This principle teaches people how to face the difficulties of life and how to make appropriate mid-course corrections. This learning process minimizes the distress of constant emotional and mental turmoil from worrying about problems.

Stay The Course - How to Stay Focused and Not Quit On the Important Issues

Teaches the importance of staying focused and not quitting on the important issues. The American Management Association has indicated that the most universal principle of successful leaders is that they just don't quit. Those that succeed at healthy, dynamic whole lives fail often; but they fail forward. They learn how to stick with it and persist, focusing on the roots of building right principles into their lives.

Practice these character-centered principles for corporate success and make sure every member of your workforce is exposed regularly to them.


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